Clintonia is a genus with slender horizontal rhizomes. Taxonomists have not agreed in which family to place this genus. It has been considered part of the Liliaceae family, but has been proposed to be included in the Convallariaceae family and then the Uvulariaceae family. Most taxonomists are now including Uvulariaceae in Colchicaceae, but without Clintonia which is now listed by a number of sources again in Liliaceae. There are species found in both eastern and western North America.

Clintonia andrewsiana is a beautiful species with bell shaped red flowers and broadly ovate shiny leaves. The flowers are followed by blue berries if the deer don't eat them first. It is found in the coastal fog belt of northern California and southern Oregon. It is often found growing in or at the edge of the forest with Trilliums and other forest plants. The leaves stay green throughout the dry summer and sometimes almost until new ones are produced in winter. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller of wild plants blooming in Sonoma County May 2003 and of plants in fruit. The final picture from Mary Sue Ittner shows a clump of garden plants in bud April 2004.
Clintonia andrewsiana, Bob Rutemoeller Clintonia andrewsiana, Bob Rutemoeller Clintonia andrewsiana berries, Bob Rutemoeller Clintonia andrewsiana berries, Bob Rutemoeller Clintonia andrewsiana, Mary Sue Ittner

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