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Calochortus tolmiei

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

San Luis mariposa-lily

Habit Plants usually bulbose; bulb coat fibrous-reticulate.
Stems

± slender, usually branching, 1–4 dm.

slender, branching, straight, 3–6 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 1–4 dm;

blade lanceolate, tapering at base, flat;

cauline bractlike.

basal withering, 2–3 dm;

blade linear-lanceolate.

Inflorescences

± umbellate, 1–several-flowered.

2–6-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 opening flat, campanulate;

sepals often reflexed, lanceolate, 1–3 cm, glabrous, apex long-tapered;

petals yellow to deep orange, purple-brown at tip, oblong-ovate, 1–2 cm, conspicuously bearded, margins fringed or dentate, apex fringed with hairy tufts;

glands round, slightly depressed, glabrous, surrounded and obscured by ring of slender, dense hairs united at base;

filaments 7–8 mm;

anthers oblong, apex acute.

Capsules

nodding, winged, oblong, 2–3 cm.

erect, linear, 3-angled, 3–4 cm, apex acute.

Seeds

deep purple, dark brown in age, irregular.

light yellow, translucent.

2n

= 20.

= 18.

Calochortus tolmiei

Calochortus obispoensis

Phenology Flowering mid spring–mid summer. Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Open grassy slopes or in woods, often on poor, dry soil Dry stony hills, canyons, edge of chaparral, serpentine
Elevation 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) 100–500 m (300–1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Calochortus obispoensis is restricted to San Luis Obispo County.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 124. FNA vol. 26, p. 141.
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. minimus, C. monanthus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, C. nudus, C. nuttallii, 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) Lemmon: Bot. Gaz. 11: 180. (1886)
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