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Calochortus howellii

Howell's mariposa lily

alkali mariposa-lily

Habit Plants not bulbose.
Stems

slender, not branching or rarely branching in axil of cauline leaf, straight, 2–4 dm.

1–5 cm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 20–35 cm;

blade gradually tapering distally, adaxially pubescent.

basal withering, 1–2 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–3-flowered;

bracts 2, subopposite, linear to narrowly lanceolate, attenuate, 1–3 cm.

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

bracts linear, 1–3 cm.

Flowers

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals shorter than petals, ovate-acuminate, glabrous;

petals yellowish white, with purplish hairs toward base, broadly obovate, cuneate, inconspicuously fringed laterally, sparingly short-hairy adaxially, apex rounded;

glands transversely oblong, slightly depressed, densely covered with short, distally branching hairs, the bases of which unite at lower margin to form inconspicuous, discontinuous membranes;

filaments shorter than anthers;

anthers oblong-lanceolate, apex acute to short-apiculate.

erect;

perianth open, campanulate, narrow at base;

sepals lanceolate, 1–2 cm, apex acuminate;

petals white to lavender, with conspicuous purple striping, obovate to cuneate, rounded, 2–3 cm, sparsely hairy around gland, margins irregularly dentate distally;

glands oblong, not depressed, covered with linear hairs;

filaments 5–7 mm;

anthers oblong, 4–6 mm.

Capsules

erect, 3-winged, ellipsoid, ca. 2 cm, base and apex acute.

erect, linear, angled, 4–5 cm.

Seeds

light-colored, irregular.

light-colored, flat.

2n

= 20.

Calochortus howellii

Calochortus striatus

Phenology Flowering late spring–mid summer. Flowering mid spring–early summer.
Habitat Dry, rocky, serpentine soils Alkaline meadows, springy places in creosote bush scrub
Elevation 300–500 m (1000–1600 ft) 300–1400 m (1000–4600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Calochortus howellii is known only from the Illinois River valley, Josephine County.

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

Of conservation concern.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 129. FNA vol. 26, p. 133.
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. 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. subalpinus, C. superbus, C. tiburonensis, C. tolmiei, C. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus, C. venustus, C. vestae, C. weedii, C. westonii
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 23: 266. (1888) Parish: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 122. (1902)
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