Zygadenus venenosus

Death Camas

Flower Top/Side

Centre Block, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
21-June-2008

Note the six tepals, six stamens, three styles and three-lobed ovary.  This plant is very poisonous.

bullet

Venenosus: Answers to key questions leading to this species, from Lilies, Irises & Orchids of Saskatchewan by Vernon L. Harms and Anna L. Leighton. The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key.
bullet

Ovary superior with perianth parts attached beneath the ovary; tepals yellowish, less than 7 mm long; nectar glands on tepals obovate or semi-circular, ill-defined.  NOT [Ovary partly inferior with perianth parts attached to the ovary base; tepals cream-colored to greenish, 7-20 mm long; nectar glands on tepals obcordate, well-defined.]

 

bullet

Zigadenus: Answers to key questions leading to this genus, from Lilies, Irises & Orchids of Saskatchewan by Vernon L. Harms and Anna L. Leighton.  The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key.
bullet

Flowers terminal, either single or grouped in an umbel, raceme or panicle.  NOT [Flowers axillary, suspended on delicate stalks from leaf axils, either singly or in few-flowered clusters (leaves small and scale-like in Asparagus).]

bullet

Flowers several-to-many in an umbel, raceme or panicle.  NOT [Flowers single (occasionally Hypoxis has a single flower but it is unique in having an inferior ovary).]

bullet

Inflorescence a raceme or panicle. NOT [Inflorescence an umbel.]

bullet

Leaves basal or subbasal; blades narrow, grass-like; fruit a capsule. NOT [Leaves cauline, sessile or nearly so; blades lanceolate, elliptic or ovate; fruit a berry.]

bullet

Plants with bulbs or corms; inflorescence open, 1 to many-flowered and 2-25 cm long; tepals usually longer, bearing an obovate to semi-circular nectar gland at base on upper side. NOT [Plants with rhizomes; inflorescence compact, 3-35 flowered and less than 6.5 cm long; tepals 1-5 mm long, lacking nectar gland on upper surface.]

bullet

Inflorescence a 10-50-flowered raceme or panicle; ovary superior or partly inferior; anthers cordate to reniform; rootstocks bulbs.  NOT [Inflorescence a (1) 2-5 (7)-flowered raceme or umbel; ovary inferior; anthers Y-shaped; rootstocks corms.]

 

bullet

Liliaceae: Answers to key questions leading to this family, from Lilies, Irises & Orchids of Saskatchewan by Vernon L. Harms and Anna L. Leighton. 
bullet

Ovary positioned above the attachment point of the other flower parts (ovary superior) or with the other parts attached partway up the ovary wall (ovary partly inferior) or, if ovary positioned below the attachment point (ovary inferior), then stamen number 6 (Hypoxis); stamens 3 or 6 (rarely 4); fruit a capsule or berry.  NOT [Ovary positioned below the attachment point of the other flower parts (ovary inferior); stamens 1-3; fruit a capsule.]