[The Lily Family in Denali National Park and Preserve]

Glaucous Death Camas, Glaucous Zigaenus, Mountain Deathcamas

Anticlea elegans

Synonyms: Anticlea coloradensis, Zigadenus alpinus, Zigadenus elegans, Zigadenus elegans ssp. elegans

Mountain deathcamas as seen on moist tundra at the head of a drainage at the western base of Green Dome, Denali National Park and Preserve...........June 20, 2012.

Characteristics:

1. Elegant death camas is also known as glaucous zigadene. It is a pretty wildflower with a single stem rising to 70 cm high.

2. The leaves are primarily basal. They are up to 30 cm long and 15 mm wide. The stem leaves are reduced upward.

3. The flowers are greenish-white with 6 spreading tepals, and a large yellow gland towards the base. Individual petals are about 8 to 11 mm long. The inflorescence is open, with the flowers on long pedicels.

Habitat:

Elegant death camas inhabits open grasslands to rocky slopes, forests, and meadows. In the Pacific Northwest, it is primarily found in alpine and montane habitats.

Range:

Elegant death camas is found from Alaska south through British Columbia to both the Olympic Mts and Cascades of Washington. From there, it may be found eastward through eastern Oregon to Nevada and Arizona, and further east to Alberta and Texas.

Use:

An extremely poisonous plant. Avoid its consumption!

Additional images of mountain deathcamas as seen on moist tundra at the head of a drainage at the western base of Green Dome, Denali National Park and Preserve...........June 20, 2012.

Mountain deathcamas as seen from atop Thoro Ridge, Denali National Park.............June 27, 2002.

Paul Slichter