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foothill death camas, sand-corn

sheath death camas

Habit Plants 2–7 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 18–40 × 12–35 mm. Plants 4–6 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, narrowly ovoid, 3–6 × 1.5–3 cm.
Stems

with persistent leaf bases proximally.

Leaves

proximal blades 15–35 cm × 3–15 mm.

proximal blades 25–40 cm × 5–12 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.

paniculate, 15–30-flowered, with 1–4 branches, 1.5–3 dm × 3–6 cm, proximal branches 7–8 cm.

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 perigynous, rotate to rotate-campanulate, 10–15 mm diam.;

tepals white, ovate, 3–6 × 3–4 mm, somewhat narrowed at base, apex broadly rounded;

gland 1, obcordate, thick;

pedicel ascending at anthesis, 1–1.5 cm, bracts often streaked with purple, ovate, 3–6 mm.

Capsules

5–20 × 3–8 mm.

narrowly conic, 7–8 mm.

2n

= 22.

= 32.

Zigadenus paniculatus

Zigadenus vaginatus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering Aug.
Habitat Sagebrush desert, dry open inland grasslands Wet sandstone ledges of canyons, “hanging garden” community
Elevation 1300–2600 m (4300–8500 ft) 1100–1900 m (3600–6200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CO; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 85. FNA vol. 26, p. 87.
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. micranthus, Z. mogollonensis, Z. nuttallii, Z. paniculatus, Z. venenosus, Z. virescens
Synonyms Helonias paniculata, Toxicoscordion paniculatum Anticlea vaginata
Name authority (Nuttall) S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 343. (1871) (Rydberg) J. F. Macbride: Contr. Gray Herb. 53: 4. (1918)
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