Herbs, perennial, with short, knotty rhizomes; roots contractile. Stems subterranean, simple, vertical, short. Leaves 2–3(–4), petiolate or subsessile, sheathing at base; blade dark green distally, paler proximally, sometimes mottled with purple, elliptic to oblong, apex obtuse. Inflorescences umbellate, with several axillary fascicles of elongate, twisting pedicels. Flowers showy, odor unpleasant; perianth of 2 dissimilar whorls of tepals, outer spreading or recurving, distinct, petaloid, ovate to lanceolate to oblanceolate, with oblong gland basally, inner erect, distinct, linear, converging over pistil; stamens 3, opposite outer tepals; anthers versatile, 2-locular, oblong, extrorse; ovary superior, 1-locular, strongly 3-angled, placentation parietal; style erect, short; stigmas persistent, 3, spreading to recurved, linear, inner surface deeply channelled, ovules 20–40, in 2 rows on each placenta. Fruits capsular, brownish purple, oblong-lanceolate, strongly 3-angled, thin-walled, opening irregularly by decay, beaked by persistent style and stigmas. Seeds slightly curved, oblong, eliaosome present. x = 7, 8.

Distribution

w North America.

Discussion

Species 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

Berg, R. Y. 1959. Seed dispersal, morphology and taxonomic position of Scoliopus, Liliaceae. Skr. Norske Vidensk.-Akad. Oslo, Mat.-Naturvidensk. Kl. 1959(4): 1–56.

Cave, M. S. 1966. The chromosomes of Scoliopus (Liliaceae). Madroño 18: 211–213.

Utech, F. H. 1979b. Floral vascular anatomy of Scoliopus bigelovii Torrey (Liliaceae-Parideae = Trilliaceae) and tribal note. Ann. Carnegie Mus. 48: 43–71.

Utech, F. H. 1992. Biology of Scoliopus (Liliaceae). I. Systematics and phytogeography. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79: 126–142.

Lower Taxa

Scoliopus bigelovii, Scoliopus hallii

Key

1	Leaves 14–24 cm; pedicel 11–22 cm; outer tepals 12.5–19 mm; style 4.5–6 mm.	Scoliopus bigelovii
1	Leaves 8–14 cm; pedicel 6–10 cm; outer tepals 6.5–10 mm; style 2–2.5 mm.	Scoliopus hallii