Chlorogalum pomeridianum

Like all the soap plants, Chlorogalum pomeridianum is a perennial that grows from a bulb, which is brown, between 7 and 15 cm in diameter, slightly elongated, and covered in thick, coarse fibers.  The leaves grow from the base of the plant, and can be from 20 to 70 cm long and 6 to 25 mm wide.  As the plant's name indicates, their edges are generally wavy, though this is not always particularly noticeable.
The flowers are borne on a long stem, normally longer than the leaves, and are from 15 to 30 mm long.  The six petals (actually only three of them are petals in the technical sense; the other three are sepals) are up to 35 mm long and curving.  They are typically white but have a noticeable mid-vein which can be purple or green in color.  The six stamens are large and noticeable, and yellow or orange.  The flowers are hermaphrodites (having both female and male parts).
They open only in the late afternoon or evening, remaining open during the night but closing by the morning.  Pollination is by evening- or night-flying insects.

SubspeciesEdit
Three varieties are recognized:

Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. divaricatum — endemic to some coastal regions of California (the Central Coast and southern parts of the North Coast), found only  at elevations below about 100 metres (330 ft).
Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. minus — endemic to the inner north and outer south Pacific Coast Ranges of California, and the San Francisco Bay Area.  This variety has a less fibrous bulb than the others. On the CNPSInventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California.
Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum,  Nomlaki language: shlā — found throughout the range of the species.The basionym of the species was Scilla pomeridianum.  It has also been known as Laothoe pomeridiana.

Chlorogalum Pomeridianum

Chlorogalum pomeridianum

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