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foothill death camas, sand-corn

small-flower death camas

Habit Plants 2–7 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 18–40 × 12–35 mm. Plants 1–7 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 10–35 × 8–30 mm.
Leaves

proximal blades 15–35 cm × 3–15 mm.

proximal blades 12–45 cm × 2–10 mm.

Inflorescences

paniculate, 10–80-flowered, narrow, terminal raceme pyramidal in anthesis, 2–30 × 2–4 cm, proximal branches usually less than 6 cm, 1/10–1/2 length of entire inflorescence, diverging from main axis at 10°–60° when in fruit.

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, 5–10 mm diam.;

tepals persistent in fruit, cream colored, ovate, 2–5 × 1–4 mm, outer usually not clawed, apex usually acute;

gland 1, obovate, distal margins evident to obscure, irregular;

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

pedicel ascending to perpendicular to stem in fruit, 3–25 mm, bracts green, lanceolate, 5–15 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

5–20 × 3–8 mm.

6–18 × 2–7 mm.

2n

= 22.

= 22.

Zigadenus paniculatus

Zigadenus micranthus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Sagebrush desert, dry open inland grasslands Serpentine hillsides
Elevation 1300–2600 m (4300–8500 ft) 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 85. 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. nuttallii, 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 Helonias paniculata, Toxicoscordion paniculatum Toxicoscordion micranthum, Z. venenosus var. micranthus
Name authority (Nuttall) S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 343. (1871) Eastwood: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 30: 483. (1903)
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