Mt. Hough #2: Lilioids

I found many interesting plants, animals, and pieces of litter during my brief drive up Mt. Hough last Thursday afternoon.  I've divided my findings into several different posts with different themes.  See also Plumas County's Bloom Blog for another version of this post.  It can be found at www.plumascounty.org.  Click on Wildflowers, then Bloom Blog 2012.  Sroll downward for a month or so of postings on local wildflowers.
I titled this one Lilioids because the Family Liliaceae, in the broadest sense as used 30 to 60 years ago, included plants that have more recently been placed in several new families.  A few of these plants have been "members" of several different families over the years and are still the source of debate among botanists.  So, don't be surprised if a few of my labels disagree with your favorite field guides.  That's when you need to focus on enjoying their beauty and let others argue about how they are classified.
The top two photos, case in point, were once called Brodiaea capitata and placed in the Family Liliaceae.  Currently, it's more often named Dichelostemma capitatum and in the Family Themidaceae.  Botantists argue about whether the latter family should be recognized.  The most popular "common" name is Blue Dicks, AKA Bluedicks, although several of its other popular names are Snake Lily, Twining Brodiaea, and Ookow.  Trouble is, each of these other names also refers to other species.  Type Blue Dicks into any browser and you'll be introduced to the confusion.
The third photo fro the top is of Death Camas, Zigadenus venenosa, Family Liliaceae.  In older field guides the genus is sometimes spelled Zygadenus.  As you might have guessed, it's poisonous - to both people and cattle.  Native Americans harvest bulbs of edible lilies like the Blue Camas, Camassia, before they flower.  It is nearly impossible to distinguish the plants before they flower, so the custom was/is to mark the location of individual plants after they flower (Camassia flowers are blue) so they can be safely harvested the following spring.
The last photo is Calochortus coeruleus, Family Liliaceae.  The most popular common name is Beaver-tail grass, although like most species of Calochortus, it is called a Mariposa Lily or a Star Tulip.  In the California Coastal Range, I used to see Calochortus elegans, or Elegant Cat's Ear, which resembles this one with all the hairy projections inside the petals.  Blooming soon will be Leichtlin's Mariposa Lily.