Kingdom Plantae Clade Monocots Family Asparagaceae Scientific name Leucocrinum montanum Rank Species | Clade Angiosperms Order Asparagales Subfamily Agavoideae Higher classification Leucocrinum | |
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Similar Echeandia, Hesperocallis, Androstephium, Muilla | ||
leucocrinum
Leucocrinum montanum, commonly known as the sand lily, common starlily or mountain lily, is the only species in the monotypic genus Leucocrinum, placed in the family Asparagaceae, and subfamily Agavoideae. It is native to the western United States, primarily in the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin.
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This species is a perennial plant growing from a deep system of fleshy roots. It is stemless, growing no more than about 10 cm (4 in) tall. It produces tufts of long, narrow leaves sheathed together at the bases. The inflorescence is an umbel-shaped cluster of flowers amidst the foliage. The fragrant flower has six white tepals around 2 cm (0.8 in) long. The species is dimorphic in its pollen production, with two distinct pollen forms occurring in separate populations.