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Calochortus subalpinus

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

naked mariposa lily, naked star tulip, Shasta star-tulip

Stems

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

usually 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 persistent, 0.5–2 dm;

blade lanceolate, tapering at base, flat, glabrous adaxially.

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–several-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, 10–12 mm, glabrous, apex acuminate;

petals pale lavender, widely obovate, 14–16 mm, adaxial surface ± glabrous, not ciliate;

glands not deeply depressed, bordered proximally by wide, ciliate membranes;

anthers linear-oblong, apex obtuse or acute.

Capsules

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

erect, 3-winged, 1–2 cm.

Seeds

pale yellow.

light brown, irregular.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus nudus

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils Moist grassy areas, meadows, lake and bog margins
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft) 1200–2500 m (3900–8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Calochortus nudus hybridizes with C. minimus.

(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. minimus, C. monanthus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, 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 C. nudus var. shastensis, C. shastensis
Name authority Piper: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 11: 195. (1906) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 263. (1879)
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