Schoenocaulon texanum
Schoenocaulon ghiesbreghtii
Texas feathershank
green-lily
ellipsoid to plumply ovoid, 2–4.5 × 1.2–4 cm diam., usually arranged either in a circle or semicircle around a common rhizome, or one above the other on a vertical rhizome.
narrowly ovoid to globose, 2.5–6 × 2–5.5 cm diam.;
rhizome short, usually appressed to side of bulb.
5–8, 15–60 cm × 2–6 mm, shorter than raceme to just surpassing it, rarely longer.
6–11, 20–75 cm × 2.8–11 mm, usually shorter than or equaling raceme.
13.5–55 cm.
21–93 cm.
condensed, 30–250-flowered, 4–32 cm, flowers closely packed along axis.
condensed, 45–180-flowered (–300-flowered, if cultivated), 5–23 cm, flowers closely packed along axis.
tepals linear to cuneate proximally and broadly subulate distally, 2.3–3.8 mm, fleshy, margins entire or rarely irregularly crenate;
auricles distinct or absent;
filaments subulate, 2 times tepal length.
tepals linear, ovate, or obovate, 2.3–4.7 mm, slightly fleshy, margins crenulate to minutely denticulate;
auricles absent;
filaments often distally dilated, 2–2.5 times tepal length.
1–3-locular, ellipsoid to plumply ovoid, 0.8–1.9 cm × 5–12 mm.
2–3-locular, ellipsoid to plumply ovoid, 8.5–13.5 × 4–7 mm.
2–4(–8) per locule, 3–6.7 × 1.6–2.2 mm.
1–4 per locule, 3–5 × 1.5–2 mm.
= 16.
= 16.
Schoenocaulon texanum
Schoenocaulon ghiesbreghtii
The morphology of Schoenocaulon texanum is peculiarly dependent upon annual rainfall. Plants of small stature but average bulb size can be readily distinguished as the products of one or several seasons of lower than normal rainfall. The hallmarks of such plants are congested racemes, few flowers, these often appearing withered and brown, and ovaries that do not mature or have perhaps only one small locule ripening to produce a few seeds.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
In the United States, Schoenocaulon ghiesbreghtii grows at or near sea level and almost exclusively on the Reyosa gravel formation of the Texas Gulf prairie. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, it was used in a series of transplantation experiments conducted by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Stations. This has led to some confusion with regard to its natural distribution.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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