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Sierra mariposa, Sierra mariposa lily

Calochortus macrocarpus

green-banded star-tulip, sagebrush mariposa-lily

Habit Plants usually bulbose; bulb coat membranous.
Stems

not branching, less than 1 dm.

usually not branching, stout, 2–5 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 1–2 dm;

blade linear, flat;

cauline usually absent.

basal withering, 0.5–1 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

1–10-flowered.

subumbellate, 1–3-flowered;

bracts 3–5 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, 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.

Capsules

nodding, 3-winged, ellipsoid, 1–2 cm.

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

Seeds

irregular.

flat, inflated.

2n

= 20.

= 14.

Calochortus minimus

Calochortus macrocarpus

Phenology Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Moist grassy areas in open woods, along lake margins
Elevation 1200–3000 m (3900–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
w North America
[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.)

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. 128. FNA vol. 26, p. 136.
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. 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
Subordinate taxa
C. macrocarpus var. macrocarpus, C. macrocarpus var. maculosus
Synonyms Mariposa macrocarpa
Name authority Ownbey: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 27: 430. (1940) Douglas: Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 276, plate 8. (1828)
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