Herbs, perennial, scapose, glabrous, from bulbs. Bulb solitary, ovoid to ellipsoid, fleshy, with densely packed lunate scales, vein remnants sometimes persisting as blackish, fibrous tunics; no rootstocks or vertical rhizomes. Leaves predominantly basal, grasslike; blade often prominently keeled or V-shaped; cauline leaves widely spaced, progressively reduced distally, intergrading with floral bracts. Scape borne singly, arising from top of bulb, 25–99 cm, sometimes with 1–3(–5) shorter, ascending branches; scape and branches becoming hollow and brittle. Inflorescences racemose, with flowers (10–)24–65(–78) per 10 cm of raceme. Flowers: perianth at anthesis closed (not exposing stamens) or partially to fully open (partially or fully exposing stamens); tepals 6, persistent, withering and shriveling to base, distinct, pure white, yellowish or greenish white, or purplish black, narrowly lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, sometimes each with greenish, yellowish, or purplish central vein, 4–12 mm, often with flattened, triangular apex covered adaxially with minute, glandular hairs; stamens 6; filaments dimorphic, 4–8 mm, 3 longer and with dehisced anthers at anthesis, 3 shorter and with undehisced anthers, all becoming equal after anthesis; ovary superior, ± sessile, 3-lobed, globose, ovules 2 per locule; placentation axile; style 1; stigma distinctly 3-lobed; pedicel 2–3 mm. Fruits capsular, broadly 3-lobed, ellipsoid to ellipsoid-ovoid, slightly constricted 1/3 from apex. Seeds gray-green to black or yellowish brown, fusiform, usually flattened adaxially; coat rough, reticulate. x = 26, 27.

Distribution

w North America.

Discussion

Species 4 (4 in the flora).

Selected References

Sherman, H. L. and R. W. Becking. 1991. The generic distinctness of Schoenolirion and Hastingsia. Madroño 38: 130–138.

Lower Taxa

Hastingsia alba, Hastingsia atropurpurea, Hastingsia bracteosa, Hastingsia serpentinicola

Key

1	Tepals pure white to slightly yellowish white, or whitish to greenish or yellowish white with greenish or light purplish central vein, narrowly lanceolate, 4–7.5 × 1–2 mm; stamens exposed fully or distally at anthesis.	> 2
1	Tepals purplish black with pale green central vein, or yellowish white with pale yellowish or purplish central vein, oblong-lanceolate, 8–12 × 2 mm; stamens seldom exposed at anthesis.	> 3
2	Bulb 26–56 × 17–31 mm, sometimes with blackish, fibrous tunic; leaves (28–)35–41(–53) × 7–14 mm; scape 40–89 cm; terminal raceme (5–)14–27(–40) cm; flowers (24–) 44–51(–78) per 10 cm of raceme; tepals 5–7.5 mm; stamens exposed only distally at anthesis.	Hastingsia alba
2	Bulb 23–41 × 13–21 mm, usually without blackish, fibrous tunic; leaves (19–)21–27 (–35) cm × 2–6 mm; scape 29–51 cm; terminal raceme (4–)7–12(–35) cm; flowers (12–) 24–35(–48) per 10 cm of raceme; tepals 4–6.5 mm; stamens fully exposed at anthesis.	Hastingsia serpentinicola
3	Leaves 25–55 cm × 6–12 mm, blade bluish green; terminal raceme (8–)12–35(–49) cm; flowers (20–)30–36(–46) per 10 cm of raceme; tepals purplish black with pale green central vein, 9–12 × 2 mm.	Hastingsia atropurpurea
3	Leaves 24–52 cm × 4–8 mm, blade grayish green; terminal raceme (5–)8–16(–32) cm; flowers (10–)25–30(–40) per 10 cm of raceme; tepals yellowish white with pale yellowish or purplish central vein, 8–12 × 2 mm.	Hastingsia bracteosa