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Calochortus subalpinus

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

Inyo County star-tulip

Stems

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

slender, not branching, 1–3 dm.

Leaves

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

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

basal usually persistent, 1–2 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.

subumbellate, 1–4-flowered;

bracts paired, 3–8 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 lanceolate, 2–3 cm, apex acuminate;

petals lavender, with longitudinal median abaxial green stripe, with or without blotches, broadly cuneate to obovate, 3–4 cm, with a few short hairs near gland;

glands round, depressed, surrounded by conspicuously fringed membrane, densely covered with short, distally branching hairs;

filaments 6–8 mm;

anthers red-brown, oblong, 7–10 mm, apex obtuse.

Capsules

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

erect, brown, lanceoloid-linear, 3-angled, 2–3 cm.

Seeds

pale yellow.

light beige, translucent, flat.

2n

= 20.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus excavatus

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering spring.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils Grassy meadows in shadscale scrub
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft) 1200–2000 m (3900–6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Calochortus excavatus is found only in the eastern Sierra Nevada in Mono and Inyo counties. It is threatened by groundwater depletion.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 126. FNA vol. 26, p. 137.
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. coxii, C. dunnii, C. elegans, C. eurycarpus, 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) Greene: Pittonia 2: 71. (1890)
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