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Cooperia drummondii (Evening rain lily)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Cooperia drummondii

Cooperia drummondii Herb.

Evening Rain Lily, Evening Star Rain Lily

Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Synonym(s): Cooperia chlorosolen, Zephyranthes brazosensis, Zephyranthes herbertiana

USDA Symbol: CODR2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

The fragrant, solitary, white flower of this showy, bulbous perennial, is six-petaled and terminal on a leafless, usually 12 in. stem. Opening in the evening, it lasts 2-4 days before turning pink and withering. Smooth, gray-green, grass-like leaves elongate after the flower has faded. Cooperia drummondii is quite similar to C. pedunculata, but slightly smaller in every respect.

The species name of this plant is named for Thomas Drummond, (ca. 1790-1835), naturalist, born in Scotland, around 1790. In 1830 he made a trip to America to collect specimens from the western and southern United States. In March, 1833, he arrived at Velasco, Texas to begin his collecting work in that area. He spent twenty-one months working the area between Galveston Island and the Edwards Plateau, especially along the Brazos, Colorado, and Guadalupe rivers. His collections were the first made in Texas that were extensively distributed among the museums and scientific institutions of the world. He collected 750 species of plants and 150 specimens of birds. Drummond had hoped to make a complete botanical survey of Texas, but he died in Havana, Cuba, in 1835, while making a collecting tour of that island.

 

From the Image Gallery

30 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 15 inches tall, often shorter.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AR , KS , LA , MS , NM , OK , TX
Native Distribution: From n. Mex. to NM, s.e. KS & LA
Native Habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas, Woodlands' edge, Opening

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil Description: Clay, Clay Loam, Medium Loam, Sandy Loam, Sandy, Limestone-based, Caliche type.
Conditions Comments: The beautiful white ephemeral flowers appear after rains and are a good addition to a short-grass meadow. The bulbs also naturalize well in a lawn or among low groundcover plants and can be used in a flower bed. Blooms best in full sun. While it may flower in spring, the most frequent flowering is in late summer and fall. The plant almost always appears a day or so after rain.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Shortgrass meadow, Can be mowed, Perennial garden, Showy
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Nectar Source: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Seed in fall. Transplant divisions almost anytime.
Seed Collection: Collect seed several weeks after strong rains.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACU FACU FACU FAC FACU
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge, c/o Wimberley Birding Society - Wimberley, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX
National Butterfly Center - Mission, TX
NPSOT - Williamson County Chapter - Georgetown, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0625 Collected Nov 5, 1993 in Bexar County by Mike Fox
NPSOT 0545 Collected Sep 6, 1987 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 0022 Collected July 19, 1990 in Bexar County by Judith C. Berry
NPSOT 0266 Collected Aug. 29, 1992 in Comal County by Mary Beth White
NPSOT 0420 Collected Jun 4, 1987 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

5 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-159 Collected 2007-09-29 in Travis County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

1 collection(s) available in the Wildflower Center Seed Bank

Bibliography

Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Cooperia drummondii in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Cooperia drummondii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cooperia drummondii

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-01
Research By: BJG, GDB

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