Triteleia hyacinthina
Encyclopedia
Triteleia hyacinthina is a species of flowering plant known by the common names white brodiaea and fool's onion. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
to Idaho
to central California
. Its habitat includes grassland
and vernally moist areas such as meadow
s and vernal pool
s. It is a perennial herb growing from a corm
. It produces two or three basal leaves up to 40 centimeters long by two wide. The inflorescence
arises on an erect stem up to 60 centimeters tall and bears an umbel
-like cluster of many flowers. Each flower is a funnel-shaped bloom borne on a pedicel
up to 5 centimeters long. The flower is white, often tinged purple along the tubular throat, with six green-veined tepal
s. There are six stamen
s with white, yellow, or occasionally blue anthers.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
to central 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...
. Its habitat includes grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and vernally moist areas such as meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s and vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
s. It is a perennial herb growing from a corm
Corm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
. It produces two or three basal leaves up to 40 centimeters long by two wide. 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...
arises on an erect stem up to 60 centimeters tall and bears 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....
-like cluster of many flowers. Each flower is a funnel-shaped bloom borne on a pedicel
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
up to 5 centimeters long. The flower is white, often tinged purple along the tubular throat, with six green-veined 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. There are six stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s with white, yellow, or occasionally blue anthers.