Fritillaria meleagroides Patrin ex Schult. & Schult. fil.

Chinese records of Fritillaria meleagris Linnaeus (e.g., in FRPS) are referable to F. meleagroides.

Flowers 2-3 cm, solitary, dark brown-violet, obscurely chekered. Z 5 (4). New.

Bulb of 2 or 3 scales, subglobose, 0.5--1.5 cm in diam. Stem 20--40 cm. Leaves 3--7, alternate; leaf blade linear, 5--15 cm × 1--5 mm, apex sometimes curved. Inflorescence usually 1-flowered; bract solitary, apex acuminate. Flower nodding, campanulate; pedicel variable in length. Tepals deep purple or dark brownish violet, slightly tessellated or speckled; outer ones oblong-elliptic, 2--3.5 cm × 5--8 mm; inner ones obovate, 2--3.5 × 0.7--1.2 cm; nectaries linear, ca. 15 × 2 mm. Stamens ca. 2/3 as long as tepals; filaments papillose. Style 3-lobed; lobes 4--8 mm. Capsule wingless. Fl. May--Jun. 2 n = 18, 24*.

European part of the FSU (southeastern regions), Caucasus, western Siberia, steppes of Central Asia and southwestern Europe. In meadows, along stream, sometimes on saline soil.

NW Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Russia; E Europe].

Mud flats, wet meadows, swampy fields; 900--2400 m.

Fritillaria meleagroides var. flavovirens X. Z. Duan & X. J. Zheng; F. meleagroides var. plena X. Z. Duan & X. J. Zheng; F. meleagroides var. rhodantha X. Z. Duan & X. J. Zheng.