Leucocrinum montanum

Nuttall ex A. Gray

Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 4: 110. 1837.

IllustratedEndemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 218. Mentioned on page 217.

Plants 5–10 cm. Leaves spreading; blade 10–20 cm × 2–8 mm; sheath 3–8 cm × 5–8 mm, distalmost occasionally fibrous. Flowers: perianth 5–10 (–12) cm, tube (4–) 5–8 (–10) cm; tepals 2–2.5 cm × 3–7 mm; anthers 4–6 mm; pedicel slender, 0.5–3 cm. Capsules 5–8 mm. Seeds 3–4 mm. 2n = 22, 26, 28, ca. 50.


Phenology: Flowering spring (Mar–Jun).
Habitat: Scrub flats, short-grass prairie, sagebrush deserts to open montane forests, sandy to rocky areas
Elevation: 800–2400 m

Distribution

V26 379-distribution-map.jpg

Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.Mex., N.Dak., Oreg., S.Dak., Utah, Wyo.

Discussion

Leucocrinum montanum exhibits an unusual chromosomal and pollen heteromorphism (M. S. Cave 1970; R. Ornduff and M. S. Cave 1975). Populations from the Rocky Mountain region, Utah, and central and eastern Nevada shed their pollen in monads and have x = 14, while populations from extreme western Nevada, California, and Oregon all shed tetrads and have x = 13. The occurrence of intraspecific dimorphism in pollen shedding is extremely rare.

The showy flowers of Leucocrinum montanum (L. S. Hannibal 1976; H. Rickabaugh 1975) with their long, white floral tubes are reportedly fragrant (V. A. Matthews 1986), and the subterranean capsules are more or less sessile on the rootstocks. Native Americans have eaten the roots (G. Kunkel 1984), and the Paiute and Shoshone tribes used the plant as a dermatological aid (D. E. Moerman 1986).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thicker" is not a number.

... more about "Leucocrinum montanum"
50 +, 28 +, 26 +  and 22 +
introrse +  and coiled +
versatile +  and dorsifixed +
cordate +  and linear +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
James L. Reveal +  and Frederick H. Utech +
Nuttall ex A. Gray +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
dilated +
reticulate-veined +  and parallel-veined +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
sheathing +  and involucrate +
1;several +
tunicate +  and scaly +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, N.Mex. +, N.Dak. +, Oreg. +, S.Dak. +, Utah +  and Wyo. +
800–2400 m +
sessile +  and pedicellate +
fragrant +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
loculicidal +
subterranean +
3-angled +  and obovoid +
membranaceous +  and leathery +
Scrub flats, short-grass prairie, sagebrush deserts to open montane forests, sandy to rocky areas +
umbellate +, cymose +  and spicate +
persistent +
subterranean +
superior +  and inferior +
many;several +
ebracteate +  and articulate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
zygomorphic +  and actinomorphic +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
Flowering spring (Mar–Jun). +
Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York +
wind-distributed +
1 +  and many +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
distalmost +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
adnate +  and free +
staminodial +
3 +, 4 +  and 6 +
1 +  and several +
3 +  and 1 +
3-fid +, elongate +  and filiform +
Leucocrinum montanum +
Leucocrinum +
species +
2cm;2.5cm +
3mm;7mm +
sepaloid +  and petaloid +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
narrower +
3 +  and 2 +
14 +, 13 +  and 11 +