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mountain triteleia, Sierra triteleia, slender triplet lily

common triteleia, grass nut, Ithuriel's spear, triplet lily, wally basket

Leaves

10–30 cm × 2–5 mm.

20–40 cm × 4–25 mm.

Scape

5–20(–25) cm, ± scabrous.

10–70 cm, smooth or scabrous near base.

Flowers

perianth yellow, aging purple, 12–17 mm, tube slender, narrowly funnelform, attenuate at base, 4–7 mm, lobes somewhat spreading, with brown midvein, 8–10 mm, ca. twice as long as tube;

stamens attached at 1 level, equal;

filaments linear, 5–6 mm, more than 1/2 as long as perianth lobes, apical appendages absent;

anthers cream or blue, 1–1.5 mm;

ovary equal to stipe;

pedicel 0.5–3 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.

2n

= 16.

= 16, 18, 28 (30), 32, 42, 48.

Triteleia montana

Triteleia laxa

Phenology Flowering summer (Jun–Jul). Flowering spring (Apr–Jun).
Habitat Open montane coniferous forest, gravelly plains, granite ridges Open forests, mixed conifer or foothill woodlands, grasslands on clay soil
Elevation 1200–3000 m (3900–9800 ft) 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Locally rather plentiful, Triteleia montana appears to have a disjunct distribution in the Sierra Nevada range north and south from Yosemite, though future collections may bridge the gap between the distributions currently indicated. Molecular data suggest that it is related to T. lemmoniae of Arizona (J. C. Pires 2000).

(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.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 345. FNA vol. 26, p. 344.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Triteleia Liliaceae > Triteleia
Sibling taxa
T. bridgesii, T. clementina, T. crocea, T. dudleyi, T. grandiflora, T. hendersonii, T. hyacinthina, T. ixioides, T. laxa, T. lemmoniae, T. lilacina, T. lugens, T. peduncularis
T. bridgesii, T. clementina, T. crocea, T. dudleyi, T. grandiflora, T. hendersonii, T. hyacinthina, T. ixioides, T. lemmoniae, T. lilacina, T. lugens, T. montana, T. peduncularis
Synonyms Brodiaea gracilis, Hookera gracilis, T. gracilis Brodiaea candida, Brodiaea laxa, Brodiaea laxa var. candida, Brodiaea laxa var. nimia, Brodiaea laxa var. tracyi, Hookera laxa, Milla laxa, Seubertia laxa, Seubertia obscura, T. angustiflora, T. candida
Name authority Hoover: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 25: 95. (1941) Bentham: Trans. Hort. Soc. London, ser. 2, 1: 413, plate 15, fig. 2. (1835)
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