Prosartes smithii is a North American species of flowering plants known by the common name largeflower fairybells. It is native to western North America from Vancouver Island in British Columbia south as far as Monterey County in California. It grows in shady forest and woodland, including redwood forests.[2][3][4]

Prosartes smithii
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Prosartes
Species:
P. smithii
Binomial name
Prosartes smithii
(Hook.) Utech, Shinwari & Kawano
Synonyms[1]
  • Disporum smithii (Hook.) Piper
  • Uvularia smithii Hook.
  • Uvularia puberula Sm. 1818, illegitimate homonym not Michx. 1803
  • Prosartes menziesii D.Don
  • Disporum menziesii (D.Don) G.Nicholson

Prosartes smithii is an erect, branching perennial herb growing up to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall. Its narrow, fuzzy stems bear wide, oval-shaped, pointed leaves up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long and mostly hairless. The inflorescence produces up to seven drooping, hanging flowers which may be hidden in the cover of the large leaves. The flower is cylindrical to bell-shaped with six white to green-tinged tepals each up to 3 cm (1.2 in) long. The fruit is an oval-shaped orange or red berry just over 1 cm (0.4 in) long.[2][5]

Birmingham Botanical Gardens (United Kingdom)

References

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