Hi, can anyone identify the following lilies? The white one with snowdrop-like green and white bud casings only opens in the sunshine. It was growing in a neglected garden. The indigo blue lily is growing wild beside a beach. Both are on Protection Island, Nanaimo. Thanks
I'd call the white one Ornithogalum umbellatum. The camas looks like C. leichtlinii, it would be easier to tell if there were shriveled petals present - C. leichtlinii holds them together, more or less parallel whereas C. quamash leaves them pointing every which way.
Thanks Ron B, On googling other images I think Daniel is right with the Camassia quamash because of the green and white undersides; i will go back and look for dead petals on the blue one but I think you are right with the Ornithogalum umbellatum. C
If that nearly closed flower behind the open one almost facing the camera is one that has gone past, as its seeming position on the flower stalk might indicate, then it has the parallel spent petal orientation of C. leichtlinii. Bailey 1949 separates the two species this way: C. quamash Flowers open at once usually many Shriveled petals lingering Fruits nearly pressed against main stalk C. leichtlinii Only 1-3 flowers open at the same time Shriveled petals soon falling Fruits not hugging main stalk Common camas is the much more prevalent species, so ordinarily you would expect to encounter that one. The plant shown also has the smaller stature and leafage often seen on common camas in some local habitats, I have never seen a great camas that did not have at least comparatively robust leaves - even when young and small (I grow three forms of the species myself).
In addition to the flowers appearing to be those of great camas the leaves may actually and instead have the heaviness of that species as well.
Thanks Ron, Is it possible that other forms of C. leichtlinii may be growing in close proximity in the wild? C