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Nuttall's death camas

small-flower death camas

Habit Plants 3–7.5 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 15–40 × 9–35 mm. Plants 1–7 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 10–35 × 8–30 mm.
Leaves

proximal blades 15–45 cm × 3–15 mm.

proximal blades 12–45 cm × 2–10 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.

usually paniculate with 1–5 branches, occasionally racemose, 10–60-flowered, narrow, terminal raceme often pyramidal in early anthesis, 3–40 × 3–7 cm, proximal branches 2–13 cm, 1/10–1/2 length of entire inflorescence, diverging from main axis at 60°–90° when in fruit.

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, campanulate, 5–12 mm diam.;

tepals persistent in fruit, cream colored, 3–8 × 1–4 mm, outer sometimes with basal claw to 5 mm, usually with acute apex;

gland 1, obovate, distal margins evident, dentate;

filaments straight, ± equaling tepals or rarely longer, thickened proximally;

pedicel usually perpendicular to stem in flower and in fruit, 12–40 mm, bracts white and membranous to green and foliaceous, narrowly lanceolate, 5–40 mm.

Capsules

8–16 × 3–8 mm.

6–18 × 2–7 mm.

2n

= 32.

= 22.

Zigadenus nuttallii

Zigadenus micranthus

Phenology Flowering Mar–Jun. Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Tallgrass prairie, calcareous glades, rocky hillsides Serpentine hillsides
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
[WildflowerSearch map]
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 86. FNA vol. 26.
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. fremontii, Z. glaberrimus, Z. mogollonensis, Z. nuttallii, Z. paniculatus, Z. vaginatus, Z. venenosus, Z. virescens
Synonyms Amianthium nuttallii, Toxicoscordion nuttallii, Toxicoscordion texense, Z. texensis Toxicoscordion micranthum, Z. venenosus var. micranthus
Name authority (A. Gray) S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 343. (1871) Eastwood: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 30: 483. (1903)
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