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

Calochortus subalpinus

Cascade mariposa lily, cat's ear lily, mountain cat's ear, mountain mariposa, subalpine mariposa-lily

Stems

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

usually not branching, straight or flexuous, often scapelike, 0.5–3 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 2–4 dm;

blade lanceolate, flat;

cauline usually present.

basal 1–3 dm × 2–15 mm, usually equaling or exceeding stem length;

blade flat, adaxial surface glabrous.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 3–12-flowered.

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

bracts 2–several, lanceolate to linear, unequal, 1–5 cm, apex acuminate;

peduncle slender, becoming stouter, deflexed in fruit.

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 or spreading;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals typically with purple glandular blotch near base, oblong-lanceolate, shorter than petals, adaxial surface minutely hairy, apex acute to acuminate;

petals yellowish white, sometimes lavender-tinged, frequently with narrow purple crescent distal to gland, broadly obovate, cuneate, moderately bearded nearly to apex, adaxial surface densely hairy, margins fringed, apex obtuse or acute;

glands transversely oblong, arched upward, ± deeply depressed, bordered proximally by narrow, ascending, deeply fringed membrane, distally by narrow, crenate membranes, gland surface with rather long, slender hairs toward distal portion;

anthers lanceolate, apex long-apiculate.

Capsules

nodding, 3-winged, 1–2 cm.

nodding, 3-winged, ellipsoid, apex usually acute.

Seeds

dark brown, irregular.

pale yellow.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus umbellatus

Calochortus subalpinus

Phenology Flowering early spring–early summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Openings in chaparral or woods, often on serpentine Open forest in loose volcanic soils
Elevation 100–700 m (300–2300 ft) 1000–2200 m (3300–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 127. FNA vol. 26, p. 126.
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. 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. superbus, C. tiburonensis, C. tolmiei, C. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus, C. venustus, C. vestae, C. weedii, C. westonii
Synonyms C. lobbii
Name authority Alph. Wood: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 20: 168. (1868) Piper: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 11: 195. (1906)
Web links