Hastingsia

S. Watson

Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 217, 242. 1879.

Etymology: For S. Clinton Hastings of San Francisco, supporter of S. Watson et al. (1876–1880) on California botany
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 310. Mentioned on page 20, 21, 58, 303.

Herbs, perennial, scapose, glabrous, from bulbs. Bulb solitary, ovoid to ellipsoid, fleshy, with densely packed lunate scales, vein remnants sometimes persisting as blackish, fibrous tunics; no rootstocks or vertical rhizomes. Leaves predominantly basal, grasslike; blade often prominently keeled or V-shaped; cauline leaves widely spaced, progressively reduced distally, intergrading with floral bracts. Scape borne singly, arising from top of bulb, 25–99 cm, sometimes with 1–3(–5) shorter, ascending branches; scape and branches becoming hollow and brittle. Inflorescences racemose, with flowers (10–)24–65(–78) per 10 cm of raceme. Flowers: perianth at anthesis closed (not exposing stamens) or partially to fully open (partially or fully exposing stamens); tepals 6, persistent, withering and shriveling to base, distinct, pure white, yellowish or greenish white, or purplish black, narrowly lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, sometimes each with greenish, yellowish, or purplish central vein, 4–12 mm, often with flattened, triangular apex covered adaxially with minute, glandular hairs; stamens 6; filaments dimorphic, 4–8 mm, 3 longer and with dehisced anthers at anthesis, 3 shorter and with undehisced anthers, all becoming equal after anthesis; ovary superior, ± sessile, 3-lobed, globose, ovules 2 per locule; placentation axile; style 1; stigma distinctly 3-lobed; pedicel 2–3 mm. Fruits capsular, broadly 3-lobed, ellipsoid to ellipsoid-ovoid, slightly constricted 1/3 from apex. Seeds gray-green to black or yellowish brown, fusiform, usually flattened adaxially; coat rough, reticulate. x = 26, 27.

Distribution

w North America.

Discussion

Species 4 (4 in the flora).

Key

1 Tepals pure white to slightly yellowish white, or whitish to greenish or yellowish white with greenish or light purplish central vein, narrowly lanceolate, 4–7.5 × 1–2 mm; stamens exposed fully or distally at anthesis. > 2
1 Tepals purplish black with pale green central vein, or yellowish white with pale yellowish or purplish central vein, oblong-lanceolate, 8–12 × 2 mm; stamens seldom exposed at anthesis. > 3
2 Bulb 26–56 × 17–31 mm, sometimes with blackish, fibrous tunic; leaves (28–)35–41(–53) × 7–14 mm; scape 40–89 cm; terminal raceme (5–)14–27(–40) cm; flowers (24–) 44–51(–78) per 10 cm of raceme; tepals 5–7.5 mm; stamens exposed only distally at anthesis. Hastingsia alba
2 Bulb 23–41 × 13–21 mm, usually without blackish, fibrous tunic; leaves (19–)21–27 (–35) cm × 2–6 mm; scape 29–51 cm; terminal raceme (4–)7–12(–35) cm; flowers (12–) 24–35(–48) per 10 cm of raceme; tepals 4–6.5 mm; stamens fully exposed at anthesis. Hastingsia serpentinicola
3 Leaves 25–55 cm × 6–12 mm, blade bluish green; terminal raceme (8–)12–35(–49) cm; flowers (20–)30–36(–46) per 10 cm of raceme; tepals purplish black with pale green central vein, 9–12 × 2 mm. Hastingsia atropurpurea
3 Leaves 24–52 cm × 4–8 mm, blade grayish green; terminal raceme (5–)8–16(–32) cm; flowers (10–)25–30(–40) per 10 cm of raceme; tepals yellowish white with pale yellowish or purplish central vein, 8–12 × 2 mm. Hastingsia bracteosa