Michigan Lily

Notes:

For many years, the Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganense) was not distinguished from the Turk's Cap Lily (Lilium superbum), even though there are several characteristics that can be used to distinguish them, including the following: 1) the Michigan Lily has a more northern distribution in than the latter, 2) the anthers of Michigan Lily are less than ½" in length, while the anthers of the latter species are ½" or longer and they are more slender in shape, 3) the tepals of Michigan Lily curve backward so that their tips are located near the base of the flower, while the tepals of Turk's Cap Lily curve backward so that their tips are located behind the base of the flower, 4) the Michigan Lily usually has yellow bulbs, while the latter lily usually has white bulbs, 5) Turk's Cap Lily sometimes has a 6-pointed green star on the throats of its flowers, while the flowers of Michigan Lily never have this characteristic, and 6) the Turk Cap's Lily is usually taller and it blooms less reliably than the Michigan Lily.