Zigadenus elegans

(mountain deathcamas)

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Zigadenus elegans
Photo of Zigadenus elegans by Carl Roland
Zigadenus elegans is a perennial herb in the lily family (Liliaceae) with long, parallel-veined gray-green linear leaves and 6-parted white or pale yellow flowers. This species occurs in well-drained, open situations in the hills and mountains of Denali, extending into the boreal zone along river corridors and bluffs. Zigadenus elegans occurs in woodlands, meadows and rocky tundra on floodplains and south-exposed, dry slopes. Plants grow 10-60 cm tall from a fleshy bulb. Leaves (1-3) are all basal, narrow, and linear in shape with parallel venation and a keeled mid-rib. Leaves are 10-30 cm long, glaucous colored with entire margins. Stems are also glaucous. The inflorescence is a terminal raceme of 10-40 flowers, branched or unbranched. Flowers have 6 white to yellow-green tepals each with a green gland at the base. Flowers are bisexual, with 6 stamens and a 3-styled pistil. The fruit is a 3-parted capsule. There are no other species in Denali with grass-like leaves and many six-parted pale flowers.