Lilium occidentale

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Lilium occidentale
Liliumoccidentale.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Subfamily: Lilioideae
Tribe: Lilieae
Genus: Lilium
Species:
L. occidentale
Binomial name
Lilium occidentale
Purdy

Lilium occidentale is a rare North American species of lily known by the common name western lily. Its species name 'Occidentale' means 'westernmost' and refers to its location along the West Coast. It is native to northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. [1] [2] [3] It grows in coastal prairie habitat, swamps and stagnant bogs with Drosera species, bluffs and sandy cliffs, and seaside spruce forests. This rare wildflower is limited in distribution and directly endangered by a number of environmental factors. It is a federally listed endangered species and it is listed as endangered by the states of California and Oregon.

Contents

It is found growing along a narrow 200 mile stretch of coast between Southern Oregon and Northern California usually within sight of the ocean. Its furthest northern distribution is Florence, Oregon to as far south as Eureka, California.

Description

Lilium occidentale is a perennial herb sometimes exceeding two meters in height. It grows from a scaly, elongated bulb which may be nearly 10 centimeters long. The leaves grow in a series of whorls around the stem. They may be linear to oval in shape and over 20 centimeters long. The inflorescence bears up to 35 showy nodding lily flowers. The flower has 6 recurved tepals each up to 8 centimeters long, sometimes curled back into complete rings. The tepals are usually red to orange to yellow-green, generally bicolored with more red on the inside and more greenish yellow on the outer surfaces. They are often spotted. There are six stamens with large red anthers up to 1.4 centimeters long, and a pistil which may be more than 5 centimeters in length. The flower is pollinated chiefly by hummingbirds, including Allen's hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin). [4]

Lilium occidentale produces more nectar than any other American lily, which is not surprising given that hummingbirds are the primary pollinator.

Conservation

Threats to this species have included grazing and trampling by livestock, development and ranching, cranberry farming, genetic drift, vehicles and road maintenance, and horticultural collecting of the bulbs and flowers. New sprouts and shoots dry out quickly and are easily crushed. The invasion of trees into the plant's habitat, either by natural succession or deliberate planting and fire suppression, can alter the hydrology and soil structure enough to eliminate it. [1] When the plant was listed as an endangered species in 1994, there were 2000 to 3000 individuals remaining. [5]

Cultivation

Lilium occidentale grows easily from seed with stratification. It can be easily grown in an artificial type bog or other wetland setting providing its need for constant moisture during the growing season is met. (McRae). There is considerable hybridization with other native lilies, in particular L. columbianum, in areas where the two species grow in close proximity. At some locations the two species grow side by side, with L. occidentale growing in low depressions (drainage ditches) that are clearly flooded during wet periods or periods of heavy rain, and L. columbianum growing just feet away on the steeper slope.(McRae). This leads to confusion with regards to "true" phenotype.

Regardless of its relative ease of culture, Lilium occidentale is a federally protected species under the Endangered Species Act and C.I.T.E.S (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and therefore it is illegal to own or process any plant material (seed, bulbs, leaves, ETC), or sell seed or bulbs without proper documentation and approval of U.S. Fish & Wildlife. Violators face prosecution and a possible felony conviction for possession of undocumented plant material.

Toxicity

Cats

Cats are extremely sensitive to lily toxicity and ingestion is often fatal; [6] [7] [8] households and gardens which are visited by cats are strongly advised against keeping this plant or placing dried flowers where a cat may brush against them and become dusted with pollen which they then consume while cleaning. Suspected cases require urgent veterinary attention. [9] Rapid treatment with activated charcoal and/or induced vomiting can reduce the amount of toxin absorbed (this is time-sensitive so in some cases vets may advise doing it at home), and large amounts of fluid by IV can reduce damage to kidneys to increase the chances of survival. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Lilium</i> Genus of plants

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. Most species are native to the northern hemisphere and their range is temperate climates and extends into the subtropics. Many other plants have "lily" in their common names, but do not belong to the same genus and are therefore not true lilies.

<i>Lilium bulbiferum</i> Species of lily

Lilium bulbiferum, common names orange lily, fire lily,Jimmy's Bane,tiger lily and St. John's Lily, is a herbaceous European lily with underground bulbs, belonging to the Liliaceae.

<i>Lilium humboldtii</i> Species of lily

Lilium humboldtii, or Humboldt's lily, is a species of lily native to the US state of California and the Mexican state of Baja California. It is named after naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt. It is native to the South High Cascade Range, High Sierra Nevada, south Outer South Coast Ranges, and the Santa Monica Mountains and others in Southern California, growing at elevations from 600 metres (2,000 ft) to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft).

<i>Lilium philadelphicum</i> Species of lily

Lilium philadelphicum, also known as the wood lily, Philadelphia lily, prairie lily, or western red lily, is a perennial species of lily native to North America.

<i>Lilium pardalinum</i> Species of plant

Lilium pardalinum, also known as the leopard lily or panther lily, is a flowering bulbous perennial plant in the lily family, native to Oregon, California, and Baja California. It usually grows in damp areas. Its range includes California chaparral and woodlands habitats and the Sierra Nevada.

<i>Lilium regale</i> Species of plant

Lilium regale, called the regal lily, royal lily, king's lily, or, in New Zealand, the Christmas lily, is a species of flowering plant in the lily family Liliaceae, with trumpet-shaped flowers. It is native to the western part of Sichuan Province in southwestern China, and cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental. It was introduced to England in 1903 by Ernest Henry Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulbil</span> Small young plant that grows from the parent plants stem

A bulbil is a small, young plant that is reproduced vegetatively from axillary buds on the parent plant's stem or in place of a flower on an inflorescence. These young plants are clones of the parent plant that produced them—they have identical genetic material. The formation of bulbils is a form of asexual reproduction, as they can eventually go on to form new stand-alone plants.

<i>Lilium superbum</i> Species of lily

Lilium superbum is a species of true lily native to the eastern and central regions of North America. Common names include Turk's cap lily, turban lily, swamp lily, lily royal, or American tiger lily. The native range of the species extends from southern New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York, west to Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas, and south to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.

<i>Lilium columbianum</i> Species of lily

Lilium columbianum is a lily native to western North America. It is also known as the Columbia lily, Columbia tiger lily, or simply tiger lily.

<i>Erythronium oregonum</i> Species of flowering plant

Erythronium oregonum is a North American species of flowering plant in the lily family which is known by the common name giant white fawnlily or Oregon fawn-lily.

<i>Lilium bolanderi</i> Species of lily

Lilium bolanderi is a rare North American species of plants in the lily family, known by the common name Bolander's lily. It is native to northwestern California and southwestern Oregon.

<i>Lilium kelleyanum</i> Species of lily

Lilium kelleyanum is a California species of lily known by the common name Kelley's lily. It grows primarily in wetlands in the Sierra Nevada as well as in the Coast Ranges and southern Cascades in the northern part of the state.

<i>Lilium kelloggii</i> Species of lily

Lilium kelloggii is a species of lily known by the common name Kellogg's lily. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains of northwestern California and southwestern Oregon, where it grows in forests, including those dominated by redwoods.

<i>Lilium maritimum</i> Species of lily

Lilium maritimum is a species of lily known by the common name coast lily. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the coastline north of San Francisco. It formerly occurred south of San Francisco, but these occurrences have all been extirpated. The species is now restricted to the North Coast from Marin County to Del Norte County, and is most common in Mendocino County. It grows in the California coastal prairie habitat, coniferous forests, and bogs amongst Drosera species.

<i>Lilium parryi</i> Species of lily

Lilium parryi, common name lemon lily, is a rare species of lily.

<i>Lilium rubescens</i> Species of lily

Lilium rubescens is an uncommon species of lily known by the common names redwood lily and chaparral lily. It is native to northwestern California and southwestern Oregon, where it is known from the Coast Ranges from Lane County to Santa Cruz Counties.

<i>Lilium iridollae</i> Species of lily

Lilium iridollae is a species of Lilium or lily. It is a perennial forb. This species is considered one of five known Lilium species native to specific sites in the United States' southeast region. In 1940, this species was discovered by Mary Henry in its habitat. She named the lily in reference to a "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow".

Erythronium elegans is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common names Coast Range fawnlily and elegant fawnlily. It is endemic to Oregon in the United States, where it is known from about 12 occurrences in the northern Coast Range.

<i>Lilium concolor</i> Species of lily

Lilium concolor is a species of flowering plant in the lily family which occurs naturally in China, Japan, Korea and Russia. Its relationship with other species is not clear, although it has some similarities to Lilium pumilum.

Lilium sherriffiae is a species of Lilium native to Bhutan and Nepal in southeastern Asia.

References

  1. 1 2 Center for Plant Conservation Archived 2009-08-08 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  3. ↑ Calflora taxon report, Lilium occidentale Purdy western lily
  4. ↑ Flora of North America
  5. ↑ FWS. Determination of Endangered Status for Lilium occidentale. Federal Register August 17, 1994.
  6. ↑ Frequently Asked Questions No Lilies For Cats.
  7. ↑ Fitzgerald, KT (2010). "Lily toxicity in the cat". Top Companion Anim Med. 25: 213–7. doi:10.1053/j.tcam.2010.09.006. PMID   21147474.
  8. ↑ Lilies Pet Poison Helpline.
  9. 1 2 Lily Poisoning in Cats. Pet MD.
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