E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Fritillaria affinis (Schult.) Sealy
Checker Lily (chocolate lily)
Liliaceae

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© May Kald  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #16651)

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Distribution of Fritillaria affinis
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SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC
Fritillaria affinis var. affinis

Species Information

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General:
Perennial herb from a bulb of a few larger, fleshy scales and numerous small, rice-grain bulblets; stems 20-80 cm tall, slender to sturdy, smooth.
Leaves:
Usually in 1 or 2 whorls of 3 to 5 on the stem, scattered and alternate above, narrowly lanceolate to lance-egg-shaped, 5-10 (15) cm long, 0.5-3 cm wide, smooth.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a single nodding flower, or 2 to 5 relatively long-stalked flowers in a terminal cluster; flowers variably brownish-purple mottled with greenish-yellow, to yellowish-green mottled purple, broadly bell-shaped, of 6 similar, distinct tepals, the tepals oblong to egg-shaped, 2-4 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, with a long, yellowish-green nectar gland on inner surface near the base; stamens 6; pistil 1, 3-chambered.
Fruits:
Capsules, erect, cylindric-egg-shaped, 6-angled, winged on the angles, 2 cm long; seeds numerous, flattened.
Notes:
This species has long been known as F. lanceolata, an illegitimate name.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Dry to mesic grassy bluffs, meadows and open forests in the lowland and steppe to lower subalpine zones; common on SE Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and inland to SC BC, south of 52degreeN; S to ID and CA.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Fritillaria affinis

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Minimum

Average

Maximum

Elevation (metres) 1 778 1740
Slope Gradient (%) 0 27 85
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
0 186 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
0 3 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
136
Modal BEC Zone Class
IDF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: BG(5), CDF(17), CWH(4), ICH(5), IDF(72), MS(12), PP(7), SBS(3)

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References