Clintonia udensis - Bead Lily

Bead Lily is a perennial rhizome forming herb. Rhizome is stiff, about 5 mm in thick, covered with fibrous sheaths. Leaves are 3-5, stalked, obovate, elliptic-obovate, or inverted-lanceshaped, 8-25 x 3-16 cm, margin velvet-hairy when young. Flowering stem is 10-20 cm tall, usually up to 60 cm in fruit, leafless, densely white velvety. Flowers are borne in 3-12-flowered raceme. Bracts fall off, flower-stalks are densely velvety-hairy, 1-7 cm in fruit. Tepals are white or sometimes bluish, oblong, 7-12 x 3-4 mm, puberulent below. Stamens are 4-6 mm, pistil 6-8 mm, style 3-5 mm. Berries are blackish blue, globose or ellipsoid, 7-12 x 7-10 mm, many seeded. They look like beads, hence the common name. Bead Lily is native to China, Tibet, Japan, Korea, India (Sikkim), Bhutan, Myanmar, and Nepal at altitudes of 2900-4000 m. In India, this plant is reported at Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary at 3200 m. Flowering: May-June.