Bulbs branching less often and less regularly than subsp. pardalinum, 2.1–4.4 × 4.4–10.3 cm, 0.4–0.6 times taller than long; scales (1–)2–4-segmented, longest 1.7–3.3 cm. Stems to 2.1 m, weakly clonal and not forming large colonies. Leaves ± evenly distributed along stem, often scattered in young plants or in 1–4 whorls or partial whorls, 3–13 leaves per whorl, horizontal and drooping at tips or ascending, 5–20.5 × 0.6–3.7 cm, 3–17 times longer than wide; blade elliptic, sometimes narrowly so, occasionally weakly oblanceolate, margins undulate or not. Racemes 1–25(–35)-flowered. Flowers not fragrant; sepals and petals reflexed 1/3 along length from base, yellow-orange or orange proximally, darker orange to red-orange to red on distal 1/3–1/2; sepals 3.7–7.6 × 0.9–2.1 cm; petals 3.7–7.6 × 0.9–2.2 cm; stamens moderately exserted; filaments moderately spreading, diverging 7°–19° from axis; anthers orange, orange-pink, or ± magenta, 0.5–1.4 cm; pollen yellow to bright orange, occasionally red-orange; pistil 3.3–4.4 cm; ovary 1.2–1.8 cm; pedicel 6.3–27 cm. Capsules 2.2–4.3 × 1.2–1.9 cm, 1.6–2.9 times longer than wide. Seeds 132–177. 2n = 24.

Phenology: Flowering summer (Jul–mid Aug).
Habitat: Wet meadows, along streams in mixed conifer forests
Elevation: 1100–1800 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Calif., Oreg.

Discussion

Subspecies shastense occurs in the Sierra Nevada from Plumas and Butte counties north to the region surrounding Mount Shasta, west to eastern Trinity County and to western Siskiyou County, where it intergrades with subsp. wigginsii. Plants from near Klamath Falls, Oregon, appear to be this subspecies, though live material from this locality has not been studied. The southern limit of subsp. shastense may extend as far as Placer County at moderately high elevations (ca. 1800 m) in the Sierra Nevada.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.