Taxon Report

Fritillaria brandegeei Eastw.

Greenhorn fritillary

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Fritillaria brandegeei, commonly known as Greenhorn fritillary, is a perennial bulbiferous herb in the Liliaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Lower montane coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 1330 to 2100 meters. Fritillaria brandegeei is ranked 1B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Fritillaria brandegeei Eastw.
Common Name:	Greenhorn fritillary
Family:	Liliaceae
Element Code:	PMLIL0V040
USDA Plants Symbol:	FRBR
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial bulbiferous herb
Blooming Period: Apr-Jun	Apr-Jun
Elevation:	1330-2100 (4365-6890)
General Habitats:	Lower montane coniferous forest
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.2
Global Rank:	G2G3
State Rank:	S2S3
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:	BLM_S; SB_CalBG/RSABG; USFS_S
CRPR Changes:	changed from 1B.3 to 1B.2 on 2025-02-03

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	37
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	9
Fair (C)	2
Poor (D)	2
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	24

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Kern (KRN), Tulare (TUL)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Alta Sierra (3511865), Camp Nelson (3611825), Camp Wishon (3611826), Cannell Peak (3511873), Democrat Hot Springs (3511856), Hockett Peak (3611824), Johnsondale (3511885), Miracle Hot Springs (3511855), Moses Mtn. (3611836), Mt. Adelaide (3511846), Posey (3511876), Sentinel Peak (3611815), Tobias Peak (3511875)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	7
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	7	19 %
Grazing	3	8%
Logging	2	5%
Other	2	5%
Foot traffic/trampling	2	5%
Over-collecting/poaching	1	2%
Recreational use (non-ORV)	1	2%
Wood cutting or brush clearing	1	2%

Notes



Conservation seed banking efforts have been unsuccessful; flower production is low, and fruiting and seed set are very rare.
Threats:
Possibly threatened by logging, grazing, and trampling.
Taxonomy:
See Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 30:484 (1903) for original description.

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 11 February 2025].