Definition

Noun: 1. A specific flowering plant: "Black fritillary" is the common name for Fritillaria biflora, a perennial herb native to southwestern North America. It is characterized by its distinctive dark, bell-shaped flowers.

Usage and Examples

• The black fritillary is known for its unique, nodding flowers that are often a deep maroon or purplish-black color, sometimes mottled with green or yellow.
• Hikers in the coastal sage scrub of California might be lucky enough to spot a black fritillary in bloom during the spring.
• This bulbous plant is sometimes called the "chocolate lily" due to the dark color of its black fritillary flowers.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• The term is primarily used in botanical contexts, wildflower guides, and by horticulturalists. It is a specific common name for a single species.
• The "black" in the name refers to the very dark hue of the petals, not a true black. "Fritillary" is a common name for plants in the genus .

Variants and Related Words

• Chocolate Lily: A common alternative name for the same plant (), referring to the flower's color.
• Fritillary (noun): The general name for plants belonging to the genus in the lily family (Liliaceae). Other species include the snake's head fritillary and the crown imperial.
• Mission Bells: Another regional common name for this plant.

Synonyms

• Chocolate Lily
• (scientific name)
• Mission Bells

Related Terms and Context

• Wildflower: The black fritillary is a type of native wildflower.
• Bulbous plant: It grows from a bulb, which is an underground storage organ.
• Endemic: It is endemic to a specific region (southwestern United States and northern Mexico).

Noun

1. herb of southwestern United States having dark purple bell-shaped flowers mottled with green