Shooting Star; Dodecatheon hendersonii
Early Bloomer. Five deep lavender or white petals, yellow band, nodding flowers bloom early in shady place.
Notes: Primrose family. The USDA lists 15 Species and 38 accepted taxa overall within the Dodecatheon (shooting star) genus. This particular species is also called Mosquito Bills. The distinctive looking flower is a very early bloomer, usually found on the left slopes as you approach the French Corral Creek Bridge. The stems and leaves are reported to be edible after boiling or roasting. The name is from the Greek dodeka (twelve) and theos (a god). According to historian Pliny, the flowers reminded him of a meeting of the 12 major Greek gods.
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 Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons
Subclass Dilleniidae
Order Primulales
Family Primulaceae -- Primrose family
Genus Dodecatheon L. -- shootingstar
Species Dodecatheon hendersonii Gray
-- mosquito bills
Contains 4 Subspecies and 4 accepted taxa overall
Shooting Star (Dodecatheon hendersonii) |