Fritillaria cirrhosa

Family: Liliaceae

What it is like

A bulb plant. It is an erect herb. The bulb has 2 scales and is 1-2 cm across. The plant grows to about 75 cm high. There are 7-11 leaves. The leaves do not have leaf stalks. They are narrow. The lower leaves are opposite but the upper leaves are in a ring. The uppermost leaves have a thin string like tip. The flowers occur singly and droop. They are yellow with dark purple spots. The fruit is a capsule with wings.

There are about 100 Fritillaria species. The bulbs are used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In Nepal they grow from 3000-4500 m altitude. The grow in exposed, alpine grassland. It grows in forests and alpine thickets and moist places in China between 3200-4600 m. It is often on limestone soils. It needs humus-rich, moisture retaining soil. It needs cool damp summers. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Tibet

How it is used for food

The roots are boiled or roasted and eaten. The female flower parts are chewed. Caution: Most fritillarias are poisonous if eaten.

Edible parts

Root, bulb, caution, fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from bulbs.

Its other names

Local names

Ban lasun, Chuan bei mu, Kakoli, Tak tak

Synonyms

Fritillaria cirrhosa var. bonatii (H.Leveille)S.C.Chen; Fritillaria cirrhosa var. dingriensis Y.K.Yang & J.Z.Zhang; Fritillaria cirrhosa var. viridiflava S.C.Chen; Fritillaria duilongdeqingensis Y.K.Yang & Gesan; Fritillaria lhiinzeensis Y.K.Yang et al; Fritillaria zhufenensis Y.K.Yang & J.Z.Zhang; Lilium bonatii H.Leveille;