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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Common Camassia
Camassia quamash (Pursh) Greene

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Lily (Liliaceae)
Flowering: April-July
Field Marks: This showy species has a terminal raceme of blue flowers up to 3 inches across borne on a leafless stem. One of the six sepals and petals curves downward, while the other five curve upward.
Habitat: Wet meadows, damp hillsides.
Habit: Perennial herb with a bulb.
Stems: Upright, smooth, up to 2 feet tall, bearing only flowers.
Leaves: All basal, flat, elongated, up to 18 inches long, up to 1 inch wide.
Flowers: Several in a terminal raceme up to 10 inches long, each flower up to 3 inches across, on stalks 1/3-1 inch long.
Sepals and Petals: 6, all similar in size and shape, free from each other, blue, narrowly lanceolate, up to 1 1/2 inches long, one of them curving downward, the other 5 curving upward.
Stamens: 6.
Pistils: Ovary superior.
Fruits: Capsules ovoid, up to 1 inch long, pale brown to brown.
Notes: The sepals and petals become twisted over the capsules.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/4/camaquam.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:58 EST
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