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Calochortus subalpinus

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

Mount Diablo fairy-lantern, Mt. Diablo fairy-lantern

Stems

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

usually branching distal to base, 1–3 dm, not glaucous.

Leaves

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

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

basal persistent, 1–4 dm;

blade green, lanceolate, tapering at base, flat, not glaucous.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

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

peduncle slender, becoming stouter, deflexed in fruit.

1–5-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.

nodding;

perianth closed at apex, ± globular;

sepals spreading, yellow-green, ovate to lanceolate, 2–3 cm, glabrous, apex acuminate;

petals pale yellow, lanceolate, 3–5 cm, conspicuously fringed with short, thick hairs, adaxial surface glabrous or sparsely hairy, apex obtuse;

glands deeply depressed, bordered distally by long, slender hairs;

filaments 6–8 mm;

anthers oblong, 3–5 mm, apex obtuse or acute.

Capsules

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

nodding, winged, ellipsoid-oblong, 2–4 cm.

Seeds

pale yellow.

dark brown, irregular.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus subalpinus

Calochortus pulchellus

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Open forest in loose volcanic soils Open places in woods, chaparral, typically on serpentine
Elevation 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft) 200–800 m (700–2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Calochortus pulchellus is known from Mt. Diablo, Contra Costa County.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 126. FNA vol. 26, p. 123.
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. nudus, C. nuttallii, C. obispoensis, C. palmeri, C. panamintensis, C. persistens, C. plummerae, 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 Cyclobothra pulchella
Name authority Piper: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 11: 195. (1906) (Bentham) Alph. Wood: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 20: 168. (1868)
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