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Calochortus tolmiei

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

Sierra mariposa, Sierra mariposa lily

Stems

± slender, usually branching, 1–4 dm.

not branching, less than 1 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 1–4 dm;

blade lanceolate, tapering at base, flat;

cauline bractlike.

basal persistent, 1–2 dm;

blade linear, flat;

cauline usually absent.

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;

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.

Capsules

nodding, winged, oblong, 2–3 cm.

nodding, 3-winged, ellipsoid, 1–2 cm.

Seeds

deep purple, dark brown in age, irregular.

irregular.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus tolmiei

Calochortus minimus

Phenology Flowering mid spring–mid summer. Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Open grassy slopes or in woods, often on poor, dry soil Moist grassy areas in open woods, along lake margins
Elevation 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) 1200–3000 m (3900–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[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.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 124. FNA vol. 26, p. 128.
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. 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
Name authority Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 398. (1840) Ownbey: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 27: 430. (1940)
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