Lilium catesbaei
Lilium iridollae
pine lily
panhandle lily, pot-of-gold lily
ovoid, 1.6–2.5 × 1.3–2.4 cm, 0.8–1.6 times taller than long, 2 years’ growth evident, newer bearing prominent basal leaves, older with abscission scars;
scales few, loose, unsegmented or 2-segmented, longest 1–1.8 cm;
stem roots usually present, often numerous.
rhizomatous, often branching, 1.4–2.9 × 9.6–18 cm, 0.1–0.3 times taller than long, 3–4 years’ growth evident as annual bulbs, older growth often with perpendicular thin branches leading to small new bulbs and always with noticeable abscission scars, youngest 3 years’ growth bearing basal leaves, scaleless sections between annual bulbs 2.7–5.4 cm;
scales unsegmented, longest 1–2 cm;
stem roots present or absent.
to 0.9 m. Buds rounded in cross section.
to 2 m. Buds ± triangular in cross section.
scattered, ascending, distal appressed, 1.8–8.2 × 0.2–1.2 cm, 3.1–10.5 times longer than wide;
blade narrowly elliptic, sometimes linear or slightly oblanceolate, margins not undulate, apex acute, acuminate especially in distal leaves;
veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.
in 1–5 whorls or partial whorls, 3–10 leaves per whorl, ascending, sometimes only slightly, or occasionally ± horizontal and drooping slightly at tips, 3.1–15.7 × 0.5–3.6 cm, 2.1–9.3 times longer than wide;
blade weakly to sometimes narrowly oblanceolate, occasionally obovate, elliptic, or narrowly elliptic, margins not undulate, apex acute, acuminate in distal leaves;
central vein in particular impressed adaxially, veins and margins often somewhat roughened abaxially with tiny ± deltoid epidermal spicules.
occasionally umbellate, 1(–3)-flowered.
umbellate or rarely racemose, 1–4-flowered.
erect, not fragrant;
perianth widely campanulate;
sepals and petals recurved 2/5–1/2 along length from base, crimson or sometimes pink, distinctly clawed, apex very narrowly acute, nectar guides above claws yellow to pale yellow and spotted maroon or magenta, ± equal;
sepals not ridged abaxially, 8.2–12 × 1.2–1.9 cm;
petals at proximal widest point much wider than sepals, 7.6–11.1 × 1.8–3.4 cm;
stamens moderately exserted;
filaments ± parallel to style, barely spreading, diverging 0°–12° from axis, often purple at base;
anthers variously colored tan-orange, brown, peachy magenta, or pale greenish, 0.4–1.6 cm;
pollen burnt orange or dark tan;
pistil 7.6–10.5 cm;
ovary 1.4–3.5 cm;
style pale green, sometimes darker distally;
pedicel 1.8–9.5 cm.
pendent, not fragrant;
perianth Turk’s-cap-shaped;
sepals and petals reflexed less than 1/5 along length from base, yellow-orange or yellow, sometimes orange-yellow, often suffused with red distally, spotted maroon, often nearly to apex, not distinctly clawed, nectaries exposed, forming visible green star;
sepals with 2 parallel, often faint abaxial ridges, 6.2–10.2 × 1.1–1.8 cm;
petals 6.1–10 × 1.2–2.2 cm;
stamens strongly exserted;
filaments parallel along much of length, then widely spreading, diverging 14°–31° from axis;
anthers magenta, 1–1.6 cm;
pollen rust or sometimes rust-orange;
pistil 4.7–6.8 cm;
ovary 1.5–2.5 cm;
style very pale green, often spotted purple near apex;
pedicel 10–23 cm.
often ridged along valve margins, 2.2–5.3 × 0.8–1.6 cm, 1.7–3.8 times longer than wide.
2.5–5 × 1.7–3 cm, 1.2–2.2 times longer than wide.
not counted.
not counted.
= 24.
Lilium catesbaei
Lilium iridollae
The pine lily’s flower is the largest of any North American lily and one of the largest among our native monocots. In small plants it dwarfs and sometimes topples the slender stem. Leaves are small and relatively few and the bulb is petite, and thus resource limitation in smaller plants undoubtedly contributes to the wide range of fruit sizes within populations. In other North American members of the genus, small plants produce one or a few capsules, but typically these approach normal size.
Lilium catesbaei subsp. asprellum Wherry and L. catesbaei var. longii Fernald have been proposed to account for individuals with leaves concentrated toward the middle of the stem or somewhat wide and lacking basal leaves, respectively. These variants are not emphasized here since both are based primarily on vegetative features that vary greatly in most lilies. Isotypes of var. longii are unremarkable, though with somewhat wide leaves, and the broadly overlapping distribution of this variety with nominate populations (A. E. Radford et al. 1968) strongly suggests that such differences are primarily environmentally induced. Variety longii was described from Virginia, and Fernald’s observation that these northern plants lack basal leaves—which I have not investigated in the field—is unsurprising in those colder climates, and best considered in terms of the normal variation within a fairly wide-ranging species.
Although it is not yet rare, widespread alteration of native longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Miller) and slash pine (P. elliottii Engelmann) savanna, especially conversion to even-age pine plantations, is making steady inroads on populations of this most beautiful lily. It is adapted to frequent fires, and their suppression may contribute to this decline.
Lilium catesbaei is pollinated primarily by the palamedes swallowtail [Papilio palamedes (Drury), family Papilionidae], the only swallowtail that is widely endemic to this lily’s coastal plain habitat. Spicebush swallowtails (P. troilus Linnaeus) visit the pine lily less frequently, and their smaller size suggests that they are less effective pollinators than the larger palamedes.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
As its vernacular name indicates, the panhandle lily is restricted to a small area in the western Florida panhandle and adjacent Alabama, where it has been much reduced in number by land-clearing for pasture and housing. It is now under consideration for federal protection.
Lilium iridollae is allopatrically distributed with its close relative L. superbum, though the latter occurs within 40 miles of the northernmost populations of the panhandle lily. Blooming times are staggered, L. iridollae typically starting to bloom as L. superbum is finishing. Diagnostic features include the usually brighter flower color, less numerous, shorter, noticeably though subtly oblanceolate leaves in five or fewer whorls (L. superbum has six or more), and few flowers, as well as very long rhizomes with basal leaves, as much as four years’ visible growth, and extended scaleless sections between the annual growth bulbs.
Lilium iridollae is pollinated by all the larger swallowtail butterflies within its limited range, especially the spicebush (Papilio troilus Linnaeus, family Papilionidae), eastern tiger (Papilio glaucus, Linnaeus), and palamedes [Papilio palamedes (Drury)].
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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