The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Oakland mariposa lily, Oakland star-tulip

Inyo County star-tulip

Stems

usually branching, 8–25 cm, not bearing bulblets.

slender, not branching, 1–3 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 2–4 dm;

blade lanceolate, flat;

cauline usually present.

basal usually persistent, 1–2 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 3–12-flowered.

subumbellate, 1–4-flowered;

bracts paired, 3–8 cm.

Flowers

± erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals 10–14 mm;

petals white to pale pink, usually with purple blotch near gland, widely obovate to cuneate, 12–18 mm, adaxial surface not ciliate, ± glabrous, margins irregularly dentate distally;

glands basally convex, covered by broad, ciliate membrane, bordered distally by short hairs;

filaments longer than anthers;

anthers oblong, apex acute or obtuse.

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals lanceolate, 2–3 cm, apex acuminate;

petals lavender, with longitudinal median abaxial green stripe, with or without blotches, broadly cuneate to obovate, 3–4 cm, with a few short hairs near gland;

glands round, depressed, surrounded by conspicuously fringed membrane, densely covered with short, distally branching hairs;

filaments 6–8 mm;

anthers red-brown, oblong, 7–10 mm, apex obtuse.

Capsules

nodding, 3-winged, 1–2 cm.

erect, brown, lanceoloid-linear, 3-angled, 2–3 cm.

Seeds

dark brown, irregular.

light beige, translucent, flat.

2n

= 20.

Calochortus umbellatus

Calochortus excavatus

Phenology Flowering early spring–early summer. Flowering spring.
Habitat Openings in chaparral or woods, often on serpentine Grassy meadows in shadscale scrub
Elevation 100–700 m (300–2300 ft) 1200–2000 m (3900–6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Calochortus umbellatus grows around San Francisco Bay. It is reported also from Lake County.

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

Calochortus excavatus is found only in the eastern Sierra Nevada in Mono and Inyo counties. It is threatened by groundwater depletion.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 127. 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. tolmiei, 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. 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
Name authority Alph. Wood: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 20: 168. (1868) Greene: Pittonia 2: 71. (1890)
Web links