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Sierra mariposa, Sierra mariposa lily

plain mariposa, plain mariposa lily

Habit Plants usually bulbose; bulb coat, when present, membranous.
Stems

not branching, less than 1 dm.

slender, usually not branching or twisted, 2–5 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 1–2 dm;

blade linear, flat;

cauline usually absent.

basal withering, 1–2 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

1–10-flowered.

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

bracts 2–5 cm.

Flowers

± erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals lanceolate, 8–10 mm, glabrous, apex acuminate;

petals white, obovate, 10–14 mm, not ciliate, adaxial surface glabrous or sometimes with few hairs near gland;

glands bordered proximally by ± ciliate membrane;

filaments equaling anthers;

anthers linear-oblong, apex acute.

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals lanceolate-ovate, 2–3 cm, apex acuminate;

petals white or dull lavender to purplish, with longitudinal median green stripe on adaxial surface and sometimes purplish blotch proximal to gland, cuneate to obovate, 2–4 cm, with a few short hairs near gland, apex obtuse to apiculate;

glands ± round, slightly depressed, small, surrounded by conspicuously fringed membrane, densely covered with short, distally branching hairs;

filaments 6–7 mm;

anthers purplish or yellowish, oblong, 7–8 mm, apex obtuse.

Capsules

nodding, 3-winged, ellipsoid, 1–2 cm.

erect, lanceoloid-linear, angled, 5–7 cm, apex acute.

Seeds

irregular.

flat.

2n

= 20.

= 14.

Calochortus minimus

Calochortus invenustus

Phenology Flowering late spring–mid summer. Flowering late spring–late summer.
Habitat Moist grassy areas in open woods, along lake margins Dry soil, usually granitic, usually in montane coniferous forests
Elevation 1200–3000 m (3900–9800 ft) 1500–3000 m (4900–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Derivatives of hybridization between Calochortus minimus and C. nudus (pink- to lavender-tinged petals with rounded tips) occur in the northern high Sierra Nevada (B. D. Ness et al. 1990).

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 128. FNA vol. 26, p. 137.
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. 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. 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
Name authority Ownbey: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 27: 430. (1940) Greene: Pittonia 2: 71. (1890)
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