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elegant cat's ear, elegant mariposa lily

Calochortus macrocarpus

green-banded star tulip, sagebrush mariposa lily

Stems

5–20 cm long, flexuous, usually not branching.

20–55 cm long.

Leaves

basal leaves broadly linear, 10–20 cm long, glabrous, persistent.

basal leaves linear, 5–10 cm long, glaucous;

margins revolute, withering.

Inflorescences

1–7-flowered;

bracts lanceolate; to approximately 3 mm long.

1–2-flowered.

Flowers

sepals lanceolate, ovatelanceolate, or elliptic, 12–16 mm long;

inner surface somewhat papillate;

petals oblanceolate, 10–20 mm long;

upper portion of inner surface white;

lower portion purple; entire inner surface densely hairy;

filaments to 4 mm long;

anthers to 5 mm long, white or purple; long acuminate.

sepals lanceolate, 40–50 mm long;

petals obovate, 40–60 mm long, white to pink or purple, with a chevron or crescent or not; lower 33% of inner petal with yellow scattered hairs; outer petal surface with distinct green band;

nectary depressed, triangular;

filaments 8–9 mm long;

anthers to 10 mm long, pink to light purple.

Fruits

nodding, 2 × 2 cm, winged.

erect; lance-linear, 5–10 mm wide.

Seeds

irregular-shaped, light purple.

wafer-like; straw-colored.

2n

=20.

Calochortus elegans

Calochortus macrocarpus

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Northwestern US. 3 varieties; 2 varieties treated in Flora.

Calochortus elegans is reported to hybridize with C. subalpinus in a small geographic area (Lane-Douglas County border) where their ranges overlap.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 293
Frank Callahan
Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 295
Frank Callahan
Sibling taxa
C. amabilis, C. bruneaunis, C. coeruleus, C. coxii, C. eurycarpus, C. greenei, C. howellii, C. indecorus, C. leichtlinii, C. longebarbatus, C. luteus, C. macrocarpus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, C. nudus, C. persistens, C. subalpinus, C. tolmiei, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus
C. amabilis, C. bruneaunis, C. coeruleus, C. coxii, C. elegans, C. eurycarpus, C. greenei, C. howellii, C. indecorus, C. leichtlinii, C. longebarbatus, C. luteus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, C. nudus, C. persistens, C. subalpinus, C. tolmiei, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus
Subordinate taxa
C. elegans var. elegans, C. elegans var. nanus
C. macrocarpus var. macrocarpus, C. macrocarpus var. maculosus
Web links