Editing Fritillaria (section)

=== Subgenera ===
{{see also|List of Fritillaria species#Subgenera}}
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|[[File:Fritillaria affinis 2.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|''[[Fritillaria affinis]]''|alt=Flower of Fritillaria affinis]]

==== Subgenus ''Liliorhiza'' <small>(Kellog) Benth. & Hook.f.</small> ====

This subgenus of North American ''Fritillaria'', centred on California constitutes Clade A and contains more than 20 species. They have distinctive bulbs with several [[imbricate]] (overlapping) scales. Their resemblance to the bulbs of ''Lilium'' lends this subgenus the name of ''Liliorhiza'', or lily-roots. Most species exhibit loosely attached [[bulbils]], whose size and shape gave them the name of "rice-grain bulbils". These are also seen in subgenus ''Davidii'', but appear to have evolved independently. Stem leaves are [[Whorl (botany)|whorled]].{{sfn|Rønsted et al|2005}}{{sfn|Ryan|Simpson|2011}}
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|[[File:FranchetFdavidi.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|''[[Fritillaria davidii]]''|alt=Illustration of Fritillaria davidii]]

==== Subgenus ''Davidii'' <small>Rix</small> ====
{{main|Fritillaria davidii}}
This Chinese subgenus is monotypic for ''F. davidii''. It shares with ''Liliorhiza'' the presence of "rice-grain bulbils" but is distinguished from it by only having basal leaves, and no stem leaves.{{sfn|Rønsted et al|2005}}
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|[[File:2008-04-23 Berlin Schlosspark Charlottenburg Fritillaria imperialis.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|''[[Fritillaria imperialis]]''|alt=Flower of Fritillaria imperialis]]

==== Subgenus ''Petilium'' <small>(L.) Endl.</small> ====

Subgenus ''Petilium'' forms a subclade (B1), together with subgenera ''Korolkowia'' and ''Theresia''. It is a relatively small subgenus of four species characterized by large (up to 100&nbsp;cm) sturdy species, with bulbs that are much larger (up to 8&nbsp;cm) than most ''Fritillaria'' with a few large, erect, imbricate and fleshy scales. Flowers are 3–5 in a terminal [[umbel]], in the [[axils]] of the lower side of a leaf whorl. They have a [[:wiktionary:trifid|trifid]] (3 lobed) [[style (botany)|style]] and winged seeds. The subgenus is found in Turkey, Iraq, Turkestan, Iran, Baluchistan, Afghanistan, and the western [[Himalayas]]. The best known example is ''[[Fritillaria imperialis|F. imperialis]]'' (crown imperial).{{sfn|Rønsted et al|2005}}
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|[[File:Fritillaria sewerzowii.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|''[[Fritillaria sewerzowii]]''|alt=Flower of Fritillaria sewerzowii]]

==== Subgenus ''Korolkowia'' <small>Rix</small> ====
{{main|Fritillaria sewerzowii}}
''Korolkowia'' is monotypic for ''F. sewerzowii'', a tall sturdy central Asian species, reaching 20–50&nbsp;cm in height and bearing 8–10 more or less racemose flowers, with a large bulb consisting of a single 3–5&nbsp;cm scale, and an entire style.{{sfn|Rønsted et al|2005}}
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|[[File:Fritillaria persica IMG 7133 C.JPG|thumb|upright=0.6|left|''[[Fritillaria persica]]''|alt=Flower of Fritillaria persica]]

==== Subgenus ''Theresia'' <small>Koch</small> ====
{{main|Fritillaria persica}}
''Theresia'' is monotypic for ''F. persica''. This western Asian species, like ''Korolkowia'' has a bulb with a single large fleshy scale, second only to ''F. imperialis'' in size. It has numerous racemose flowers (over 30) arising from a tall stem which may reach 100&nbsp;cm. The style is entire.{{sfn|Rønsted et al|2005}}
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|[[File:Fritillaria gibbosa.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|''[[Fritillaria gibbosa]]''|alt=Flower of Fritillaria gibbosa]]

==== Subgenus ''Rhinopetalum'' <small>Fisch.</small> ====

''Rhinopetalum'' together with subgenera ''Japonica'' and ''Fritillaria'' constitute subclade B2. It is a small subgenus of five species. They are characterized by their nectaries, which are deeply impressed and have a slit-like orifice on the tepals.{{sfn|Rønsted et al|2005}}
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|[[File:Fritillaria japonica (flower s6).JPG|thumb|upright=0.6|left|''[[Fritillaria japonica]]''|alt=Flower of Fritillaria japonica]]

==== Subgenus ''Japonica'' <small>Rix</small> ====

''Japonica'' consists of eight species. [[Martyn Rix|Rix]] characterised the subgenus as follows: "Bulb of 2 or 3 solid scales, without rice grains; plants small and delicate; seeds pear-shaped, Erythronium-like, not flat; stem collapsing when seeds are ripe. Japanese woodland plants".

The species in this subgenus are dwarf fritillaries, [[endemic]] to Japan, bearing a single small campanulate flower on a slender stem with three linear [[verticillate]] (in one or more whorls) leaves at its top and two broader, oblong to elliptical and opposite leaves about 1&nbsp;cm below these. The flower is born on a short [[pedicel (botany)|pedicel]] amongst the leaves.{{sfn|Rønsted et al|2005}}{{sfn|Hill|2011}}
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|[[File:Chequered Fritillaries (Fritillaria meleagris) (17208452561).jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|''[[Fritillaria meleagris]]''|alt=Flower of Fritillaria meleagris]]

==== Subgenus ''Fritillaria'' ====

''Fritillaria'' is the largest subgenus, with about 100 species, or more than 70% of the total number of species in the genus, and includes the [[type species]], ''F. meleagris''.{{sfn|Rix|2001}} They are widely distributed from western Europe and the Mediterranean region to eastern Asia. Their characteristic is the ''Fritillaria''-type bulb. This consists of two fleshy more or less tunicated scales that are [[subglobose]]. The tunica is formed by the remains of previous years' scales, but sometimes the previous scales persist leading to more than two scales, sometimes three or four. The style may be trifid or undivided, or only trilobulate at the apex (a characteristic that was previously thought to divide the subgenus into sections).{{sfn|Rønsted et al|2005}}
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