Brodiaea

Brodiaea is a genus restricted to western North America, ranging geographically from Vancouver, B.C. to Baja California. This name has been used for a whole group of plants referred to as the Brodiaea complex that also includes the genera Dichelostemma, Dipterostemon, and Triteleia. Brodiaea is differentiated from Dichelostemma by a flowering stem that is generally straight not curved or twisted, an umbel that is typically open, not dense, and the presence of three sterile stamens (staminodes) instead of appendages that are crown-like, forming a tube outside the anthers. Brodiaea is differentiated from Triteleia by having only three fertile stamens instead of 6. This genus has been considered to be a member of many different families in the past (Amaryllidaceae, Liliaceae, Alliaceae). In 2001 it was placed in a new family, Themidaceae, which included other California genera (Androstephium, Bloomeria, Dichelostemma, Dipterostemon, and Triteleia) and some Mexican genera with corms. APG III and IV include this genus into an expanded Asparagaceae in a branch with Hyacinthaceae by placing most taxa into the subfamily Brodiaeoideae. The Jepson eFlora in 2021 continues to place it in Themidaceae. Brodiaea was the topic of the week on the Pacific Bulb Society list in June 2003. The discussion was led by Mary Sue Ittner. The pbs archives are the source for her Daily Introductions. New species have been identified since then and other species renamed based mostly on geographical locations and morphological differences that are often quite subtle and sometimes challenging to determine from older photographs and plants grown from seed in cultivation. More changes are expected with further study.


For more photos and information about the species select the appropriate wiki page:

or click on the name in the table below:

Brodiaea species
Brodiaea appendiculata, UC Botanical Garden, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea appendiculata
Brodiaea californica, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea californica
Brodiaea coronaria, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea coronaria
Brodiaea elegans, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea elegans
Brodiaea filifolia, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea filifolia
Brodiaea insignis, Tilden Botanic Garden, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea insignis
Brodiaea jolonensis, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea jolonensis
Brodiaea kinkiensis, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea kinkiensis
Brodiaea leptandra, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea leptandra
Brodiaea matsonii, Dean Taylor, CC BY-SA [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea matsonii
Brodiaea minor, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea minor
Brodiaea nana, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea nana
Brodiaea orcuttii, Jim Duggan [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea orcuttii
Brodiaea pallida, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea pallida
Brodiaea minor showing staminodes, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea purdyi*
Brodiaea santarosae, Ron Vanderhoff, CC BY-SA [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea santarosae
Brodiaea sierrae, David Greenberger, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea sierrae
Brodiaea stellaris, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea stellaris
Brodiaea terrestris ssp. terrestris, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Brodiaea terrestris
* = synonym

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Page last modified on July 21, 2021, at 06:37 AM
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