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superb mariposa lily, yellow mariposa

Catalina mariposa, Catalina mariposa-lily, Santa Catalina mariposa lily

Habit Plants bulbose; bulb coat membranous. Plants usually bulbose; bulb coat membranous.
Stems

4–6 dm.

usually branching distally, ± flexuous, 2–6 dm.

Leaves

basal withering, 2–3 dm;

blade linear.

basal withering, 1–3 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–3-flowered;

bracts 2–8 cm.

1–few-flowered;

bracts opposite pedicel, 2–10 cm.

Flowers

erect;

perianth open, campanulate, each member with median brown or purple blotch surrounded by bright yellow zone;

sepals lanceolate, attenuate, 2–4 cm;

petals white to yellowish or lavender, usually streaked with purple toward base, obovate to cuneate, rounded, 2–4 cm, with a few short hairs near gland, apex retuse to obtuse;

glands linear, strongly chevron-shaped to weakly lunate, not depressed, densely covered with short hairs;

filaments 7–9 mm;

anthers lanceolate-linear to oblong, 8–10 mm, apex acute to obtuse.

erect;

perianth open, broadly campanulate;

sepals with purple blotch near base, lanceolate, 2–3 cm, apex acuminate;

petals white tinged with lilac, with purple blotch near base, usually obovate, ± concave, 2–5 cm, glabrous except few hairs near base, apex obtuse;

glands oblong, not depressed, densely hairy, hairs branching;

filaments 8–10 mm;

anthers lilac, oblong, 4–5 mm.

Capsules

erect, linear, angled, 5–6 cm, apex acute.

erect, narrow-oblong, rounded in cross section, 2–5 cm, apex obtuse.

Seeds

light yellow, translucent, flat.

2n

= 12, 14, 20, 26.

= 14.

Calochortus superbus

Calochortus catalinae

Phenology Flowering late spring–mid summer. Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Open slopes, dry meadows or wooded places in valley grassland, foothill woodland, pine forest Heavy soil, open grassy slopes, openings in brush
Elevation 0–1700 m (0–5600 ft) less than 700 m (less than 2300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Calochortus catalinae is increasingly threatened by habitat loss.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 134. FNA vol. 26, p. 131.
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. persistens, C. plummerae, C. pulchellus, C. raichei, C. simulans, C. splendens, C. striatus, C. subalpinus, 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. 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 Mariposa superba Mariposa catalinae
Name authority Purdy ex J. T. Howell: Leafl. W. Bot. 1: 11. (1932) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 268. (1879)
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