Zigadenus falcatus Rydb.
-
Authority
New York Botanical Garden. Herbarium of Dr. Per Axel Rydberg. Purchased, 1899. Contributions from the New York Botanical Garden.
-
Family
Melanthiaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Species Description - A rather stout light green plant 3-4 dm. high. Bulbs rounded ovoid, 3-4 cm. long and about 3 cm. in diameter: leaves scabrous, especially on the margins and midribs, 1.5-2.5 dm. long, 5-8 mm, wide, keeled, conduplicate, and generally decidedly falcate, all with scarious sheaths: raceme short, in fruit elongated: flowers yellow; petals and sepals about 5 mm. long, acute; the former deltoid ovate, acute at the base; the latter ovate, sub-cordate at the base and with claws 1 mm. long: glands semi-orbicular, upper margin toothed, thin and not well defined: capsule ovoid cylindrical.
-
Discussion
All the specimens cited below have been named Z. Nuttallii though the plant is more closely related to Z. paniculatus, from which it differs in the distinctly clawed petals which are subcordate at the base. These characters, together with the more distinct glands and the slightly adnate filaments, distinguish it from Z. Nuttallii. Z. falcatus inhabits the foothills of Colorado at an altitude of about 1500 m.
-
Distribution
Colorado: Fort Collins, 1893, C. S. Crandall (type) ; 1896. C. F. Baker ; Denver, 1873, J. M. Coulter.
Colorado United States of America North America|