Checker Lily

Fritillaria affinis has one of the broadest geographical distributions of all the North American species of the genus. It is also highly variable, which has resulted in the naming of several supposedly distinct species as well as some infraspecific taxa, all but one of which are in fact only poorly differentiated, and all of which are treated here as synonyms. Among the latter, F. lanceolata var. tristulis may actually merit formal recognition as a variety, but the new combination under F. affinis remains to be made. This entity is restricted to coastal grassland in Marin County, California, and has a perianth that is scarcely if at all mottled, and more than 50 small bulb scales. Fritillaria affinis has long been known by the name F. lanceolata, which is illegitimate because when Pursh described it, he cited Lilium camschatcense (= F. camschatcensis) as a synonym but did not adopt that epithet. Actually, his synonymic reference was based on a misidentification, even though he stated that an illustration of L. camschatcense from a specimen in Pallas’ herbarium was “an excellent figure” of his F. lanceolata.

Fritillaria affinis has been known to hybridize with F. recurva.

Bulb scales: large 2–5; small 2–20 when tepals mottled, 50 or more when tepals unmottled. Stem 1–12 dm. Leaves in 1–4 whorls of 2–8 per node proximally, alternate distally, 4–16 cm, usually shorter than inflorescence; blade linear-lanceolate to ovate; distal leaves usually equaling proximalmost leaf. Flowers nodding, odor not unpleasant; tepals brownish purple to pale yellowish green, clearly mottled yellow or purple, or unmottled, oblong to ovate, 1–4 cm, apex not recurved; nectaries yellow, dotted purple, lanceolate, 1/2–2/3 tepal length; style obviously branched for 1/2 its length, branches longer than 1.5 mm. Capsules widely winged. 2n = 24, 36, 48.

B.C.; Calif., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Wash.

Flowering Mar--Jun.

Oak or pine scrub, grasslands; 0--1800m.

Lilium affine Schultes & Schultes f. in J. J. Roemer et al., Syst. Veg. 7(1): 400. 1829; Fritillaria lanceolata Pursh; F. lanceolata var. gracilis S. Watson; F. lanceolata var. tristulis A. L. Grant; F. multiflora Kellogg; F. mutica Lindley; F. parviflora Torrey; F. phaeanthera Purdy

Fritillaria affinis (syn. F. lanceolata) is native to a very wide range on the Pacific coast of North America, from near sea level to near timberline in the mountains, and is quite variable. Easily grown in temperate gardens, it needs to be kept a little moist and cool in summer to flourish but also requires excellent drainage.

There are two varieties within this species:

* Fritillaria affinis var. affinis, occurs in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California

* Fritillaria affinis var. tristulis, endemic to California