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Nuttall's death camas

Fremont's death camas

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

proximal blades 15–45 cm × 3–15 mm.

proximal blades 5–50 cm × 2–30 mm.

Inflorescences

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.

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

Flowers

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.

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.

Capsules

8–16 × 3–8 mm.

8–30 × 4–11 mm.

2n

= 32.

= 22.

Zigadenus nuttallii

Zigadenus fremontii

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