Flora of North America species comparison

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Calochortus tolmiei

Calochortus coeruleus
Calochortus tolmiei

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

beavertail-grass, blue cat's ear, blue star tulip
Stems

± slender, usually branching, 1–4 dm.

not branching, 0.3–2 dm.
Leaves

basal persistent, 1–4 dm;

blade lanceolate, tapering at base, flat;

cauline bractlike.

basal persistent, 1–2 dm;

blade linear, flat.
Inflorescences

± umbellate, 1–several-flowered.

1–10-flowered.
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 to spreading;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals oblong-lanceolate, ca. 10 mm, glabrous, apex acuminate;

petals light blue, obovate, 8–12 mm, adaxial surface hairy only distal to gland, margins ciliate to apex, apex acuminate;

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

anthers oblong, apex acute to acuminate.
Capsules

nodding, winged, oblong, 2–3 cm.

nodding, not winged, 1–2 cm, apex acute.
Seeds

deep purple, dark brown in age, irregular.

irregular.
2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus tolmiei

Calochortus coeruleus
Phenology Flowering mid spring–mid summer. Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Open grassy slopes or in woods, often on poor, dry soil Open gravelly places in woods
Elevation 0–2000 m [0–6600 ft] 600–2500 m [2000–8200 ft]
Distribution
map from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
map from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Calochortus coeruleus appears to intergrade with C. tolmiei to some extent, especially in petal ciliation (K. L. Chambers, pers. comm.), and it might better be treated as a variety of the latter, more widespread species.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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. 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 Cyclobothra coerulea, C. coeruleus var. fimbriatus, C. maweanus
Name authority Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 398. (1840) (Kellogg) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 263. (1879)
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 124. Treatment authors: P. L. Fiedler, R. K. Zebell. FNA vol. 26, p. 124. Treatment authors: P. L. Fiedler, R. K. Zebell.
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Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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