mission bells

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mission bells

A gardener carefully waters a patch of mission bells in the morning sun.

Definition

Noun 1. A common name for the plant Fritillaria affinis, a perennial herb native to northwestern America, characterized by its distinctive bell-shaped flowers that are typically checkered or mottled with shades of green and purple/brown. 2. A common name for the plant Fritillaria biflora, a perennial herb native to southwestern United States (particularly California), characterized by its dark purple, bell-shaped flowers often mottled with green.

Usage Notes
  • "Mission bells" is primarily used as a colloquial or common name in botany, gardening, and natural history to refer to specific species of fritillaria plants. It is not a formal taxonomic term.
  • The name evokes the shape of the plant's flowers, which resemble small, hanging bells, and its historical association with regions containing Spanish missions.
Examples
  • Noun:
    • In the coastal prairies, you can find mission bells blooming in the spring.
    • The garden was planted with native species like poppies and mission bells.
    • The mission bells (Fritillaria affinis) are also sometimes called "checker lily" due to their patterned petals.
Advanced Usage
  • The term can be used poetically or descriptively to evoke the visual image of the flower or the cultural landscape of the American West.
    • The hillside was dotted with the silent mission bells of the fritillaria.
Variants and Related Words
  • Checker lily: A common synonym for , referring to the checkered pattern on its flowers.
  • Chocolate lily: Another common name for some species, referring to the flower's color and sometimes its scent.
  • Fritillaria: The formal genus name for this group of plants, which includes many species with bell-shaped, often patterned flowers.
Synonyms
  • Checker lily (for )
  • Fritillary (a general term for plants in the genus )
Different Meanings
  • Mission bell (singular, without 's'): This can refer to an actual bell from a historical Spanish mission.
    • The old mission bell still rings on special occasions.
  • The plural form "mission bells" can also refer literally to multiple such architectural bells.
    • The sound of the mission bells echoed across the valley.
mission bells

A gardener carefully waters a patch of mission bells in the morning sun.

Noun
  1. herb of northwestern America having green-and-purple bell-shaped flowers
  2. herb of southwestern United States having dark purple bell-shaped flowers mottled with green

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