Flora of North America species comparison

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Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus coeruleus
Calochortus subalpinus

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

beavertail-grass, blue cat's ear, blue star tulip
Stems

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

not branching, 0.3–2 dm.
Leaves

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

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

basal persistent, 1–2 dm;

blade linear, flat.
Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

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

peduncle slender, becoming stouter, deflexed in fruit.

1–10-flowered.
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 to spreading;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals oblong-lanceolate, ca. 10 mm, glabrous, apex acuminate;

petals light blue, obovate, 8–12 mm, adaxial surface hairy only distal to gland, margins ciliate to apex, apex acuminate;

glands slightly depressed, bordered proximally by ciliate membrane, distally by short hairs;

anthers oblong, apex acute to acuminate.
Capsules

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

nodding, not winged, 1–2 cm, apex acute.
Seeds

pale yellow.

irregular.
2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus coeruleus
Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils Open gravelly places in woods
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft) 600–2500 m (2000–8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Calochortus coeruleus appears to intergrade with C. tolmiei to some extent, especially in petal ciliation (K. L. Chambers, pers. comm.), and it might better be treated as a variety of the latter, more widespread species.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 126. FNA vol. 26, p. 124.
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. catalinae, C. clavatus, 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 Cyclobothra coerulea, C. coeruleus var. fimbriatus, C. maweanus
Name authority Piper: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 11: 195. (1906) (Kellogg) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 263. (1879)
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).



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