Fritillaria affinis, the chocolate lily, is a highly variable species of flowering plant in the lily family Liliaceae native to western North America.
Description
It grows from a bulb, which resembles a small mass of rice grains. The stems are 10–120 centimetres (4–47 inches) tall. The flowers are produced in the spring, nodding, 1–4 cm (1⁄2–1+1⁄2 in), yellowish or greenish brown with a lot of yellow mottling to purplish black with little mottling, or yellow-green mottled with purple. The leaves are in whorls.[3]
Fritillaria affinis var. affinis: This is the more common and widespread variant, occurring throughout the plant's range. It can be differentiated by its strong mottling pattern. Its bulb has 2 to 20 small scales.
Fritillaria affinis var. tristulis: This variant is much less widespread; it is found only in Marin County on the north coast of California. It has a much more subtle mottling pattern and is generally darker overall. Its bulb has 60 to 100 small scales.[4]
Its habitat includes oak or pine scrub or open woods and thickets near the coast. It prefers low to mid-elevation, shade or part shade, dry summer dormancy, and good drainage.
Uses
The roots or bulbs can be eaten raw or cooked.[6] Historically, the bulbs of this plant were eaten steamed by Salish Native American peoples, including the Squamish, Sechelt, Halq'emeylem and Straits Salish.[7]
^Pojar, Jim; MacKinnon, Andy (1994). Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. p. 110. ISBN1-55105-040-4.
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