Thursday, April 18, 2013

Fritillaria affins

I found a single Frittilaria affins on Mt. Doug yesterday. Chocolate Lily, or Checker Lily in the States, is an incredibly variable species that will require more taxonomic differentiation in the future. This species is an excellent representation of the genus.
 I recognized this one by its three whorled leaves and nodding mottled brown/green flower. I had spotted another in a different spot on Mt. Doug last spring but couldn't relocate it, it was older and had more leaflets around it's stem.
Mt. Doug Frittilaria affins from this year
Please, for the love of God, don't dig up, pick them, or take their seed pods of any native plant. Native plants like this are very rare in public parks and are less likely to continue to grow if you disturb them. The one below I found in Beacon Hill park and some horrible, thoughtless, ill informed son of a blankety blank had the audacity to take the seed head from it. Leave the plants alone! If you want them in your garden visit Frasers Thimble Farms, they have an excellent selection and you can even purchase these in bulb form in the fall.




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