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Calochortus subalpinus

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

Catalina mariposa, Catalina mariposa-lily, Santa Catalina mariposa lily

Habit Plants usually bulbose; bulb coat membranous.
Stems

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

usually branching distally, ± flexuous, 2–6 dm.

Leaves

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

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

basal withering, 1–3 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

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

peduncle slender, becoming stouter, deflexed in fruit.

1–few-flowered;

bracts opposite pedicel, 2–10 cm.

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.

erect;

perianth open, broadly campanulate;

sepals with purple blotch near base, lanceolate, 2–3 cm, apex acuminate;

petals white tinged with lilac, with purple blotch near base, usually obovate, ± concave, 2–5 cm, glabrous except few hairs near base, apex obtuse;

glands oblong, not depressed, densely hairy, hairs branching;

filaments 8–10 mm;

anthers lilac, oblong, 4–5 mm.

Capsules

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

erect, narrow-oblong, rounded in cross section, 2–5 cm, apex obtuse.

Seeds

pale yellow.

light yellow, translucent, flat.

2n

= 20.

= 14.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus catalinae

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils Heavy soil, open grassy slopes, openings in brush
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft) less than 700 m (less than 2300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Calochortus catalinae is increasingly threatened by habitat loss.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 126. FNA vol. 26, p. 131.
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. 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
C. albus, C. amabilis, C. ambiguus, C. amoenus, C. apiculatus, C. argillosus, C. aureus, C. bruneaunis, 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 Mariposa catalinae
Name authority Piper: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 11: 195. (1906) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 268. (1879)
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