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Calochortus subalpinus

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

Sierra mariposa, Sierra mariposa lily

Stems

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

not branching, less than 1 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;

cauline usually absent.

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;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals lanceolate, 8–10 mm, glabrous, apex acuminate;

petals white, obovate, 10–14 mm, not ciliate, adaxial surface glabrous or sometimes with few hairs near gland;

glands bordered proximally by ± ciliate membrane;

filaments equaling anthers;

anthers linear-oblong, apex acute.

Capsules

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

nodding, 3-winged, ellipsoid, 1–2 cm.

Seeds

pale yellow.

irregular.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus minimus

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils Moist grassy areas in open woods, along lake margins
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft) 1200–3000 m (3900–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Derivatives of hybridization between Calochortus minimus and C. nudus (pink- to lavender-tinged petals with rounded tips) occur in the northern high Sierra Nevada (B. D. Ness et al. 1990).

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 126. FNA vol. 26, p. 128.
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. leichtlinii, C. longebarbatus, C. luteus, C. lyallii, C. macrocarpus, 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) Ownbey: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 27: 430. (1940)
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