Dipterostemon capitatus

Naming

Three subspecies are accepted:
⤷ "Dipterostemon capitatus" subsp. "capitatus"
⤷ "Dipterostemon capitatus" subsp. "lacuna-vernalis" R.E.Preston
⤷ "Dipterostemon capitatus" subsp. "pauciflorus" R.E.Preston

Uses

Corms have been gathered by Native Americans in California, parts of the Great Basin, and the Southwest. These corms were an important starch source in their diet. California tribes dug and continue to dig the corms before flowering, during flowering, or after seeding depending on the tribe and individual family. Traditional gathering sites were visited annually, and there were gathering tracts with different kinds of corms and bulbs owned and maintained by particular families.

Corms are eaten by animals such as black bears, mule deer, non-native wild pigs, rabbits, and pocket gophers. As some of the corms are eaten, others are dispersed. The animals detach the cormlets, which aerates the soil, prepares the seedbed, thins the plant population, and leaves some cormlets behind. Once separated, corms may take less time to reach flowering size.

Although slow to flowering starting from seeds, it is sometimes used in horticulture. The flowers mix well in native beds, especially when contrasted against other California native species such as California poppies. With patience and proper care, these plants can become quite dramatic come spring.