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Calochortus macrocarpus

green-banded star-tulip, sagebrush mariposa-lily

purple fairy-lantern

Habit Plants usually bulbose; bulb coat membranous.
Stems

usually not branching, stout, 2–5 dm.

branching, 2–5 dm.

Leaves

basal withering, 0.5–1 dm;

blade linear.

basal persistent, 2–5 dm;

blade linear, flat.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–3-flowered;

bracts 3–5 cm.

2–many-flowered.

Flowers

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals lanceolate, 4–5 cm, apex acuminate;

petals purple, with median green stripe on abaxial surface, obovate, 4–6 cm, bearded distal to gland, apex acuminate;

glands triangular-sagittate, slightly depressed, densely covered with slender hairs;

filaments 8–9 mm;

anthers lanceolate-linear, ca. 1 cm, apex obtuse.

nodding;

perianth closed at apex, globular;

sepals spreading, lanceolate, 10–15 mm, glabrous, apex acute;

petals rose, elliptic-obovate, 16–25 mm, margins sparsely ciliate and hairy;

glands ± depressed, with 4–5 ciliate membranes, proximal membrane ± equaling petal width;

filaments equaling anthers;

anthers oblong, apex obtuse.

Capsules

erect, lanceoloid-linear, angled, 4–5 cm, apex acuminate.

nodding, narrowly winged, oblong, 2–3 cm, apex obtuse or acute.

Seeds

flat, inflated.

dark brown, irregular.

2n

= 14.

= 20.

Calochortus macrocarpus

Calochortus amoenus

Phenology Flowering mid spring–mid summer.
Habitat Grassy slopes in partial shade
Elevation 500–1500 m (1600–4900 ft)
Distribution
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Petals purple, with or without dark purple band distal to gland.
var. macrocarpus
1. Petals white, with reddish purple crescent distal to gland.
var. maculosus
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 136. FNA vol. 26, p. 122.
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. 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. 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. subalpinus, C. superbus, C. tiburonensis, C. tolmiei, C. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus, C. venustus, C. vestae, C. weedii, C. westonii
Subordinate taxa
C. macrocarpus var. macrocarpus, C. macrocarpus var. maculosus
Synonyms Mariposa macrocarpa
Name authority Douglas: Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 276, plate 8. (1828) Greene: Pittonia 2: 71. (1890)
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