Flora of North America species comparison

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

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus
Calochortus subalpinus

Cascade mariposa lily, cat's ear lily, mountain cat's ear, mountain mariposa, subalpine mariposa-lily

cat's ear, mariposa, mariposa lily, sego lily, star-tulip
Habit Herbs, perennial, sometimes from bulbs; bulb coat membranous or fibrous-reticulate.
Stems

usually not branching, straight or flexuous, often scapelike, 0.5–3 dm.

scapelike or leafy, simple or branched, glabrous, often glaucous;

bulblets sometimes borne in leaf axils.
Leaves

basal 1–3 dm × 2–15 mm, usually equaling or exceeding stem length;

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

sessile;

basal persistent or withering by flowering, solitary, blade base sometimes attenuate and petiolelike;

cauline 0–several, sometimes proximalmost appearing as basal, reduced.
Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

bracts 2–several, lanceolate to linear, unequal, 1–5 cm, apex acuminate;

peduncle slender, becoming stouter, deflexed in fruit.

monochasiate or ± umbellate, 1–many-flowered, bracteate.
Flowers

erect or spreading;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals typically with purple glandular blotch near base, oblong-lanceolate, shorter than petals, adaxial surface minutely hairy, apex acute to acuminate;

petals yellowish white, sometimes lavender-tinged, frequently with narrow purple crescent distal to gland, broadly obovate, cuneate, moderately bearded nearly to apex, adaxial surface densely hairy, margins fringed, apex obtuse or acute;

glands transversely oblong, arched upward, ± deeply depressed, bordered proximally by narrow, ascending, deeply fringed membrane, distally by narrow, crenate membranes, gland surface with rather long, slender hairs toward distal portion;

anthers lanceolate, apex long-apiculate.

perianth globose to broadly campanulate;

sepals 3, distinct, ovate to lanceolate, usually petaloid and glabrous;

petals 3, distinct, usually longer and broader than sepals, sometimes clawed, usually hairy adaxially, bearing adaxial gland near base, often spotted to ± patterned;

filaments widened at base;

anthers usually basifixed or pseudobasifixed, linear to oblong;

ovary superior;

style absent;

stigmas 3.
Fruits

capsular, 3-locular, 3-angled or -winged, linear, oblong, or globular, dehiscence septicidal.
Capsules

nodding, 3-winged, ellipsoid, apex usually acute.

Seeds

pale yellow.

many, in 2 rows per locule, irregular or flat, coat usually hexagonally reticulate.
2n

= 20.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus
Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
w North America; Central America
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species ca. 70 (56 in the flora).

Many species of Calochortus are in cultivation. Bulbs of some species were eaten by Native Americans. Petal shape, gland shape, and pubescence are exceedingly variable in many taxa but often are important in identifying species.

As part of a phylogenetic analysis of relationships within the Liliales, T. B. Patterson (1998) studied variation in noncoding cpDNA sequences throughout Calochortus. He resolved seven main clades that are geographically and ecologically strongly cohesive, including the mariposas of dry grasslands and semideserts, the star-tulips of wet meadows, the cat’s ears of montane woodlands, and the fairy lanterns of closed forests. Patterson suggested that this pattern of relationships is the result of highly localized speciation within the genus.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Flowers nodding; perianth closed, globular to oblong.
→ 2
1. Flowers erect, occasionally spreading; perianth open, usually campanulate.
→ 6
2. Petals white, pink, or rose.
→ 3
2. Petals yellow.
→ 4
3. Sepals spreading; proximal petal gland membranes ± equal to petal width; petals rose.
C. amoenus
3. Sepals appressed to petals; proximal petal gland membranes 1/3–2/3 petal width; petals usually white to pink.
C. albus
4. Stems usually not branching distal to base, 1–10 dm; petals with adaxial surface moderately hairy; leaves and stems conspicuously glaucous.
C. raichei
4. Stems usually branching distal to base, 1–5 dm; petals with adaxial surface glabrous or sparsely hairy; leaves and stems not or slightly glaucous.
→ 5
5. Leaves and stems slightly glaucous; petals deep yellow, adaxial surface glabrous or with a few hairs near gland.
C. amabilis
5. Leaves and stems not glaucous; petals pale yellow, adaxial surface glabrous or sparsely hairy.
C. pulchellus
6. Capsules nodding; perianth usually not conspicuously marked.
→ 7
6. Capsules erect; perianth usually conspicuously marked.
→ 21
7. Adaxial petal surface glabrous or sparsely hairy.
→ 8
7. Adaxial petal surfaces densely hairy.
→ 11
8. Cauline leaves usually absent.
C. minimus
8. Cauline leaves usually present.
→ 9
9. Stems shorter than 5 (10) cm, bearing bulblets near base.
C. uniflorus
9. Stems 8–25 cm, not bearing bulblets.
→ 10
10. Petals white to pale pink; c California.
C. umbellatus
10. Petals bright lavender; s Oregon.
C. indecorus
11. Petals deep yellow.
C. monophyllus
11. Petals light green, white, pink, purple, or blue.
→ 12
12. Petal margins slightly ciliate or fringed, entire adaxial surface hairy or papillose (except Calochortus elegans, hairy only distal to gland).
→ 13
12. Petal margins conspicuously ciliate or fringed, adaxial surface hairy only distal to gland.
→ 18
13. Stems usually branching, with bractlike cauline leaf.
C. tolmiei
13. Stems usually simple, often scapelike.
→ 14
14. Petal glands nearly round.
C. apiculatus
14. Petal glands lunate or transversely oblong.
→ 15
15. Adaxial leaf surface hairy or papillose; Oregon.
→ 16
15. Adaxial leaf surface glabrous; widespread.
→ 17
16. Petal glands deeply depressed, surrounded by yellow hairs, reddish striations from petal base to gland.
C. coxii
16. Petal glands only slightly depressed, hairs distal to gland not yellow, often surrounded by lime green coloration and purple striations.
C. umpquaensis
17. Distal petal gland membranes absent; sepals without basal glandular blotch; nw United States.
C. elegans
17. Distal petal gland membranes present; sepals with basal glandular blotch; high elevations in Cascade Mountains.
C. subalpinus
18. Petals pink to light purplish.
C. persistens
18. Petals light green, white, or light blue.
→ 19
19. Petals light green to white, usually with purple crescent distal to gland.
C. elegans
19. Petals white to light blue, purple crescent absent.
→ 20
20. Petals obovate, apex acuminate, margins ciliate to apex.
C. coeruleus
20. Petals lanceolate, apex acute, ciliate only on margins
C. westonii
21. Basal leaves usually persistent at flowering.
→ 22
21. Basal leaves usually withering by flowering.
→ 31
22. Petals yellow or yellow-green.
→ 23
22. Petals white, cream, pink, lavender, or purple, not flecked or streaked purple-brown.
→ 24
23. Petals deep yellow, streaked red-brown proximally.
C. luteus
23. Petals light yellow-green, flecked and streaked purple-brown.
C. tiburonensis
24. Petals with longitudinal green stripe on adaxial surface.
C. excavatus
24. Petals without longitudinal green stripe on adaxial surface.
→ 25
25. Adaxial petal surface with purple crescent or blotch.
→ 26
25. Adaxial petal surface without purple crescent or blotch.
→ 29
26. Petals pink or lavender.
→ 27
26. Petals whitish or purplish.
→ 28
27. Proximal stem internodes very short; stems with bulblet in axil of cauline leaf at or below ground surface; petals light pink to ± lavender.
C. longebarbatus
27. Proximal stem internodes elongate, cauline leaf ca. halfway up stem; stems rarely with bulblet; petals lavender.
C. nitidus
28. Petals obovate, cuneate at base, with median red-purple blotch.
C. eurycarpus
28. Petals ovate to lanceolate, conspicuously clawed, with median red-purple crescent.
C. lyallii
29. Adaxial leaf surface pubescent; petals yellowish white, with purplish hairs toward base; gland with distally branching hairs.
C. howellii
29. Adaxial leaf surface glabrous; petals pale lavender or purplish, without purple hairs at base; gland with ciliate membranes.
→ 30
30. Abaxial petal surface with dark purple crescent; glands deeply depressed; dry soils and slopes
C. greenei
30. Abaxial petal surface without dark purple crescent; glands not deeply depressed; moist meadows and lake margins.
C. nudus
31. Petal glands ± glabrous, surrounded by dense, obscuring hairs; bulb coat fibrous-reticulate.
→ 32
31. Petal glands hairy; bulb coat, when present, membranous.
→ 34
32. Petals pale pink to rose.
C. plummerae
32. Petals cream, yellow to deep orange, purplish, or red-brown.
→ 33
33. Petals broadly cuneate or obovate, apex usually without hairy tufts.
C. weedii
33. Petals oblong-ovate, tipped purple-brown, apex with hairy tufts.
C. obispoensis
34. Petal gland ± round, depressed, sometimes deeply so, surrounded by conspicuously fringed membrane.
→ 35
34. Petal glands not simultaneously round, depressed, and surrounded by fringed membrane (but sometimes one of these).
→ 43
35. Petals yellow or orange to red; stems twisted.
C. kennedyi
35. Petals yellow to gold, white, or lavender, usually tinged with lilac; stems not twisted.
→ 36
36. Abaxial petal surface without longitudinal green stripe.
→ 37
36. Abaxial petal surface with longitudinal green stripe.
→ 40
37. Petals lemon yellow to gold; sepals usually with red to brown blotch at base.
→ 38
37. Petals white with reddish brown or purple band or blotch distal to gland, or lemon yellow with maroon blotch distal to gland.
→ 39
38. Perianth cup-shaped; stems flexuous; petal glands covered with branching hairs and surrounded by club-shaped hairs.
C. clavatus
38. Perianth campanulate; stems not flexuous; petal glands covered with slender, unbranched hairs and surrounded by a few long hairs.
C. concolor
39. Petals white, tinged with lilac or infrequently magenta; e Nevada and n Arizona north through Utah to e Idaho.
C. nuttallii
39. Petals lemon yellow; n Arizona to se Utah.
C. aureus
40. Petals lavender; bracts 3–8 cm; anthers red-brown.
C. excavatus
40. Petals white, white tinged with lilac, or purplish; bracts 2–5 cm; anthers yellow, maroon, blue, purple, or red.
→ 41
41. Sepals without dark purple or red blotch near base; petals cuneate to obovate.
C. invenustus
41. Sepals with dark purple or red blotch near base; petals narrowly obovate.
→ 42
42. Petals with red or purple crescent distal to gland, glands surrounded by yellow border.
C. bruneaunis
42. Petals without red or purple crescent distal to gland, glands surrounded by red or purple border.
C. panamintensis
43. Plants rarely bulbose.
→ 44
43. Plants usually bulbose.
→ 47
44. Petals with conspicuous purple striping, never spotted.
C. striatus
44. Petals spotted, not conspicuously striped.
→ 45
45. Stems twining or straggling; each perianth member with transverse yellow bands.
C. flexuosus
45. Stems ± straight; perianth members without transverse yellow bands.
→ 46
46. Petals lavender to deep purple, usually with purple blotch at base.
C. splendens
46. Petals white, usually flushed pink, with red-brown blotch distal to gland.
C. dunnii
47. Petal glands ± ovate, longitudinally oblong, or ± round.
→ 48
47. Petal glands ± arched, transversely oblong, lunate, doubly lunate, ± triangular, or ± square.
→ 51
48. Anthers sagittate.
C. leichtlinii
48. Anthers not sagittate.
→ 49
49. Capsules narrow-oblong, rounded in cross section; stems ± flexuous.
C. catalinae
49. Capsules linear, angled in cross section; stems straight.
→ 50
50. Sepals and petals ca. 4–5 cm; petal gland hairs slender, not branching.
C. monanthus
50. Sepals and petals ca. 2–3 cm; petal gland hairs thick, distally knobbed.
C. palmeri
51. Petal glands triangular-sagittate.
C. macrocarpus
51. Petal glands ± arched, transversely oblong, lunate, doubly lunate, or ± square.
→ 52
52. Petal glands ± square.
→ 53
52. Petal glands arched, transversely oblong, ± lunate, or doubly lunate.
→ 54
53. Petal glands in lower middle of petal, not surrounded by red blotch.
C. venustus
53. Petal glands nearly adjacent to petal base, surrounded by red blotch.
C. simulans
54. Petal glands ± doubly lunate.
C. vestae
54. Petal glands ± lunate to transversely oblong.
→ 55
55. Capsules lanceoloid; coastal.
C. argillosus
55. Capsules linear or linear-oblong; inland.
→ 56
56. Petal glands round to lunate.
C. ambiguus
56. Petal glands transversely oblong, chevron-shaped, or weakly lunate, never round.
→ 57
57. Petal glands strongly chevron-shaped to weakly lunate; petals with median brown or purple blotch surrounded by bright yellow zone; California.
C. superbus
57. Petal glands transversely oblong; petals with transverse purple band distal to gland, and purple blotch on claw; Rocky Mountains, se Arizona, w New Mexico.
C. gunnisonii
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 126. FNA vol. 26, p. 119. Authors: P. L. Fiedler, R. K. Zebell.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Calochortus Liliaceae
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. 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. obispoensis, C. palmeri, C. panamintensis, C. persistens, C. plummerae, C. pulchellus, C. raichei, C. simulans, C. splendens, C. striatus, C. superbus, C. tiburonensis, C. tolmiei, C. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus, C. venustus, C. vestae, C. weedii, C. westonii
Subordinate 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. 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. 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
Synonyms C. lobbii
Name authority Piper: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 11: 195. (1906) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 240. (1814)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



Type/paste one or more Latin names into the boxes above; matching taxa will show up below the box as you type. You can use the up/down arrow keys to move through the list.

(If the plant you're looking for doesn't show up in the auto-complete list, that means it either isn't described in Flora of North America yet, or it's listed under a synonym. And please note that Flora of North America is still missing several plant families, including Apiaceae, Boraginaceae, and Polemoniaceae.)

Choose a data source: Flora of North America, OregonFlora, UW Burke Herbarium

The species comparison tool is brought to you by:
Northwest Wildflowers