Hesperocallis undulata (Desert Lily)

Hesperocallis undulata

Hesperocallis undulata A. Gray

Desert Lily, Ajo Lily

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Liliidae	Includes lilies, orchids, and many others
Order	Asparagales	A diverse group that includes asparagus
Family	Asparagaceae	Agaves, asparagus, hyacinths, and others
Genus	Hesperocallis	From Greek hesperos (Ἓσπερος), “of or at evening, western, the west,” and kallos (καλὸς), “beauty,” loosely “western beauty,” a name assigned by Asa Gray, who believed it to be related to Hemerocallis
Species	undulata	“With undulations,” for the wavy leaf margins

About plant names...

The Hesperocallis lily family is native to the North American southwest. (Hesperocallis comes from the Greek words hesperos (Ἓσπερος) and kalos (καλὸς), meaning “western beauty.”) Traditionally classified as lilies, these plants are actually more closely related to agaves.

Identification: Plants are 12-71" (30-180 cm) in height. Leaves are long 8-20" (20-50 cm) and narrow ¼-½" (8-15 mm), with undulating serrated edges. White, showy, trumpet-shaped flowers occur in groups of 4 to 18, each 4-12" (10-30 cm) long and about 3" (7.6 cm) in diameter. Each flower has six petals and yellow anthers.

Edibility: Desert lily bulbs, which can be quite large, have a garlic-like flavor, and may be baked or boiled, or eaten raw.

Online References:

Hesperocallis undulata on Oceanlight.com, a natural history stock photography site by Phillip Colla

Hesperocallis undulata on botanyphoto.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca

Hesperocallis undulata on Tom Chester’s Plant Species of the Borrego Desert

Hesperocallis undulata on Plants for a Future

Hesperocallis undulata at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum Sonoran Desert Digital Library

Hesperocallis undulata on CalPhotos

Hesperocallis undulata at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Hesperocallis undulata at the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association

Hesperocallis undulata on eFloras