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Fremont's death camas

Nuttall's death camas

Habit Plants 1–8 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 10–40 × 5–40 mm. Plants 3–7.5 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 15–40 × 9–35 mm.
Leaves

proximal blades 5–50 cm × 2–30 mm.

proximal blades 15–45 cm × 3–15 mm.

Inflorescences

racemose or paniculate, 2–80-flowered, broad, proximal branches 1/3–1/2 as long as entire inflorescence, spreading at 60°–90° angle.

usually paniculate, 20–60-flowered, with 1–8 branches, narrow, terminal raceme pyramidal in early anthesis, 3–30 × 3–7 cm, proximal branches 1/10–1/2 length of entire inflorescence, ascending at 10°–60° angle.

Flowers

perianth hypogynous, rotate, 15–25 mm diam.;

tepals persistent in fruit, cream colored, 5–15 × 2–6 mm, outer very short clawed, inner distinctly clawed 2 mm;

gland 1, obovate, distal margins evident, dentate;

filaments straight, shorter than tepals, thickened proximally;

pedicel ascending in flower to perpendicular to stem in fruit, 10–50 mm, bracts green, somewhat falcate, 5–50 mm.

perianth hypogynous, campanulate, 10–15 mm diam.;

tepals persistent in fruit, cream colored, ovate, 3–8 × 1–4 mm, outer unclawed or rarely clawed to 5 mm, apex usually obtuse;

gland 1, obovate, distal margins obscure, thin;

filaments straight, usually equaling tepals, occasionally longer, thickened proximally;

pedicel usually ascending in fruit, occasionally perpendicular to stem, 10–35 mm, bracts green, somewhat falcate, 3–20 mm.

Capsules

8–30 × 4–11 mm.

8–16 × 3–8 mm.

2n

= 22.

= 32.

Zigadenus fremontii

Zigadenus nuttallii

Phenology Flowering Feb–Jun. Flowering Mar–Jun.
Habitat Coastal and inland, central valley grassland chaparral, mixed evergreen forests Tallgrass prairie, calcareous glades, rocky hillsides
Elevation 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft) 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AR; KS; MO; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 85. FNA vol. 26, p. 86.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Zigadenus Liliaceae > Zigadenus
Sibling taxa
Z. brevibracteatus, Z. densus, Z. elegans, Z. exaltatus, Z. fontanus, Z. glaberrimus, Z. micranthus, Z. mogollonensis, Z. nuttallii, Z. paniculatus, Z. vaginatus, Z. venenosus, Z. virescens
Z. brevibracteatus, Z. densus, Z. elegans, Z. exaltatus, Z. fontanus, Z. fremontii, Z. glaberrimus, Z. micranthus, Z. mogollonensis, Z. paniculatus, Z. vaginatus, Z. venenosus, Z. virescens
Synonyms Anticlea fremontii, Toxicoscordion fremontii, Toxicoscordion fremontii var. minor, Z. fremontii var. inezianus, Z. fremontii var. salsus Amianthium nuttallii, Toxicoscordion nuttallii, Toxicoscordion texense, Z. texensis
Name authority (Torrey) Torrey ex S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 343. (1871) (A. Gray) S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 343. (1871)
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