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big-pod mariposa, big-pod mariposa lily, white mariposa lily, wide-fruit mariposa lily

Calochortus subalpinus

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

Stems

not branching, straight, 1–5 dm.

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

Leaves

basal persistent, subtended by inflorescence, 1–3 dm × 5–25 mm;

blade flat, tapering toward both ends, becoming involute.

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

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

bracts 2 or more, narrowly lanceolate to linear, long-attenuate, unequal, 1–5 cm.

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

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

peduncle slender, becoming stouter, deflexed in fruit.

Flowers

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals ovate to lanceolate, usually much shorter than petals, glabrous, apex acute to acuminate;

petals creamy white to lavender, with conspicuous median red-purple adaxial blotch, obovate, invested near gland with few long, flexuous hairs, base cuneate, apex rounded or acute;

glands triangular-lunate, slightly depressed, bordered proximally by comparatively narrow, deeply fringed membrane, distally often by narrower, crenate membranes, enclosed surface densely covered with long yellowish hairs, which, with membrane fringe, are often inconspicuously papillose;

filaments slightly longer than anthers;

anthers oblong, apex obtuse.

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.

Capsules

erect, 3-winged, ellipsoid-oblong.

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

Seeds

light beige.

pale yellow.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus eurycarpus

Calochortus subalpinus

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Grasslands and open coniferous forests Open forest in loose volcanic soils
Elevation 700–2700 m (2300–8900 ft) 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; NV; OR; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 26. FNA vol. 26, p. 126.
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. 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. subalpinus, 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. 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
Synonyms C. nitidus var. eurycarpus C. lobbii
Name authority S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 348. (1871) Piper: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 11: 195. (1906)
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