Deathcamas
Encyclopedia
Zigadenus is a genus
of flowering plants in the family Melanthiaceae
. As currently described in the research literature, it is monotypic, including only the Sandbog Deathcamas, Zigadenus glaberrimus. Until recently, the genus was considered to include a wider range of species, all known as Deathcamases or Star Lilies, and it is this circumscription of the genus that is likely to be met with in most books and websites. Before the general reorganization of flowering plant families that has taken place in recent decades (for example by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group
), Zigadenus was placed in the family Liliaceae
.
Deathcamases are perennial plant
s growing from a bulb
or rhizome
. In most cases they have long narrow leaves that grow from the base of the plant. The flowers are bisexual; they have six petals and are radially symmetrical, and in the best known species are white or yellowish-white. They are found in North America
, Central America
, and Asia
. The name "deathcamas" comes from the similarity of the plants to the camases
, in the unrelated genus Camassia. Camases are an important food plant, but all the deathcamases are at least unpalatable to livestock
because of alkaloid
s present especially in the bulbs. Some deathcamases are seriously toxic to both animals and humans, and can cause convulsions, coma, and death.
Recent phylogenetic efforts have led to the conclusion that the genus as formerly recognised was polyphyletic. The species formerly placed in it have therefore been placed into five genera which are believed to be monophyletic, Amianthium
, Anticlea, Stenanthium, and Toxicoscordion, leaving only Zigadenus glaberrimus
in Zigadenus. Although the reorganization was done primarily on molecular grounds, it is supported by morphological and distributional considerations.
There are more than twenty species in the genus as it was previously circumscribed. The list below gives the genus placements as recommended by Zomlefer and Judd (2002). Distributions and some key features of the genera are as follows:
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of flowering plants in the family Melanthiaceae
Melanthiaceae
Melanthiaceae is a family of flowering perennial herbs in the Northern Hemisphere. The family has been recognized by relatively few taxonomists, and the circumscription has varied...
. As currently described in the research literature, it is monotypic, including only the Sandbog Deathcamas, Zigadenus glaberrimus. Until recently, the genus was considered to include a wider range of species, all known as Deathcamases or Star Lilies, and it is this circumscription of the genus that is likely to be met with in most books and websites. Before the general reorganization of flowering plant families that has taken place in recent decades (for example by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group
Angiosperm Phylogeny Group
The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, or APG, refers to an informal international group of systematic botanists who came together to try to establish a consensus on the taxonomy of flowering plants that would reflect new knowledge about plant relationships discovered through phylogenetic studies., three...
), Zigadenus was placed in the family Liliaceae
Liliaceae
The Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
.
Deathcamases are perennial plant
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
s growing from a bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
or rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
. In most cases they have long narrow leaves that grow from the base of the plant. The flowers are bisexual; they have six petals and are radially symmetrical, and in the best known species are white or yellowish-white. They are found in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The name "deathcamas" comes from the similarity of the plants to the camases
Camassia
Camassia is a genus of six species native to western North America, from southern British Columbia to northern California, and east to Utah, Wyoming and Montana...
, in the unrelated genus Camassia. Camases are an important food plant, but all the deathcamases are at least unpalatable to livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
because of alkaloid
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
s present especially in the bulbs. Some deathcamases are seriously toxic to both animals and humans, and can cause convulsions, coma, and death.
Recent phylogenetic efforts have led to the conclusion that the genus as formerly recognised was polyphyletic. The species formerly placed in it have therefore been placed into five genera which are believed to be monophyletic, Amianthium
Amianthium
Amianthium is a monotypic genus of perennial plants growing from bulbs. It contains the single species Amianthium muscitoxicum, known in English as fly poison from a literal translation of the Latin muscitoxicum, and is noted for its pretty flowers and its toxic alkaloid content. While all parts of...
, Anticlea, Stenanthium, and Toxicoscordion, leaving only Zigadenus glaberrimus
Zigadenus glaberrimus
Zigadenus glaberrimus, the sandbog death camas, is a flowering plant and the only member of the genus Zigadenus.Growing from thick, twisted rhizomes, plants reach 60 to 120 cm tall. With age, It has leaves that are sometimes marked with reddish brown tinting. it has 30 to 75 white to cream...
in Zigadenus. Although the reorganization was done primarily on molecular grounds, it is supported by morphological and distributional considerations.
There are more than twenty species in the genus as it was previously circumscribed. The list below gives the genus placements as recommended by Zomlefer and Judd (2002). Distributions and some key features of the genera are as follows:
- Zigadenus (south-east USA): rhizome (no bulb), 2 conspicuous glands per tepalTepalTepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
. - Amianthium (south-east USA): ovoid bulb, seeds with red to purple sarcotestaSarcotestaThe sarcotesta is the outermost fleshy covering of Cycad seeds. Below this layer is usually the sclerotesta, the coating that makes direct contact with the cycad seed. In some species, however, there is an intermediate layer that is thought to be used in water retention and storage....
. - Stenanthium (south-east USA): slender cylindrical bulb, seeds brown with no sarcotesta.
- Toxicoscordion (mid-western USA and western North America): tepals with claws and 1 conspicuous rounded gland.
- Anticlea (Asia, North and Central America as far south as Guatemala): narrow tepals with 1 conspicuous bilobed gland.
List of species
- Amianthium muscitotoxumAmianthiumAmianthium is a monotypic genus of perennial plants growing from bulbs. It contains the single species Amianthium muscitoxicum, known in English as fly poison from a literal translation of the Latin muscitoxicum, and is noted for its pretty flowers and its toxic alkaloid content. While all parts of...
- Flypoison
- Anticlea elegans - Elegant Camas, Alkali Grass
- Anticlea frigida
- Anticlea hintoniorum
- Anticlea mogollonensis - Mogoll Deathcamas
- Anticlea neglecta
- Anticlea occidentalis
- Anticlea sachalinensis
- Anticlea sibirica
- Anticlea vaginata - Sheathed Deathcamas
- Anticlea virescens - Green Deathcamas
- Anticlea volcanica - Lava Deathcamas
- Stenanthium densum - Osceola's Plume
- Stenanthium gramineum - Featherbells
- Stenanthium leimanthoides - Pinebarren Deathcamas
- Toxicoscordion brevibracteatus - Desert Deathcamas
- Toxicoscordion exaltatum - Giant Deathcamas
- Toxicoscordion fontanum
- Toxicoscordion fremontii - Fremont's Deathcamas, Star Zigadene - (several varieties)
- Toxicoscordion nuttallii - Nuttall's Deathcamas
- Toxicoscordion paniculatum - Foothill Deathcamas, Sand-corn
- Toxicoscordion venenosumDeath CamasZigadenus venenosus, commonly called death camas or meadow deathcamas, is a flowering plant in the genus Zigadenus belonging to the Melanthiaceae. It grows up to 70 cm tall with long, basal, grass-like leaves. The bulbs are oval and look like onions but do not smell like onions...
- Death Camas, Meadow Deathcamas - (several varieties) - Toxicoscordion micranthus - Smallflower Deathcamas
- Zigadenus glaberrimusZigadenus glaberrimusZigadenus glaberrimus, the sandbog death camas, is a flowering plant and the only member of the genus Zigadenus.Growing from thick, twisted rhizomes, plants reach 60 to 120 cm tall. With age, It has leaves that are sometimes marked with reddish brown tinting. it has 30 to 75 white to cream...
- Sandbog Deathcamas