We've set a goal of recruiting 200 ongoing supporters to donate $15 or more each month in 2025. Please help us reach this goal and make next year's flora even better:
Clintoniaumbellulata (Michaux) Morong. Speckled Wood-lily, White Clintonia. Phen: Mid May-early Jul; Aug-Oct. Hab: Red oak and other oak forests, mesic to dry ridges and slopes, less commonly in northern hardwood forests, generally at lower elevations than C. borealis, though the two species can co-occur. Dist: An Appalachian endemic: c. NY west to s. OH, south to n. GA (Jones & Coile 1988).
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments:Clintonia alleghaniensis Harned, differing from C. umbellulata in its ultramarine blue berry, similar in color to C. borealis (vs. black) is known from a number of sites in VA, MD, WV, and NC. It has been variously interpreted as a species, a hybrid of C. borealis and C. umbellulata, or merely an odd form of C. umbellulata; it needs further study. Clintonia umbellulata is "distinguished only by the ultramarine fruit color (versus black in C. umbellulata (Michaux) Morong). Blain (1997) demonstrated that this taxon was not a hybrid between C. borealis (2n = 2x =16) and C. umbellulata (2n = 2x = 14) as was often presumed, but found no evidence of genetic divergence between C. umbellulata and C. allegheniensis (also 2n = 2x = 14). However, genetic identities (based upon allozymes) were high among all three species and no evidence has been presented to date that the variation in fruit color is not associated with other adaptive genetic variation" (as quoted in Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service 2019).
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA26, G, K1, K3, K4, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Tn, Va, W, Hayashi et al (2001); = Xeniatrumumbellulatum (Michx.) Small – S; > Clintoniaalleghaniensis Harned – Maryland Natural Heritage Program (2019); > Clintoniaumbellulata (Michx.) Morong – Maryland Natural Heritage Program (2019)
See something wrong or missing on about Clintonia umbellulata? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.)
We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months.
✓ Got your feedback - thanks!Sorry, there was a problem sending that. You can also try contacting us by email.
Horticultural Information
Intro:Erect perennial from a basal rosette, found in red oak and other oak forests on mesic to dry ridges and slopes.
Stems:Stem a slender, leafless flowering scape.
Leaves:Leaves in a basal rosette, oblong to elliptic, 6-12 in. long, with strongly inset and hairy midvein, shiny-green, with long hairs on margins.
Inforescence:
Flowers:Flowers 5-25 in a compact rounded umbel terminating the scape, white to greenish-white, consisting of 6 spreading tepals with purple or green speckles.
Fruits:Fruit a dark blue to black berry.
Comments:Less commonly seen in northern hardwood forests and generally occurs at lower elevations than C. borealis (see p. xx), though the two species can co-occur.
Height:8-16 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description:Erect perennial from a basal rosette, found in red oak and other oak forests on mesic to dry ridges and slopes.
stems:Stem a slender, leafless flowering scape.
leaves:Leaves in a basal rosette, oblong to elliptic, 6-12 in. long, with strongly inset and hairy midvein, shiny-green, with long hairs on margins.
inflorescence:
flowers:Flowers 5-25 in a compact rounded umbel terminating the scape, white to greenish-white, consisting of 6 spreading tepals with purple or green speckles.
fruits:Fruit a dark blue to black berry.
comments:Less commonly seen in northern hardwood forests and generally occurs at lower elevations than C. borealis (see p. xx), though the two species can co-occur.
