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Calochortus tolmiei

hairy star tulip, pussy ears, Tolmie star-tulip, Tolmie's cat's ear, Tolmie's mariposa-lily

plain mariposa, plain mariposa lily

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

± slender, usually branching, 1–4 dm.

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

Leaves

basal persistent, 1–4 dm;

blade lanceolate, tapering at base, flat;

cauline bractlike.

basal withering, 1–2 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

± umbellate, 1–several-flowered.

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

bracts 2–5 cm.

Flowers

erect or spreading;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals 10–15 mm;

petals white to pinkish or purplish, obovate, 12–25 mm, adaxial surface densely hairy, margins ciliate;

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

anthers lanceolate, apex acute to apiculate.

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, winged, oblong, 2–3 cm.

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

Seeds

deep purple, dark brown in age, irregular.

flat.

2n

= 20.

= 14.

Calochortus tolmiei

Calochortus invenustus

Phenology Flowering mid spring–mid summer. Flowering late spring–late summer.
Habitat Open grassy slopes or in woods, often on poor, dry soil Dry soil, usually granitic, usually in montane coniferous forests
Elevation 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) 1500–3000 m (4900–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 124. 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. 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. 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 Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 398. (1840) Greene: Pittonia 2: 71. (1890)
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