Rank Species | Genus Fritillaria Higher classification Fritillaries | |
Similar Fritillaries, Fritillaria pinetorum, Fritillaria agrestis, Fritillaria ojaiensis, Fritillaria falcata | ||
Fritillaria micrantha, known by the common names brown fritillary and brown bells, is a California species of fritillary in the lily family.
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Description
Fritillaria micrantha grows an erect stem reaching heights between one half and one meter. The long, straight, very narrow leaves grow in whorls about the lower stem and in pairs near the top. The stem has one or more nodding flowers at each node. The flower has six narrow tepals are each one or two centimeters long. They are variable in appearance but are usually purplish to greenish-yellow and often mottled or edged with color. The fruit capsule is winged.
Distribution
This wildflower is native to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it is a common resident of dry mountain slopes and to the foothills west of the main range. There is also one report of the species in the Diablo Range in San Benito County.