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

Fritillaria affinis (Schult.) Sealy var. affinis
chocolate lily (checker lily)
Liliaceae

Introduction to Vascular Plants
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E-Flora BC Static Map
Distribution of Fritillaria affinis var. affinis
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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 var. 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) 390 744 1137
Slope Gradient (%) 0 27 70
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
60 181 250
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
0 1 6
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
B
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
12
Modal BEC Zone Class
IDF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: ICH(5), IDF(6), SBS(1)

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.

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Fritillaria camschatcensis var. floribunda (Benth.) B. Boivin
Fritillaria eximia Eastw.
Fritillaria lanceolata Pursh
Fritillaria mutica Lindl.
Fritillaria mutica var. gracilis (S. Watson) Jeps.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References