Lily, Twining Snake;  Dichelostemma volubile

Mid Bloomer.  Purple-pink urn-shaped flowers clustered on purple-pink vining stems.  Long, weak stems seek support, twine on branches, grasses etc. Notes:  Lily family.  The flowers are clustered on umbels.  It's fun to let people try to trace back to where the ‘snaking’ stems begin their ‘journey.’  The bulbs are edible (one of the “Indian potatoes”) and have a mild garlic/onion flavor, as they are related to the Alliums: garlic, onions, leeks etc.  As with other Dichelostemma, the leaves are long and grass-like.  They prefer shady, grassy  areas (including around Poison Oak).  Dichelostemma means ‘toothed crown’ in reference to the forked tamen appendages.  The Latin volubile means ‘twining’.  It was formerly called Brodiaea volubilis, with common name Twining Brodiaea.  Blue Dicks are also classified as Dichelostemma. Click on species name below to go to USDA for this species. Kingdom Plantae -- Plants     Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants         Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants             Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants                 Class Liliopsida -- Monocotyledons                     Subclass Liliidae                         Order Liliales                             Family Liliaceae -- Lily family                                 Genus Dichelostemma Kunth -- snakelily                                     Species Dichelostemma volubile (Kellogg) Heller                                      -- twining snake lily

Lily, Twining Snake  (Dichelostemma volubile)