Tuolumne fawn lily
'Pagoda', Jardin des Plantes, Paris

Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Subfamily: Lilioideae
Tribe: Lilieae
Genus: Erythronium
Species:
E. tuolumnense
Binomial name
Erythronium tuolumnense

Erythronium tuolumnense is a species of flowering plant in the family Liliaceae, known by the common name Tuolumne fawn lily or Tuolumne dog's tooth violet. However, it is neither a true lily nor a violet. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of Tuolumne County, California; from 600 m (1,969 ft) along Italian Bar Road up to 1,000 m (3,281 ft) altitude at the headwaters of Deer Creek.[2]

This hardy perennial wildflower grows from a bulb 5–10 cm (2–4 in) wide, sometimes with associated bulblets. The bulb resembles a dog's tooth in shape and colour, hence the name "dog's tooth" (which also applies to other erythronium species such as E. dens-canis). It produces two small leaves and a reddish stalk up to 35 cm (14 in) tall bearing one to five flowers. The flower has bright yellow recurved tepals, a white style and white stamens tipped with large yellow anthers.[2][3][4]

This rare plant is threatened by human activity such as logging in its small native range.

Inhabiting moist, light deciduous woodland, this plant is also found in cultivation. The species[5] and the hybrid cultivar 'Pagoda'[6] have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Conservation

Known from only a small number of populations, the largest of which have over ten thousand individuals. Erythronium tuolumnense is listed as imperiled by NaturServe. It has a small historic range, and human activity, especially recreational off-road vehicle use threatens the largest population. Other threats include mining, garbage dumping, camping, logging and fire suppression.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Erythronium Tuolumnense". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  2. 1 2 Flora of North America v 26 p 159
  3. ↑ Applegate, Elmer Ivan.. 1930. Contributions from the Dudley Herbarium 1(4): 153–154.
  4. ↑ Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California 1–1400. University of California Press, Berkeley.
  5. ↑ "Erythronium tuolumnense". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "Erythronium 'Pagoda'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Comprehensive Report Species -". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 2018-04-14.


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