Lilium parryi
Encyclopedia
Lilium parryi is a rare species of lily
known by the common names lemon lily and Parry's lily
. It is native to the south-western United States and northern Mexico where it is a rare sighting in moist areas in mountain habitat. In California
it is currently known from the San Bernardino
and San Gabriel Mountains
and a few remaining spots near Palomar Mountain
to the south. It is the only true lily native to Arizona
, where a few populations can be found in the Huachuca
, Chiricahua
, and Santa Rita Mountains
. An occurrence of the plant was discovered in Sonora
just south of the United States border in 1993.
This is a perennial herb growing erect to about 2 meters in height from a scaly, elongated bulb
up to 11 centimeters long. The leaves are generally linear in shape, up to 29 centimeters long, and usually arranged in whorls around the stem. The inflorescence
is a raceme
bearing up to 31 large, showy, bright lemon yellow flowers. The trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers have six curling tepal
s up to 11 centimeters long, sometimes with a few reddish spots. There are six stamen
s tipped with large anthers up to 1.4 centimeters long. The pistil
may be 10 centimeters long. The flowers are pollinated
by hawkmoths
, especially Hyles lineata
and Sphinx perelegans
.
Threats to this species include grazing
, recreation, natural flooding and human alterations in water regimes, and horticultural collecting
of the bulbs and flowers.
Lilium parryi was named for Charles Christopher Parry
(28 August 1823 – 20 February 1890), a British-American botanist and mountaineer.
Idyllwild California hosts the Lemon Lilly Festival
Lilium
Lilium is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, though the range extends into the northern subtropics...
known by the common names lemon lily and Parry's lily
Charles Christopher Parry
thumb|150px|Parry circa 1875Charles Christopher Parry was a British-American botanist and mountaineer....
. It is native to the south-western United States and northern Mexico where it is a rare sighting in moist areas in mountain habitat. In California
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...
it is currently known from the San Bernardino
San Bernardino Mountains
The San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
and San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
and a few remaining spots near Palomar Mountain
Palomar Mountain
Palomar Mountain is a mountain in the Peninsular Ranges in northern San Diego County. It is famous as the location of the Palomar Observatory and Hale Telescope, and known for the Palomar Mountain State Park.-History:...
to the south. It is the only true lily native to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, where a few populations can be found in the Huachuca
Huachuca Mountains
The Huachuca Mountain range is part of the Sierra Vista Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest. The Huachuca Mountains are located in Cochise County, Arizona approximately south-southeast of Tucson and southwest of the city of Sierra Vista, Arizona...
, Chiricahua
Chiricahua Mountains
The Chiricahua Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern Arizona which are part of the Basin and Range province of the southwest, and part of the Coronado National Forest...
, and Santa Rita Mountains
Santa Rita Mountains
The Santa Rita Mountains, located about 65 km southeast of Tucson, Arizona, extend 42 km from north to south, then trending southeast. They merge again southeastwards into the Patagonia Mountains, trending northwest by southeast...
. An occurrence of the plant was discovered in Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
just south of the United States border in 1993.
This is a perennial herb growing erect to about 2 meters in height from a scaly, elongated 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...
up to 11 centimeters long. The leaves are generally linear in shape, up to 29 centimeters long, and usually arranged in whorls around the stem. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
bearing up to 31 large, showy, bright lemon yellow flowers. The trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers have six curling tepal
Tepal
Tepals 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...
s up to 11 centimeters long, sometimes with a few reddish spots. There are six stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s tipped with large anthers up to 1.4 centimeters long. The pistil
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...
may be 10 centimeters long. The flowers are pollinated
Pollination
Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred in plants, thereby enabling fertilisation and sexual reproduction. Pollen grains transport the male gametes to where the female gamete are contained within the carpel; in gymnosperms the pollen is directly applied to the ovule itself...
by hawkmoths
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
, especially Hyles lineata
Hyles lineata
The White-lined sphinx is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It lives from Central America, through the United States and into parts of Canada.-Description:...
and Sphinx perelegans
Sphinx perelegans
The Elegant Sphinx is a species of hawkmoth. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Baja California and to New Mexico....
.
Threats to this species include grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
, recreation, natural flooding and human alterations in water regimes, and horticultural collecting
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
of the bulbs and flowers.
Lilium parryi was named for Charles Christopher Parry
Charles Christopher Parry
thumb|150px|Parry circa 1875Charles Christopher Parry was a British-American botanist and mountaineer....
(28 August 1823 – 20 February 1890), a British-American botanist and mountaineer.
Idyllwild California hosts the Lemon Lilly Festival