Dichelostemma ida-maia
Encyclopedia
Dichelostemma ida-maia is a species of flowering plant known as firecracker flower. It is native to northern California
and southern Oregon
, where it grows in mountain forests, woodlands, and coastal meadows. It is also widely cultivated as an ornamental plant
for its showy crimson and cream flowers.
Dichelostemma ida-maia is a perennial which erects a tall, naked stem topped with an umbel
of six to 20 flowers. Each flower is a cylindrical red tube two to three centimeters long. The tip of each flower lobe curls back to reveal a shiny white underside. The curls rim the mouth of the tubular flower in a corona, surrounding the small anthers
and a stalked ovary
. The flower hangs when it is in anthesis
and holds itself erect as the fruit develops. One umbel may have some hanging flowers and some erect fruiting flowers at the same time.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where it grows in mountain forests, woodlands, and coastal meadows. It is also widely cultivated as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
for its showy crimson and cream flowers.
Dichelostemma ida-maia is a perennial which erects a tall, naked stem topped with an umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
of six to 20 flowers. Each flower is a cylindrical red tube two to three centimeters long. The tip of each flower lobe curls back to reveal a shiny white underside. The curls rim the mouth of the tubular flower in a corona, surrounding the small anthers
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
and a stalked ovary
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
. The flower hangs when it is in anthesis
Anthesis
Anthesis is the period during which a flower is fully open and functional. It may also refer to the onset of that period.The onset of anthesis is spectacular in some species. In Banksia species, for example, anthesis involves the extension of the style far beyond the upper perianth parts...
and holds itself erect as the fruit develops. One umbel may have some hanging flowers and some erect fruiting flowers at the same time.
External links
- Jepson Manual Treatment = Dichelostemma ida-maia
- USDA Plants Profile
- Dichelostemma ida-maia - Photo gallery
- Dichelostemma ida-maia (in RussianRussian languageRussian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
)