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Idaho Mountain Wildflowers

Lily Family: Liliaceae (page 5 of 6)

The California False Hellebore, Corn Lily, Veratrum californicum (above), is a stately plant with large, deep green, parallel-ribbed leaves. The plants, spreads by underground stems. It favors moist areas and seep springs, growing nearly to tree-line. The corn-husk like leaves, and the appearance of budding plants explain the common name, "corn lily." Its many flowers are about 1/2" in size with vivid, deep green markings. Lewis and Clark collected the plant along the Lolo Trail in Northern Idaho on June 25, 1806, but Frederick Pursh was unable to classify the specimen as it was not in flower—and it was almost five decades before a flowering specimen was obtained. The word "hellebore" is from the Greek elleboros. The scientific name is from the Latin veratrum, both terms were used in antiquity for unknown poisonous plants. Later, those in the Lily family were given the Latin name veratrum; and those in the Buttercup family the Greek name, helleborus. Thus, "true" hellebores are Ranunculaceae and "false" hellebores are Liliaceae. All are poisonous, although potentially with therapeutic value—Helleborus species contain cardiac glycosides; a Veratrum species was, until recently, used to treat hypertension. Veratrum californicum occurs in all of the western mountain and coastal states.

	The California False Hellebore, Corn Lily, Veratrum californicum (above), is a stately plant with large, deep green, parallel-ribbed leaves. The plants, spreads by underground stems. It favors moist areas and seep springs, growing nearly to tree-line. The corn-husk like leaves, and the appearance of budding plants explain the common name, "corn lily." Its many flowers are about 1/2" in size with vivid, deep green markings. Lewis and Clark collected the plant along the Lolo Trail in Northern Idaho on June 25, 1806, but Frederick Pursh was unable to classify the specimen as it was not in flower—and it was almost five decades before a flowering specimen was obtained. The word "hellebore" is from the Greek elleboros. The scientific name is from the Latin veratrum, both terms were used in antiquity for unknown poisonous plants. Later, those in the Lily family were given the Latin name veratrum; and those in the Buttercup family the Greek name, helleborus. Thus, "true" hellebores are Ranunculaceae and "false" hellebores are Liliaceae. All are poisonous, although potentially with therapeutic value—Helleborus species contain cardiac glycosides; a Veratrum species was, until recently, used to treat hypertension. Veratrum californicum occurs in all of the western mountain and coastal states.

Bear Grass or Indian Basket Grass, Xerophyllum tenax (right, left) is one of the Northwest's more spectacular plants. A basal tuft of "grass" appears immediately after snowmelt followed a few weeks later by a stalk tipped with myriad little lily-like blooms. The "grass" is ideally suited for basket making; it is strong, durable, and even in width throughout its length. Lewis and Clark had seen Native American's with both the grass—brought down the Columbia as a trade item—and finished baskets during their winter on the Columbia, although they didn't see the plant itself until the following spring. They collected two intact blooms while crossing the Lolo Trail on June 15,1806. Bear grass is found in all of the states and provinces in the Northwest. We have not seen it in Idaho's mountains south of the approach to Lost Trail Pass (US Rt. 93). Incomprehensibly, there are those who would--despite the established common names listed above--standardize the name of this plant as "western turkeybeard."

Lloydia, Lloydia serotina var. serotina (right) is an alpine plant that grows in the mountains of all of the western states (although rare in Oregon), north to Alaska and Eurasia. It is an unprepossessing little lily found scattered through the rocks at treeline and higher. A few narrow, inconspicuous leaves and white six-tepaled flowers and six yellow anthers identify the plant as a lloydia . The flowers are only about a centimeter (less than 1/4") across. Once seen it is easily identified for it is the only similar flower that grows on alpine tundra in Idaho. The plant was named for Edward Lloyd (1660-1709; whom we have been unable to identify further).The species scientific name serotina means "late" or "autumnal"; a strange choice for it blooms early, while there is still snow on surrounding slopes. Although this is the only species in the genus Lloydia, a rare yellow form, var. flava, grows in British Columbia. The common name "alp-lily" has been suggested for this plant.

The Beadlily (Queen's cup, Bluebead lily, Bride's bonnet), Clintonia uniflora (right, left) has a single (uniflora = "single-flowered"), plain, six-tepaled white flower, borne on a stem arising from a basal cluser of 2-4 wide, parallel-veined leaves. It is usually found growing in well-shaded montane to sub-alpine forests. The fruit is a single, dark, intensely blue berry from which its common name is derived. Beadlilies are native to coastal mountains from California to Alaska, and inland to Idaho and Montana. Its generic name, Clintonia, honors Dewitt Clinton (1769-1828), prominent naturalist and governor of New York State.

Large-flowered triplet lily, Triteleia grandiflora (right, left). This plant was a confusing one for the English botanists who attempted to classify New World plants in the early 19th century. They named this and similar plants Brodieae to honor Scots botanist, James Brodie (1744-1824). Confusingly, some brodieae had three, and others had six anthers. We now know that there are two genera of almost identical looking plants. Ours, the six anthered genus mostly found in the Northwest, became Triteleia (although, confusingly, it is still known as "Douglas's brodieae" ). Usually seen growing on grasslands, the flowers range in color from a pale bluish-white (left, var. grandiflora) to blue (right, var. howellii).

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	Bear Grass or Indian Basket Grass, Xerophyllum tenax (right, left) is one of the Northwest's more spectacular plants. A basal tuft of "grass" appears immediately after snowmelt followed a few weeks later by a stalk tipped with myriad little lily-like blooms. The "grass" is ideally suited for basket making; it is strong, durable, and even in width throughout its length. Lewis and Clark had seen Native American's with both the grass—brought down the Columbia as a trade item—and finished baskets during their winter on the Columbia, although they didn't see the plant itself until the following spring. They collected two intact blooms while crossing the Lolo Trail on June 15,1806. Bear grass is found in all of the states and provinces in the Northwest. We have not seen it in Idaho's mountains south of the approach to Lost Trail Pass (US Rt. 93). Incomprehensibly, there are those who would--despite the established common names listed above--standardize the name of this plant as "western turkeybeard."
Lloydia, Lloydia serotina var. serotina (right) is an alpine plant that grows in the mountains of all of the western states (although rare in Oregon), north to Alaska and Eurasia. It is an unprepossessing little lily found scattered through the rocks at treeline and higher. A few narrow, inconspicuous leaves and white six-tepaled flowers and six yellow anthers identify the plant as a lloydia . The flowers are only about a centimeter (less than 1/4") across. Once seen it is easily identified for it is the only similar flower that grows on alpine tundra in Idaho. The plant was named for Edward Lloyd (1660-1709; whom we have been unable to identify further).The species scientific name serotina means "late" or "autumnal"; a strange choice for it blooms early, while there is still snow on surrounding slopes. Although this is the only species in the genus Lloydia, a rare yellow form, var. flava, grows in British Columbia. The common name "alp-lily" has been suggested for this plant.
	The Beadlily (Queen's cup, Bluebead lily, Bride's bonnet), Clintonia uniflora (right, left) has a single (uniflora = "single-flowered"), plain, six-tepaled white flower, borne on a stem arising from a basal cluser of 2-4 wide, parallel-veined leaves. It is usually found growing in well-shaded montane to sub-alpine forests. The fruit is a single, dark, intensely blue berry from which its common name is derived. Beadlilies are native to coastal mountains from California to Alaska, and inland to Idaho and Montana. Its generic name, Clintonia, honors Dewitt Clinton (1769-1828), prominent naturalist and governor of New York State.
	Large-flowered triplet lily, Triteleia grandiflora (right, left). This plant was a confusing one for the English botanists who attempted to classify New World plants in the early 19th century. They named this and similar plants Brodieae to honor Scots botanist, James Brodie (1744-1824). Confusingly, some brodieae had three, and others had six anthers. We now know that there are two genera of almost identical looking plants. Ours, the six anthered genus mostly found in the Northwest, became Triteleia (although, confusingly, it is still known as "Douglas's brodieae" ). Usually seen growing on grasslands, the flowers range in color from a pale bluish-white (left, var. grandiflora) to blue (right, var. howellii).