''Lilium rubescens'' is an uncommon species of

lily ''Lilium'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. M ...

known by the common names redwood lily and chaparral lily. It is native to northwestern

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and southwestern Oregon, where it is known from the

Coast Ranges The Pacific Coast Ranges (officially gazetted as the Pacific Mountain System in the United States) are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along the West Coast of North America from Alaska south to Northern and Central Mexico. Although th ...

from Lane County to Santa Cruz Counties. As its names suggest, it is a member of the flora in redwood forest understory and chaparral habitat types. This is a perennial herb growing a waxy, erect stem up to two meters in height. It forms a scaly, oval-shaped bulb up to about 9 centimeters long. The oval leaves are located in several

whorls A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral ...

about the stem, each up to 13 centimeters in length with wavy edges. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphology (biology), Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of sperma ...

bears up to 40 erect flowers. The fragrant flower is trumpet-shaped with 6

tepal A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...

s up to 7 centimeters long and somewhat recurved or curled back. The

tepals A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...

are white to pale purple or pinkish on the inside, darker on the outside, and freckled with reddish spotting. There are 6 stamens with yellowish anthers and a pistil which may be 4 centimeters in length. The flowers are probably

pollinated Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, birds, a ...

by bees and the pale swallowtail (''Papilio eurymedon''). This plant is threatened by a number of factors, including development, logging, non-native species, road maintenance, and horticultural collecting of the bulbs and flowers.California Native Plant Society Rare Plant Profile
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References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentUnited States Department of Agriculture Plants ProfileCalphotos Photo gallery, University of California
rubescens Flora of California Flora of Oregon Flora of the Klamath Mountains Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Plants described in 1879 Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{liliales-stub