Lilium pyrophilum
Lilium grayi
Sandhills lily
Gray's lily
rhizomatous, occasionally branching dichotomously at 120° from main axis, 2.4–2.8 × 5.2–8.6 cm, 0.3–0.5 times taller than long, 2–3 years’ growth evident as annual bulbs, scaleless sections between these 0.3–2.5 cm;
scales unsegmented, longest 1.1–1.9 cm;
stem roots absent or sometimes present.
often yellowish, rhizomatous, unbranched, 2.2–2.6 × 3.8–5 cm, 0.5–0.6 times taller than long, 2 years’ growth evident as annual bulbs, scaleless sections between these 1.2–2.5 cm;
scales 1–2-segmented, longest 0.9–2.2 cm;
stem roots present.
0.6–1.6 m. Buds ± triangular in cross section.
to 1.3 m. Buds rounded in cross section.
often concentrated proximally, occasionally scattered, usually in 1–12 whorls or partial whorls, 3–11(–15) leaves per whorl, barely to moderately ascending proximally, drooping at tips or not, ascending and appressed distally, 2.3–10.3(–12.2) × 0.8–2.4 cm, 1.6–7.6(–10.3) times longer than wide;
blade narrowly elliptic, margins not undulate, apex acute, barely acuminate on distal leaves;
veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.
in 3–5 whorls or partial whorls, 3–12 leaves per whorl, ± horizontal to occasionally slightly ascending, drooping at tips, 4.1–12.7 × 1.5–3.6 cm, 1.9–5 times longer than wide;
blade elliptic, occasionally narrowly so or barely lanceolate, margins not undulate, apex acute, usually barely acuminate in distal leaves;
principal veins impressed adaxially, veins and margins noticeably roughened abaxially with tiny ± deltoid epidermal spicules, especially apically and on proximal leaves.
racemose, 1–7-flowered.
racemose, 1–9(–16)-flowered.
pendent, not fragrant;
perianth Turk’s-cap-shaped;
sepals and petals reflexed 1/5–1/4 along length from base, yellow (occasionally pale yellow or yellow-orange) proximally, red-orange or dusky red (occasionally magenta, pinkish, pale orange, or red) distally, spotted magenta, not distinctly clawed, nectaries exposed, forming visible green star (or triangle, when only sepal nectaries are exposed);
sepals with 2 parallel, often faint abaxial ridges, 6.7–8.9 × 1.1–1.7 cm;
petals 6.3–8.7 × 1.5–2.2 cm;
stamens strongly exserted;
filaments parallel at first, then widely spreading, diverging 12°–28° from axis;
anthers magenta or sometimes purple, 1.1–1.8 cm;
pollen rust;
pistil 3.4–6.4 cm;
ovary 1.5–2.8 cm;
style pale green, often spotted purple;
pedicel 6.8–16.5 cm.
nodding, not fragrant;
perianth campanulate;
sepals and petals barely recurved 2/3–9/10 along length from base, yellow-orange proximally, pale red distally, spotted maroon, pale red or sometimes red-orange abaxially, not distinctly clawed;
sepals not ridged abaxially, 3.2–5.6 × 1.3–2 cm;
petals 3.1–5.5 × 1.2–2 cm;
stamens included;
filaments ± parallel to style, barely spreading, diverging 3°–9° from axis, red;
anthers magenta, 0.4–1.2 cm;
pollen brown-rust;
pistil 2.4–3.8 cm;
ovary 0.8–1.7 cm;
style red;
pedicel 2.6–6.5 cm.
2.8–4.7 × 1.5–1.9 cm, 1.7–2.8 times longer than wide.
2.1–3.7 × 1.5–2.1 cm, 1.5–2.1 times longer than wide.
not counted.
not counted.
= 24.
Lilium pyrophilum
Lilium grayi
Lilium pyrophilum is narrowly endemic to the Sandhills region of southern Virginia, North Carolina, and northern South Carolina. The most ecologically intact populations occur on military bases in the Carolinas that are carefully managed to ensure the frequent fires that promote this fire-dependent lily; many of these fires are initiated by exploding ordnance.
Its close relative, Lilium superbum, occurs to the west in the upper Piedmont, and is not known from the Sandhills proper. Prior to the description of L. pyrophilum, specimens now assignable to it were masquerading in herbaria as other species, primarily L. michauxii. A. E. Radford et al. (1968) mentioned robust L. michauxii bog plants that resembled L. superbum; these are considered here as L. pyrophilum.
Discriminating between Lilium superbum and larger specimens of L. pyrophilum may require reference to several characters. The shorter, blunter, more ascending leaves of L. pyrophilum average fewer per whorl and are grouped in fewer whorls, but overlap with L. superbum is extensive. In L. pyrophilum the whorls with the largest number of leaves are often clustered nearer the ground, and distally the stem bears scattered, appressed leaves, whereas the taller L. superbum displays whorling more or less evenly along the stem, and the few scattered leaves above the whorls are not appressed. Lilium pyrophilum blooms somewhat later than L. superbum, though some overlap occurs. The floral tube of L. pyrophilum is longer because the perianth parts are reflexed farther down their lengths, but this difference is subtle.
Hybrids between Lilium michauxii and L. pyrophilum are known and often display the wide petals characteristic of the former species.
The manner and frequency of visits by ruby-throated hummingbirds [Archilochus colubris (Linnaeus), family Trochilidae] suggest that this species is involved in pollination of the Sandhills lily. The palamedes swallowtail [Papilio palamedes (Drury), family Papilionidae] also visits and pollinates this species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The narrowly endemic Gray’s lily blooms predictably on or about July 4 in the balds and forest openings of the Roan Mountain massif shared by North Carolina and Tennessee. In its unadulterated form it also occupies the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina and Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain in Virginia. A few populations occur at lower elevations (below 900 m) in streamside meadows along the Blue Ridge Parkway in northern North Carolina (Alleghany County), but in similar settings farther north in Virginia introgression with L. canadense occurs.
Lilium ×pseudograyi Grove (as species) is a name given to frequent hybrids between L. grayi and L. canadense that are scattered at somewhat lower elevations (usually 700–1000 m) in the southern Appalachians. The generally small stature of these hybrids is misleading and encourages the label of bona fide L. grayi, but in most respects they are intermediate. Sepal lengths of 4.8–6.2 cm and floral tube lengths of 3.2–4 cm predominate, and these are between the ranges of the two parent species. The freshwater wetland or moist hardwood habitat of these hybrids also reveals the contribution of L. canadense to their genome.
J. K. Small (1933) made reference to depredations by lily enthusiasts who sought Gray’s lily because of its supposed rarity, and this continues today, though to a lesser degree. Of greater threat, perhaps, is succession on the high grassy balds that gradually shades and crowds the plants; like most lilies, this one requires open conditions for vigor and reproduction.
Although fritillaries (Speyeria spp., family Nymphalidae) pilfer nectar from flowers of Gray’s lily, ruby-throated hummingbirds [Archilochus colubris (Linnaeus), family Trochilidae] are its only reliable pollinator. This red, tubular-flowered lily represents the zenith of pollinator-mediated evolution in the eastern true lilies, and is a high-elevation derivative of the ancestral stock that also produced Lilium canadense. The level of floral convergence with independently derived western Lilium species such as L. bolanderi and L. maritimum is remarkable and must be due to selection pressures exerted by hummingbirds during the floral evolution of these species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
