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Calochortus persistens

Siskiyou mariposa-lily

golden mariposa lily

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

not branching, ca. 1 dm.

usually not branching or twisted, 1–3 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, ca. 2 dm;

blade lanceolate, tapering at base, flat.

basal withering, 1–2 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 2-flowered.

erect, subumbellate, 1–4-flowered;

bracts unequal at base of inflorescence, 1–6 cm.

Flowers

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals smaller than petals;

petals pink to light purplish, obovate, 35–40 mm, adaxial surface hairy only distal to gland, margins yellow-ciliate;

glands bordered proximally by wide, ciliate membrane, distally by short hairs;

anthers lanceolate, apex apiculate.

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals with maroon blotch distal to gland, broadly lanceolate, 1–4 cm, apex acuminate;

petals lemon yellow, with maroon blotch distal to gland, broadly obovate, cuneate, 3–3.5 cm, ± glabrous or with a few lemon-yellow hairs near gland;

glands round, depressed, surrounded by conspicuously fringed membranes, densely covered with short, unbranched or distally branching hairs;

filaments ca. equaling anthers;

anthers yellowish cream, oblong, apex obtuse.

Capsules

nodding, winged, ellipsoid, ca. 1 cm, apex acute.

erect, light tan to light brown, linear-lanceoloid, 3-angled, ca. 2.5–5 cm, apex acuminate.

Seeds

irregular.

light yellow, flat.

2n

= 20.

= 32.

Calochortus persistens

Calochortus aureus

Phenology Flowering late spring–mid summer. Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Open areas in rocky soils Dry sandy–clayey places
Elevation 1000–1500 m (3300–4900 ft) 1200–2000 m (3900–6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Calochortus persistens is restricted to the Klamath and Cascade ranges in Siskiyou County.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 131. FNA vol. 26.
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. minimus, C. monanthus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, C. nudus, C. nuttallii, C. obispoensis, C. palmeri, C. panamintensis, 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. 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
Synonyms C. nuttallii var. aureus
Name authority Ownbey: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 27: 448, plate 38, figs. 1, 2. (1940) S. Watson: Amer. Naturalist 7: 303. (1873)
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