[The Lily Family East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]
Sand-lily, Sand Lily, Star Lily, Rock Lily
Leucocrinum montanum
Sand lilies as seen blooming at the Fort Rock State Natural Area.........May 1, 2017.
Characteristics:
Also known as mountain lilies, the sand lily is a spectacular,
low growing wildflower. It is a perennial arising from a rhizome. The 8-20 leaves
are linear and tufted, and are up to 20 cm long and 2 to 8 mm wide. They are
strongly nerved and more or less white-margined. The one to six flowers are
white and fragrant, being found close to the ground on stems from 1.5-3.5 cm
long. The white perianth tube is 4 to 8 cm long, with the individual tepals
(six of them) linear-lanceolate to narrowly oblong-elliptic in shape, and 20
to 25 mm long and up to 7 mm wide. The stamens and style are exserted from the
mouth of the flower.
This wildflower is a delight to find in bloom in arid regions.
I've noticed that it must be a favorite snack of rabbits or deer, as many blooms
and leaves are frequently nipped off.
Habitat:
Sand lilies may be found in sandy or rocky areas interspersed
with sagebrush or ponderosa pine.
Range:
Sand lilies may be found from south-central Oregon south to
the Sierra Nevada of California and eastward to Montana and South Dakota.
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Sand lilies as seen blooming at the Fort Rock State Natural Area.........May 1, 2017.
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Sand lilies blooming at left on a cut bank along Crook County Highway 123 just east of Howard School, Crook County, Oregon.......April 26, 2018. The photo at right shows sand lilies blooming on sand flats on private lands above the east bank of the Deschutes River near Steelhead Falls.......April 25, 2018.
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Sand lilies in bloom along the Flatiron Trail, Badlands Wilderness.......May 12, 2018.
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Basal clusters of leaves of sand lilies (with Navarretia breweri) as seen in alkaline soils lining the margins of small, shallow ponds at the southeastern corner of Hart Mt. National Antelope Refuge.........June 10, 2016.
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Sand lily seen at left and center in bloom at Cabin Lake Campground, Deschutes National Forest........May 25,1996. The photo at right shows the leaves of sand lily as seen near the lower bird blind at the long defunct Cabin Lake Campground, Deschutes National Forest.........May 1, 2017.
Paul Slichter