Triteleia hyacinthina
Triteleia laxa
fool's-onion, hyacinth brodiaea, hyacinth cluster-lily, hyacinth triteleia, white brodiaea, white triteleia, wild hyacinth
common triteleia, grass nut, Ithuriel's spear, triplet lily, wally basket
10–40 cm × 4–22 mm.
20–40 cm × 4–25 mm.
30–60 cm, smooth to scabrous.
10–70 cm, smooth or scabrous near base.
perianth white, sometimes flushed purple abaxially, 9–16 mm, tube shallowly bowl-shaped, 2–4 mm, lobes ascending to spreading, with green midvein, 7–12 mm, 2–3 times longer than tube;
stamens attached at 1 level, equal;
filaments usually triangular-dilated, 2–4 mm, apical appendages absent;
anthers whitish to yellow, rarely blue, 1–2 mm;
ovary twice as long as stipe;
pedicel 0.5–5 cm.
perianth usually pale blue, sometimes deep bluish purple or white, 18–47 mm, tube attenuate at base, 12–25 mm, lobes gradually spreading, 8–20 mm;
stamens attached alternately at 2 levels, horizontal and curved upward at apex, nearly equal;
filaments linear, 3–6 mm, apical appendages present near base of adnate portion of filaments, membranous;
anthers white to bluish, 2–5 mm, apex blunt to tapered;
ovary 1/3–1/2 as long as stipe, either central or along proximal side of flower;
pedicel ascending or spreading, often bent at apex, 1–10 cm.
= 28, 84.
= 16, 18, 28 (30), 32, 42, 48.
Triteleia hyacinthina
Triteleia laxa
Triteleia hyacinthina is one of the most widely distributed members of the genus, common in low, moist places such as meadows, vernal pools, and along streams, and found occasionally in drier valley grasslands, foothill woodlands, and closed-cone pine forests. It is cytologically and morphologically variable, with large-flowered forms found in wet places; smaller, scabrous forms found in dry places; forms with rather long pedicels (sometimes recognized as var. lactea); and forms with filaments lacking dilated triangular bases. Most plants have white flowers, but a few interesting forms with restricted distributions have lilac, blue, or even purple flowers. Triteleia ×versicolor Hoover is a sterile hybrid of T. ixioides and T. hyacinthina found in Monterey. Triteleia lilacina is recognized here as a species distinct from T. hyacinthina because of its different base chromosome number (2n = 16) and presence of hyaline vesicles (R. F. Hoover 1955).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Triteleia laxa is very common at low altitudes in central California, growing under a variety of ecological conditions, with wide attendant variation, especially in flower size. It could be considered a species complex (like T. ixioides) made up of many forms, with consistent differences in chromosome number and in the size and shape of the anthers (M. P. Burbanck 1944). The flowers can be quite large or small, and usually are pale blue, but sometimes are white or deep bluish purple. These morphologies often intergrade, making it difficult to recognize formal varieties.
This species may occur in southwestern Oregon, but documentation of its presence there is lacking.
Triteleia ×tubergenii L. W. Lenz is a cultivated amphidiploid hybrid between T. laxa and T. peduncularis (L. W. Lenz 1970).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
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USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
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