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sheath death camas

Nuttall's death camas

Habit Plants 4–6 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, narrowly ovoid, 3–6 × 1.5–3 cm. Plants 3–7.5 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 15–40 × 9–35 mm.
Stems

with persistent leaf bases proximally.

Leaves

proximal blades 25–40 cm × 5–12 mm.

proximal blades 15–45 cm × 3–15 mm.

Inflorescences

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

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 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.

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

narrowly conic, 7–8 mm.

8–16 × 3–8 mm.

2n

= 32.

= 32.

Zigadenus vaginatus

Zigadenus nuttallii

Phenology Flowering Aug. Flowering Mar–Jun.
Habitat Wet sandstone ledges of canyons, “hanging garden” community Tallgrass prairie, calcareous glades, rocky hillsides
Elevation 1100–1900 m (3600–6200 ft) 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AR; KS; MO; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 87. FNA vol. 26, p. 86.
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. paniculatus, 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 vaginata Amianthium nuttallii, Toxicoscordion nuttallii, Toxicoscordion texense, Z. texensis
Name authority (Rydberg) J. F. Macbride: Contr. Gray Herb. 53: 4. (1918) (A. Gray) S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 343. (1871)
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