Fritillaria viridea
San benito fritillary, San Benito Fritillary
(c) Mike Heine, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Liliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Fritillaria viridea (San benito fritillary) is a native California herb in the Liliaceae family, recognized by distinctive flower color range and limited geographic range.
San benito fritillary is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the southern Coast Ranges in Monterey, San Benito, and San Luis Obispo counties, inhabiting serpentine shrub understory at elevations of 200 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces pale green to dark purple nodding flowers with lanceolate perianth parts 0.9 to 1.8 centimeters long. Growing with stems 30 to 65 centimeters tall, it develops from a large bulb with 3 to 5 primary scales. Its leaves are arranged in one to two whorls of 3 to 4 below the stem, becoming alternate above, with narrowly lanceolate blades 4 to 10 centimeters long. The fruit is distinctively winged, complementing the plant's delicate structure in serpentine landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; distinctive flower color range and limited geographic range
Habitat and range
Habitat: shrub understory, serpentine
Elevation: 200-1500 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Monterey
Bloom period
Fritillaria viridea blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 viridea native to California?
Yes. Fritillaria viridea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Fritillaria viridea bloom?
Fritillaria viridea blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Fritillaria viridea grow?
Fritillaria viridea occurs in San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Monterey, at elevations of 200-1500 m.
What plant family does Fritillaria viridea belong to?
Fritillaria viridea is in the Liliaceae family, genus Fritillaria.
Is Fritillaria viridea rare or endangered?
Fritillaria viridea carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Fritillaria affinis — Checker lily
- Fritillaria agrestis — Stinkbells
- Fritillaria atropurpurea — Mountain fritillary
- Fritillaria biflora — Chocolate lily
- Fritillaria biflora var. biflora — Chocolate lily
- Fritillaria biflora var. ineziana — Hillsborough chocolate lily
- Liliaceae sp. — Lily family
- Lilium bolanderi — Bolander's lily
- Lilium columbianum — Columbia lily
- Lilium humboldtii — Humboldt's lily
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.