Erythronium helenae

Erythronium helenae is a species of flowering plant in the lily family which is known by the common names Pacific fawn lily and St. Helena fawn lily.[1] It is endemic to the coastal mountains north of the San Francisco Bay Area in California.[2] It is named for the local peak Mount Saint Helena, forming the point where Napa, Sonoma and Lake Counties meet. It grows on the slopes of the mountain at elevations of 500–1200 m, often on serpentine soils.[3][4]

Erythronium helenae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Subfamily: Lilioideae
Tribe: Lilieae
Genus: Erythronium
Species:
E. helenae
Binomial name
Erythronium helenae

Erythronium helenae grows from a bulb 3 to 5 centimeters wide and produces two wide leaves up to 20 centimeters long which are green mottled with brown or white. It produces erect stalks up to 30 centimeters tall, each bearing one to three flowers. The flower has white tepals with yellowish bases 3 or 4 centimeters long. The tepals develop pink or purple streaks or mottling as they age. The flower has yellow stamens with large yellow anthers.[5][6]

References
  1. Jepson Manual Treatment: Erythronium helenae
  2. United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile
  3. Flora of North America v 26 p 160 Erythronium helenae
  4. Calflora taxon report, Erythronium helenae
  5. Applegate, Elmer Ivan. 1933. Contributions from the Dudley Herbarium 1(5): 188–189.
  6. Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California 1–1400. University of California Press, Berkeley.


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