american fairybells

genus Prosartes

Member of lily family (family Liliaceae)
monocots (class Liliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

There are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

See also the false solomon’s seals (genus Maianthemum), which have a thicker, unbranched, green stem.

perianth parts 6, in 2 whorls, petal-like

hooker’s fairybells
Prosartes hookeri

hooker’s fairybells
Prosartes hookeri

perianth generally greenish, occasionally white

perianth parts 8–18 mm, ± spreading at middle
anthers generally exserted

leaf margin hairs many, short, sharp, ascending, blade abaxially minute-scabrous, especially on veins [very hard to see]
fruit red, spheric [but may be orange when immature and/or lumpy/ovoid/obovoid]
found in most of the bay area except the Diablo range south of 84

largeflower fairybells
Prosartes smithii

largeflower fairybells
Prosartes smithii

perianth generally white, except at base

perianth parts 15–28 mm, spreading at tip
anthers included

leaf margin hairs 0 or long, spreading, generally falling in age, blade abaxially glabrous or sparsely hairy
fruit orange, obovoid
not found SE of Butano, Sam McDonald, and Windy Hill

2 observed taxons / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 17 (10 are research grade)

Locations:

Bear Creek Redwoods OSP: 2
Nisene Marks SP: 2
Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP: 2
Sam McDonald CP: 2
Windy Hill OSP: 2
Henry Cowell Redwoods SP
Monte Bello OSP
Mt. Madonna SP
Picchetti Ranch OSP
Portola Redwoods SP
Russian Ridge OSP
Stevens Creek CP

Months:

Feb.: 1
Mar.: 0
Apr.: 1
May: 2
Jun.: 2
Jul.: 5
Aug.: 1
Sep.: 3
Oct.: 0
Nov.: 1
Dec.: 1

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Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora – FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora