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Calochortus subalpinus

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

Leichtlin's mariposa lily, smokey mariposa

Habit Plants bulbose; bulb coat membranous.
Stems

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

not branching, 2–6 dm.

Leaves

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

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

basal withering, 1–1.5 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, 1–5-flowered;

bracts paired.

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-ovate, 1–2 cm;

petals white to smoky blue, often tinged pink, with red to black blotch distal to gland, cuneate to obovate, 1–4 cm, with a few short hairs near gland, apex rounded;

glands ± ovate, slightly depressed, with dense, short hairs;

filaments 5 mm;

anthers linear-oblong, 5–7 mm, base sagittate.

Capsules

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

erect, lanceoloid-linear, 3–6 cm.

Seeds

pale yellow.

light beige, flat, inflated.

2n

= 20.

= 14, 28.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus leichtlinii

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late spring–late summer.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils Open gravelly places, montane coniferous forests, open chaparral
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft) 1300–4000 m (4300–13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 126. FNA vol. 26, p. 135.
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. excavatus, C. flexuosus, C. greenei, C. gunnisonii, C. howellii, C. indecorus, C. invenustus, C. kennedyi, 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 leichtlinii
Name authority Piper: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 11: 195. (1906) Hooker f.: Bot. Mag. 96: plate 5862. (1870)
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