Description
A perennial herb in the Lily family that re-sprouts from an underground bulb each year. The bulbs have 3-5 large scales and 1-3 small scales. First to emerge from the bulb are solitary flat, broadly ovate basal leaves that grow along the ground up to 15 cm long; these leaves are usually separate from flowering stems). The erect flowering stalk then emerges (1 stalk per plant) and grows 40-70 cm in height. The cauline leaves grow in 1-3 whorls of 3-5(-8) leaves near the base, becoming opposite to alternate on the middle and upper portions of the stem. They are 4-13 cm long and linear to narrowly lanceolate in shape. The flowering stalk features 3 to 20 (rarely that many) nodding, bowl- or bell-shaped, flowers. The tepals (petals and sepals look the same) are thick and 1.5 to 3 cm across with each tepal widely lanceolate with tongue-shaped tips. The flowers are a dull green to greenish-yellow in color; they are externally unspotted and internally have a random series of dark purple-brown, irregularly shaped spots, denser around the gland and near the base (creating an arching pattern); in some flowers these coalesce as a soild red-brown central ring. The nectary is one-third the length of the tepals; it is diamond- to ovate-shaped and paler than the rest of the flower.The fruit capsule is winged and greenish. Flowering (February-)March-April(-May).
Habitat
Fritillaria ojaiensis occurs in moist shaded areas on slopes and is primarily associated with mesic Coast Live Oak Woodland and California Bay Forest vegetation (often near drainages/river basins) but sometimes with mesic chaparral or lower montane coniferous forest (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa-Umbellularia californica Woodland Alliance), as at the type locality. It typically grows under the canopy of trees and large shrubs, although a few sites are more open. Substrates of the habitat tend to be rocky, with some sites described as talus and soils include sandy loam and shaley loam. It appears to prefer north-facing slopes. It is believed to be capable of recovering from fire, as one subpopulation was discovered after a wildfire. Common plant associates include Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak), Umbellularia californica (California Bay), Acer macrophyllum (Bigleaf Maple), Sanicula crassicaulis (Pacific Snakeroot or Sanicle), Polypodium californicum (California Polypody Fern), and Heteromeles salicifolia (Toyon). Other plant species of the habitat include Pentagramma triangularis, Sanicula arguta, Arctostaphylos glandulosa, Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, Rhamnus ilicifolia, Tauschia arguta, Toxicodendron diversilobum, Adenostoma fasciculatum, Ceanothus crassifolius, Ceanothus oliganthus, Castilleja martinii, Drypoteris arguta, Dudleya lanceolata, Eriophyllum confertiflorum, Galium aparine, Garrya veatchii, Keckiella cordifolia, Lessingia filaginifolia, Mimulus aurantiacus, Mimulus longiflorus var. longiflorus, Pellaea mucronata, Potentilla glandulosa, Quercus berberidifolia, Ribes malvaceum, Ribes speciosum, and Woodwardia fimbriata. It occurs at elevations of 300 to 700(1000) meters.