Lilium pardalinum
Lilium humboldtii
California tiger lily, leopard lily, panther lily
Humboldt lily, Humboldt's lily
rhizomatous, usually branching, continuously scaly, 1.4–5.1 × 3.9–19 cm, 0.2–0.6 times taller than long;
scales sometimes unsegmented but always some 2–4-segmented on each bulb, longest 1–3.3 cm;
stem roots absent.
often somewhat purplish, variable, subrhizomatous to ± ovoid, 3.3–11.7 × 2.4–14.4 cm, 0.4–2.6(–3) times taller than long;
scales unsegmented or notched, longest 3.5–11.2 cm;
stem roots present or absent.
to 2.8 m, strongly clonal and thus forming dense colonies, to weakly clonal and forming small colonies or clumps.
to 3.1 m. Buds rounded in cross section.
rounded in cross section.
usually ± evenly distributed along stem, rarely concentrated proximally, scattered or in 1–6 whorls or partial whorls, 3–19 leaves per whorl, horizontal and drooping at tips to ascending, 4.9–26.5 × 0.3–5.6 cm, 3–34 times longer than wide;
blade usually ± elliptic, wide or narrow, margins usually not undulate, apex acute, often narrowly so;
veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.
in 2–8 whorls or partial whorls, 3–16(–28) leaves per whorl, usually ascending, 4.6–14.5 × 0.8–3.6 cm, 2.9–7.2 times longer than wide;
blade usually ± oblanceolate, though often weakly so, rarely elliptic or lanceolate, margins usually undulate, apex acute;
veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.
racemose, 1–28(–35)-flowered.
racemose, 1–33(–40)-flowered.
pendent, usually not fragrant;
perianth Turk’s-cap-shaped;
sepals and petals reflexed 1/4–1/3 along length from base, yellow, yellow-orange, or orange proximally, darker orange to red-orange to red on distal 1/5–3/5 (entirely orange or yellow-orange in subsp. wigginsii), with maroon spots concentrated proximally and always surrounded by yellow or orange if extending into distal reddish zone, conspicuously green abaxially on proximal ± 1/5, not distinctly clawed;
sepals not ridged abaxially, 3.5–10.4 × 0.9–2.2 cm;
petals 3.4–10.2 × 0.9–2.5 cm;
stamens moderately to strongly exserted;
filaments moderately to widely spreading, diverging 7°–22° from axis;
anthers ± magenta or sometimes orange, orange-pink, or pale yellow, 0.5–2.2 cm;
pollen red-brown, red-orange, brown-orange, rust, orange, or yellow;
pistil 3.1–7.5 cm;
ovary 1–2.2 cm;
style green, often pale, rarely sordid;
pedicel 6–32 cm.
pendent, not fragrant;
perianth Turk’s-cap-shaped;
sepals and petals reflexed 1/5 along length from base, orange or yellow, with prominent red or magenta spots, not distinctly clawed;
sepals not ridged abaxially, 5.2–9.8 × 1.4–2.4 cm;
petals 5.6–9.6 × 1.5–2.9 cm;
stamens strongly exserted;
filaments parallel along most of length, then very widely spreading, diverging 17°–31° from axis;
anthers purple, 1.1–1.9 cm;
pollen rust, tan, or peach, becoming yellow or tan-yellow;
pistil 4.6–7.1 cm;
ovary 1.2–2.6 cm;
style green, often pale;
pedicel 7.8–21.2 cm.
2.2–5.7 × 1.2–2.1 cm, 1.5–3.7 times longer than wide.
longitudinally keeled, 2.5–5.4 × 1.8–3.3 cm, 1.1–2.3 times longer than wide.
123–264.
not counted.
Lilium pardalinum
Lilium humboldtii
Subspecies 5 (5 in the flora).
The subspecies of Lilium pardalinum display a classic pattern of discrete geographical ranges with intervening zones of introgression, and no two occur sympatrically without intermixing. Plants in the hybrid zones are confusing in appearance and cannot be assigned to subspecies. However, each subspecies is fairly well marked within its core distribution. With the exception of subsp. pitkinense, the subspecies of L. pardalinum can be common plants in the proper habitats within their rather narrow distributions.
Leaf size and shape are quite variable in Lilium pardalinum subspecies and often clearly dependent on environment. In populations that typically have narrow, ascending leaves, shaded plants often have wide, horizontal leaves. This hampers taxonomic separation as well as identification, especially of herbarium specimens. Further field study is desirable.
Lilium pardalinum is primarily pollinated by western tiger swallowtails (Papilio rutulus Lucas, family Papilionidae) and pale swallowtails (P. eurymedon Lucas); several species of hummingbirds (family Trochilidae) are also important visitors, especially when butterflies are rare.
The Atsugewi, Karok, and Yana ate Lilium pardalinum bulbs steamed or baked in an earth oven (D. E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).
Lilium humboldtii is declining throughout its range due to habitat destruction, primarily for housing. Forming large scattered colonies at foothill elevations under ponderosa pines or in oak canyons and chaparral, these massive plants with towering inflorescences and large flowers are quite striking. With Lilium pardalinum and L. parryi, they were used in the early part of the century to produce the Bellingham hybrid lilies, development of which continued with the Bellmaid hybrids. Though not as popular as various Asiatic hybrids, these are still in use.
A. M. Kellogg was aware as early as 1859 that the tall, orange-flowered, dry-land lily from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada was distinctive, and he presented this opinion to the California Academy of Sciences about that time (A. M. Kellogg 1872). By the time he had published a description attached to the name Lilium bloomerianum, P. E. S. Duchartre had described this same plant from material provided by B. Roezl and grown by M. Leichtlin, and named it after the German explorer and botanist Alexander von Humboldt. Carl Purdy and others then misapplied Kellogg’s name in various combinations to the southern California expression recognized here as Lilium humboldtii subsp. ocellatum.
The Humboldt lily is pollinated primarily by large butterflies, especially western tiger swallowtails (Papilio rutulus Lucas, family Papilionidae) and pale swallowtails (P. eurymedon Lucas), and to a lesser extent by the monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus), family Nymphalidae].
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Sepals and petals uniformly yellow or yellow-orange; sepals 3.5–7.1 cm; anthers pale yellow, 0.5–1.3 cm; pollen yellow or orange; pistil 3.1–4.3 cm; capsules 2.3–4.2 cm; n California, s Oregon. | subsp. wigginsii |
1. Sepals and petals ± 2-toned, with yellow or orange proximally, distal 1/5–3/5 darker orange to red; sepals 3.7–10.4 cm; anthers magenta, occasionally purple or orange, 0.5–2.2 cm; pollen yellow to rust; pistil 3.3–7.5 cm; capsules 2.2–5.7 cm; California, s Oregon. | → 2 |
2. Sepals (5.9–)6.6–10.4 cm; anthers 1.1–2.2 cm; capsules 2.9–5.7 cm; leaves 3–12 times longer than wide, blade ± elliptic; stems strongly clonal, forming large colonies; California. | subsp. pardalinum |
2. Sepals 3.7–8.3 cm; anthers 0.5–1.8 cm; capsules 2.2–4.8 cm; leaves 3–34 times longer than wide, blade elliptic to linear; stems weakly to moderately clonal, sometimes forming small colonies; n California, s Oregon. | → 3 |
3. Leaves 7.3–34 times longer than wide, often concentrated proximally, often ascending, sometimes horizontal, blade ± linear; sepals (4.9–)5.3–8.3 cm; anthers 0.6–1.8 cm; pollen usually dark orange; extreme nw California, adjacent s Oregon. | subsp. vollmeri |
3. Leaves 3–17 times longer than wide, ± evenly distributed along stem, ± ascending or horizontal, blade ± elliptic; sepals 3.7–7.6 cm; anthers 0.5–1.4 cm; pollen yellow, orange, or red- or brown-orange; n California, s Oregon. | → 4 |
4. Pollen red- or brown-orange; anthers magenta; bulb scales usually 2-segmented; n Coast Ranges near Sebastopol, California. | subsp. pitkinense |
4. Pollen usually yellow or bright orange; anthers orange to magenta; bulb scales (1–)2–4-segmented; ne California, adjacent s Oregon. | subsp. shastense |
1. Sepals and petals orange, spots magenta, without lighter red margins; bulbs off white, occasionally flecked with purple, scales always unsegmented; foothills of Sierra Nevada. | subsp. humboldtii |
1. Sepals and petals yellow or light orange, spots red or magenta, aureolated with lighter red margins; bulbs often purplish, scales usually notched; s California. | subsp. ocellatum |
CA
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
