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Calochortus subalpinus

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

Cox's cat's ear, Cox's mariposa-lily

Stems

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

usually not branching, straight to flexuous, often scapelike, 15–25 cm.

Leaves

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

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

basal ± erect, to 3 dm × 3–7 mm;

blade with adaxial surface densely hairy, abaxial surface glabrous, shiny.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

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

peduncle slender, becoming stouter, deflexed in fruit.

erect, 1–7-flowered;

bracts 1–several, 2.5–3 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, campanulate;

sepals ovate-acuminate, 20 × 8 mm;

petals white, with reddish striations from base to gland and broad lavender chevron just distal to gland margins, broadly obovate, 2.5 cm, adaxial surface densely hairy, margins slightly ciliate;

glands transversely oblong-lunate, deeply depressed, green at adaxial base, 1/2 to nearly equaling petal claw width, surrounded by yellow hairs that grade to white at petal apex, covered with membranous scales, scales covered with very small, translucent, rodlike hairs;

filaments 7 mm;

anthers reddish brown, 3–7 mm, apex apiculate.

Capsules

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

nodding, 3-winged, ellipsoid-elongate, 3–4 cm.

Seeds

pale yellow.

light beige, surface rough.

2n

= 20.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus coxii

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering mid summer.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils North-facing open grassy slopes or woods, on serpentine
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft) 200–1000 m (700–3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Calochortus coxii is endemic to Douglas County from near the Umpqua River to Myrtle Creek Mountain.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 126. FNA vol. 26, p. 126.
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. coeruleus, C. concolor, 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) M. R. Godfrey & Callahan: Phytologia 65: 216, fig.1g–k. (1988)
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