Lilium kelleyanum
Lilium kelleyanum
Lilium kelleyanum is a native only in California species in the genus of lilies ( Lilium) in the section Pseudolirium.
Description
Lilium kelleyanum reaches a height of up to 220 cm. The bulbs are a rhizome with small adjacent yellowish scales. It is usually divided into two or three segments, or more rarely, unsegmented. The stem itself does not form roots. The leaves are lance-shaped with the bottom sloping top. They are between 7.8 cm and 15.8 cm long and between 1.2 cm and 5.3 cm. They are rarely found freely distributed on the stem or usually arranged in one to four whorls of three to ten leaves.
The plant flowers from July to August 1 to 15 nodding in a large pyramid-shaped panicle flowers with shiny texture. The hermaphrodite flowers are triple. The six arranged bloom ( tepals ) are strongly recurved, but not completely curled ( turks composite form) and 4.2 to 5.3 cm long. The basic color of the flowers is cadmium - yellow with fine purple spots, towards the base, the color goes on in a green tone. Each flower has three carpels and six stamens. The anthers are magenta or gray-red, pale - orange pollen. The stamp is green. The seeds mature in 1.5 cm to 2.9 cm large seed pods zoom and germinate delayed - hypogeous.
Dissemination
The plant is endemic to California. It is Lilium parvum very similar and shares with it the Sierra Nevada on both shores of Lake Tahoe.
Lilium kelleyanum needs a moist soil, it grows best in mountainous coniferous forests near rivers at altitudes between 2200 m and 2900 m above sea level.
System
Lilium Lilium parvum kelleyanum is both as well Lilium pardalinum very similar, so that even the state as a separate species for a time was controversial long. In both ways it forms natural hybrids. A synonym is Lilium nevadense.
Use
The starchy bulbs of the lily are edible and taste like the cooked potato ( Solanum tuberosum).