The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links
Calochortus howellii

Howell's mariposa lily

San Luis mariposa-lily

Habit Plants usually bulbose; bulb coat fibrous-reticulate.
Stems

slender, not branching or rarely branching in axil of cauline leaf, straight, 2–4 dm.

slender, branching, straight, 3–6 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 20–35 cm;

blade gradually tapering distally, adaxially pubescent.

basal withering, 2–3 dm;

blade linear-lanceolate.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–3-flowered;

bracts 2, subopposite, linear to narrowly lanceolate, attenuate, 1–3 cm.

2–6-flowered.

Flowers

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals shorter than petals, ovate-acuminate, glabrous;

petals yellowish white, with purplish hairs toward base, broadly obovate, cuneate, inconspicuously fringed laterally, sparingly short-hairy adaxially, apex rounded;

glands transversely oblong, slightly depressed, densely covered with short, distally branching hairs, the bases of which unite at lower margin to form inconspicuous, discontinuous membranes;

filaments shorter than anthers;

anthers oblong-lanceolate, apex acute to short-apiculate.

erect;

perianth opening flat, campanulate;

sepals often reflexed, lanceolate, 1–3 cm, glabrous, apex long-tapered;

petals yellow to deep orange, purple-brown at tip, oblong-ovate, 1–2 cm, conspicuously bearded, margins fringed or dentate, apex fringed with hairy tufts;

glands round, slightly depressed, glabrous, surrounded and obscured by ring of slender, dense hairs united at base;

filaments 7–8 mm;

anthers oblong, apex acute.

Capsules

erect, 3-winged, ellipsoid, ca. 2 cm, base and apex acute.

erect, linear, 3-angled, 3–4 cm, apex acute.

Seeds

light-colored, irregular.

light yellow, translucent.

2n

= 20.

= 18.

Calochortus howellii

Calochortus obispoensis

Phenology Flowering late spring–mid summer. Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Dry, rocky, serpentine soils Dry stony hills, canyons, edge of chaparral, serpentine
Elevation 300–500 m (1000–1600 ft) 100–500 m (300–1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Calochortus howellii is known only from the Illinois River valley, Josephine County.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Of conservation concern.

Calochortus obispoensis is restricted to San Luis Obispo County.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 129. FNA vol. 26, p. 141.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Calochortus Liliaceae > Calochortus
Sibling taxa
C. albus, C. amabilis, C. ambiguus, C. amoenus, C. apiculatus, C. argillosus, C. aureus, C. bruneaunis, C. catalinae, C. clavatus, C. coeruleus, C. concolor, C. coxii, C. dunnii, C. elegans, C. eurycarpus, C. excavatus, C. flexuosus, C. greenei, C. gunnisonii, C. indecorus, C. invenustus, C. kennedyi, C. leichtlinii, C. longebarbatus, C. luteus, C. lyallii, C. macrocarpus, C. minimus, C. monanthus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, C. nudus, C. nuttallii, C. obispoensis, C. palmeri, C. panamintensis, C. persistens, C. plummerae, C. pulchellus, C. raichei, C. simulans, C. splendens, C. striatus, C. subalpinus, C. superbus, C. tiburonensis, C. tolmiei, C. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus, C. venustus, C. vestae, C. weedii, C. westonii
C. albus, C. amabilis, C. ambiguus, C. amoenus, C. apiculatus, C. argillosus, C. aureus, C. bruneaunis, C. catalinae, C. clavatus, C. coeruleus, C. concolor, C. coxii, C. dunnii, C. elegans, C. eurycarpus, C. excavatus, C. flexuosus, C. greenei, C. gunnisonii, C. howellii, C. indecorus, C. invenustus, C. kennedyi, C. leichtlinii, C. longebarbatus, C. luteus, C. lyallii, C. macrocarpus, C. minimus, C. monanthus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, C. nudus, C. nuttallii, C. palmeri, C. panamintensis, C. persistens, C. plummerae, C. pulchellus, C. raichei, C. simulans, C. splendens, C. striatus, C. subalpinus, C. superbus, C. tiburonensis, C. tolmiei, C. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus, C. venustus, C. vestae, C. weedii, C. westonii
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 23: 266. (1888) Lemmon: Bot. Gaz. 11: 180. (1886)
Web links