Fritillaria ojaiensis

Ojai fritillary

Family: Liliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Ojai fritillary is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties and western Transverse Ranges in Ventura County, inhabiting rocky slopes and river basins at elevations of 300 to 500 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces nodding flowers with dull green-yellow perianth parts marked with sparse to dense dark dots, measuring 1.5 to 3 centimeters long. Growing with stems 4 to 7 decimeters tall, it develops large bulb scales and complex leaf arrangements. Its leaves appear in 1 to 3 whorls of 3 to 5 below the stem, becoming alternate or opposite higher up, with linear to narrowly lanceolate blades 4 to 13 centimeters long. The plant produces winged fruit with a distinctive nectary that is approximately one-third the length of the perianth.

Habitat: Rocky slopes, river basins

Bloom period: Feb-May

Elevation: 300-500 m

Bioregions: s SCoRO (San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara cos.), WTR (Ventura Co.).

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.