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sheath death camas

grass-leaf death-camas, meadow death-camas

Habit Plants 4–6 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, narrowly ovoid, 3–6 × 1.5–3 cm. Plants 2–7 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 10–30 × 8–20 mm.
Stems

with persistent leaf bases proximally.

Leaves

proximal blades 25–40 cm × 5–12 mm.

proximal blades 12–50 cm × 2–10 mm.

Inflorescences

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

racemose or paniculate with 1 or 2 basal branches, 10–50-flowered, terminal raceme pyramidal in anthesis, 2–20 × 2–5 cm, branches (if any) 1/10–1/3 length of entire inflorescence, diverging from main axis at 10°–60° when in fruit.

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, 5–10 mm diam.;

tepals persistent in fruit, cream colored, 2–5 × 1–3 mm, outer often clawed, apex usually acute;

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

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

pedicel usually ascending in fruit, occasionally perpendicular to stem, 3–25 mm, bracts usually green, sometimes white, 5–25 mm.

Capsules

narrowly conic, 7–8 mm.

8–20 × 4–7 mm.

2n

= 32.

= 22.

Zigadenus vaginatus

Zigadenus venenosus

Phenology Flowering Aug.
Habitat Wet sandstone ledges of canyons, “hanging garden” community
Elevation 1100–1900 m (3600–6200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Zigadenus venenosus is a smaller, more slender plant than either Z. paniculatus or Z. fontanus. It can be distinguished from Z. micranthus by its ascending pedicels. It has a much broader distribution than either Z. micranthus or Z. fontanus, and does not occur on serpentine substrates.

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

Key
1. Outer tepals usually clawed ca. 5 mm; inflorescences mostly racemose, occasionally paniculate with 1 basal branch.
var. venenosus
1. Outer tepals not clawed, or clawed less than 5 mm; inflorescences mostly paniculate with 1–2 basal branches, occasionally racemose.
var. gramineus
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 87. FNA vol. 26, p. 84.
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. nuttallii, Z. paniculatus, Z. vaginatus, Z. virescens
Subordinate taxa
Z. venenosus var. gramineus, Z. venenosus var. venenosus
Synonyms Anticlea vaginata Toxicoscordion venenosum
Name authority (Rydberg) J. F. Macbride: Contr. Gray Herb. 53: 4. (1918) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 279. (1879)
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