Fritillaria micrantha
Brown bells
(c) Chris Winchell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Liliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Fritillaria micrantha (Brown bells) is a native California herb in the Liliaceae family, recognized by Sierra Nevada endemic with strongly recurved style branches.
Brown bells is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on dry benches and slopes at elevations of 300 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces nodding flowers with purple to green-white perianth parts, faintly mottled and up to two centimeters long. Growing with stems four to nine decimeters tall, it develops distinctive whorled leaves arranged in 1 to 3 clusters of 4 to 6 below the stem and alternating above. Its leaves range from 4.5 to 15 centimeters long, linear to narrowly lanceolate in shape, with a distinctive nectary that extends more than one-third the length of the perianth. The fruit features widely winged structures, adding to the plant's unique botanical character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; Sierra Nevada endemic with strongly recurved style branches
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Dry benches, slopes
Elevation: 300-1800 m
California counties: El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Madera, Placer, Mariposa, Tulare, Fresno, Alpine, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Siskiyou, Butte, Nevada, Plumas, Yuba, Napa, Sacramento
Bloom period
Fritillaria micrantha blooms Apr-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Lilium: Fritillaria has dark glandular spots in the lower half of each petal; Lilium petals lack these nectary patches.; vs Calochortus: Fritillaria flowers droop downward with glands inside; Calochortus flowers face upward or outward.; vs Platanthera: Fritillaria has 6 similar bell-shaped petals; orchid flowers have distinctly different upper and lower petals.; vs Clintonia: Fritillaria flowers hang downward with internal glands; Clintonia flowers stand upright and produce berries.; vs Maianthemum: Fritillaria has large drooping bells with 6 petals; Maianthemum has tiny 4-parted flowers in clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fritillaria micrantha native to California?
Yes. Fritillaria micrantha is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Fritillaria micrantha bloom?
Fritillaria micrantha blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Fritillaria micrantha grow?
Fritillaria micrantha occurs in El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Madera, Placer, Mariposa, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of 300-1800 m.
What plant family does Fritillaria micrantha belong to?
Fritillaria micrantha is in the Liliaceae family, genus Fritillaria.
What habitat does Fritillaria micrantha grow in?
Fritillaria micrantha grows in Common. Dry benches, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.