Erythronium helenae
Encyclopedia
Erythronium helenae is a species of flowering plant in the lily family
which is known by the common names Pacific fawn lily and St. Helena fawn lily.
It is endemic to the coastal mountains north of the San Francisco Bay Area
in California
. It is named for the local peak Mount Saint Helena
. This wildflower grows from a bulb
3 to 5 centimeters wide and produces two wide leaves up to 20 centimeters long which are green mottled with brown or white. It produces erect stalks up to 30 centimeters tall, each bearing one to three flowers. The flower has white tepal
s with yellowish bases 3 or 4 centimeters long. The tepals develop pink or purple streaks or mottling as they age. The flower has yellow stamen
s with large yellow anthers.
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...
which is known by the common names Pacific fawn lily and St. Helena fawn lily.
It is endemic to the coastal mountains north of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
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 named for the local peak Mount Saint Helena
Mount Saint Helena
Mount Saint Helena is a peak in the Mayacamas Mountains with flanks in Napa, Sonoma, and Lake counties of California. Composed of uplifted 2.4-million-year-old volcanic rocks from the Clear Lake Volcanic Field, it is one of the few mountains in the San Francisco Bay Area to receive any snowfall...
. This wildflower grows 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...
3 to 5 centimeters wide and produces two wide leaves up to 20 centimeters long which are green mottled with brown or white. It produces erect stalks up to 30 centimeters tall, each bearing one to three flowers. The flower has white 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 with yellowish bases 3 or 4 centimeters long. The tepals develop pink or purple streaks or mottling as they age. The flower has yellow stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s with large yellow anthers.