Washington lily

American  

noun

1. a lily, Lilium washingtonianum, of the western coast of the U.S., having whorled leaves and fragrant, purple-spotted white flowers.

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Etymology

Origin of Washington lily

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Example Sentences

Only here and there a Washington lily may be seen nodding above its even surface, or a bunch or two of tall bromus as if for ornament.

From My First Summer in the Sierra by Muir, John

This is the most charming of all our Californian lilies, even surpassing in loveliness the beautiful Washington lily; and it is said to be the most fragrant of any in the world.

From The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits by Parsons, Mary Elizabeth

Far the most delightful and fragrant of the Valley flowers is the Washington lily, white, moderate in size, with from three- to ten-flowered racemes.

From The Yosemite by Muir, John

It resembles the Washington lily; but its flowers are fuller in form, with wider petals and shorter tube, and it has a smaller bulb.

From The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits by Parsons, Mary Elizabeth

Up in the mountain pines a snowy white Washington lily sometimes covers a mountain side with its tall stems bearing dozens of sweet waxen blossoms.

From Stories of California by Sexton, Ella M.