Nuttall's Deathcamas

Plants 3–7.5 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 15–40 × 9–35 mm. Leaves: proximal blades 15–45 cm × 3–15 mm. Inflorescences usually paniculate, 20–60-flowered, with 1–8 branches, narrow, terminal raceme pyramidal in early anthesis, 3–30 × 3–7 cm, proximal branches 1/10–1/2 length of entire inflorescence, ascending at 10°–60° angle. Flowers: perianth hypogynous, campanulate, 10–15 mm diam.; tepals persistent in fruit, cream colored, ovate, 3–8 × 1–4 mm, outer unclawed or rarely clawed to 5 mm, apex usually obtuse; gland 1, obovate, distal margins obscure, thin; filaments straight, usually equaling tepals, occasionally longer, thickened proximally; pedicel usually ascending in fruit, occasionally perpendicular to stem, 10–35 mm, bracts green, somewhat falcate, 3–20 mm. Capsules 8–16 × 3–8 mm. 2n = 32.

Ark., Kans., Mo., Okla., Tex.

Flowering Mar--Jun.

Tallgrass prairie, calcareous glades, rocky hillsides; 500--1200m.

Amianthium nuttallii A. Gray, Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 4: 123. 1837; Toxicoscordion nuttallii (A. Gray) Rydberg; T. texense Rydberg; Zigadenus texensis (Rydberg) J. F. Macbride