Fritillaria gentneri
Encyclopedia
Fritillaria gentneri, or Gentner's fritillary, is a rare member of Lily family (Liliaceae), that is endemic to southwest Oregon
and adjacent Siskiyou County, California
. Its habitat is dry, open woodlands and chaparral
from 1000-5000 feet, where it blooms from March through July. However, most populations generally are done blooming by the end of May. As with most plants, the lower elevations bloom earliest with the bloom period moving up following elevation.
. Dr. Helen M. Gilkey, curator of the herbarium
of the Oregon State College
, published it as a new species with Gentner as its namesake. In her paper published in Madroño in 1951 she distinguished it from the similar Fritillaria recurva
: "As brilliant in color as F. recurva, the blossom of this new form is consistently of a different shade of red; its flowering period begins two weeks later; the plant is typically more robust..."
s with reflexed tips, and glaucus stems with whorls of leaves. It can be distinguished from F. recurva by its spreading style
, longer, more conspicuous glands, and generally not recurved tips of its tepals. There has been disagreement over the species status of this plant.
There is also some evidence that it may be a hybrid between Fritillaria affinis
and Fritillaria recurva. For now, it is listed as a species in the Flora of North America, and the Manual of Higher Plants of Oregon.
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999. The city of Jacksonville
has set aside over 300 acres (1.2 km²) of habitat for Gentner's fritillary and hosts a festival dedicated to the flower every April. The city maintains a system of hiking trails allowing visitors to enjoy the wildflowers.
There are 30 populations of the plant, 28 in Oregon and 2 over the border in California. The populations are very small, with some containing just a few individuals. There are no more than 1200 plants in total.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and adjacent Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou County is a county located in the far northernmost part of the U.S. state of California, in the Shasta Cascade region on the Oregon border. Yreka is the county seat. Because of its substantial natural beauty, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Gold Rush era history, it is an important...
. Its habitat is dry, open woodlands and chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
from 1000-5000 feet, where it blooms from March through July. However, most populations generally are done blooming by the end of May. As with most plants, the lower elevations bloom earliest with the bloom period moving up following elevation.
Discovery
It was discovered by 18-year-old Laura Gentner in 1942 in rural Jackson County, OregonJackson County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument* Crater Lake National Park * Klamath National Forest * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Umpqua National Forest -Demographics:...
. Dr. Helen M. Gilkey, curator of the herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
of the Oregon State College
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
, published it as a new species with Gentner as its namesake. In her paper published in Madroño in 1951 she distinguished it from the similar Fritillaria recurva
Fritillaria recurva
Fritillaria recurva, the Scarlet Fritillary, is a herb in the Liliaceae family.-Distribution:Fritillaria recurva is native to southwest Oregon from Douglas County south into California where it grows in the Klamath Mountains, Northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada...
: "As brilliant in color as F. recurva, the blossom of this new form is consistently of a different shade of red; its flowering period begins two weeks later; the plant is typically more robust..."
Description
Gentner's fritillary grows to 50 to 70 centimeters, bears nodding reddish flowers checkered with yellow, tepalTepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s with reflexed tips, and glaucus stems with whorls of leaves. It can be distinguished from F. recurva by its spreading style
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
, longer, more conspicuous glands, and generally not recurved tips of its tepals. There has been disagreement over the species status of this plant.
There is also some evidence that it may be a hybrid between Fritillaria affinis
Fritillaria affinis
Fritillaria affinis is a highly variable species in the genus Fritillaria, native to western North America, in California, Klamath Ranges, the north coast ranges, Cascade Ranges, north Sierra Nevada foothills, and the San Francisco Bay Area, north to British Columbia and Idaho.It grows from a...
and Fritillaria recurva. For now, it is listed as a species in the Flora of North America, and the Manual of Higher Plants of Oregon.
Endangered species
It was listed as an endangered speciesEndangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999. The city of Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Oregon
Jacksonville is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, a few miles west of Medford. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District which was designated a U.S....
has set aside over 300 acres (1.2 km²) of habitat for Gentner's fritillary and hosts a festival dedicated to the flower every April. The city maintains a system of hiking trails allowing visitors to enjoy the wildflowers.
There are 30 populations of the plant, 28 in Oregon and 2 over the border in California. The populations are very small, with some containing just a few individuals. There are no more than 1200 plants in total.