Taxon Report

Fritillaria roderickii Knight

Roderick's fritillary

Print Report


Taxon Summary

Fritillaria roderickii, commonly known as Roderick's fritillary, is a perennial bulbiferous herb in the Liliaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Coastal bluff scrub, Coastal prairie, and Valley and foothill grassland, growing at elevations from 15 to 400 meters. Fritillaria roderickii is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Fritillaria roderickii Knight
Common Name:
Roderick's fritillary
Family: Liliaceae
Element Code: PMLIL0V0M0
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:
  • Fritillaria grayana Rchb. f. & Baker

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial bulbiferous herb
Blooming Period: Mar-May Mar-May
Elevation: 15-400 (50-1310)
General Habitats: Coastal bluff scrub, Coastal prairie, Valley and foothill grassland
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 8
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 2
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 1
   None (X) 1
   Unknown (U) 4
California Endemic:  True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Mendocino (MEN), Sonoma (SON)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Gualala (3812375), Laughlin Range (3912333), Philo (3912314), Point Arena (3812386)*, Saunders Reef (3812376)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 7
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
3 38 %
Development 1 12%
Erosion/runoff 1 12%
Foot traffic/trampling 1 12%
Grazing 1 12%
Non-native plant impacts 1 12%
Road/trail construction/maint. 1 12%
Wood cutting or brush clearing 1 12%

Notes

Plants introduced in MEN (537D) and SON counties. Threatened by road maintenance, residential development, and erosion. Taxonomic validity has been questioned; needs further study. A synonym of F. biflora var. biflora in TJM (1993) and TJM 2. USFWS uses the name F. grayana. See Four Seasons 2(2):14-16 (1967) for original description.
Threats:
Taxonomy:
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 3 July 2025].