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large-flower star-tulip, Monterey mariposa lily, pink star-tulip

Calochortus macrocarpus

green-banded star-tulip, sagebrush mariposa-lily

Habit Plants usually bulbose; bulb coat membranous.
Stems

usually not branching, shorter than 5(–10) cm, bearing bulblets near base.

usually not branching, stout, 2–5 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, 1–4 dm;

blade lanceolate, flat;

cauline usually present.

basal withering, 0.5–1 dm;

blade linear.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 1–5-flowered;

bracts 2–4, linear, attenuate.

subumbellate, 1–3-flowered;

bracts 3–5 cm.

Flowers

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals elliptic-lanceolate, 12–16 mm, glabrous, apex acuminate;

petals ± white to pink, often with purple blotch distal to gland, broadly obovate, cuneate, 15–28 mm, adaxial surface glabrous or sparsely hairy, margins irregularly dentate distally;

glands covered with ciliate membranes, bordered distally by short hairs;

filaments longer than anthers;

anthers oblong, apex obtuse or acute.

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals lanceolate, 4–5 cm, apex acuminate;

petals purple, with median green stripe on abaxial surface, obovate, 4–6 cm, bearded distal to gland, apex acuminate;

glands triangular-sagittate, slightly depressed, densely covered with slender hairs;

filaments 8–9 mm;

anthers lanceolate-linear, ca. 1 cm, apex obtuse.

Capsules

nodding, narrowly 3-winged, 1–3 cm.

erect, lanceoloid-linear, angled, 4–5 cm, apex acuminate.

Seeds

dark brown, irregular.

flat, inflated.

2n

= 20, 40.

= 14.

Calochortus uniflorus

Calochortus macrocarpus

Phenology Flowering late spring–mid summer.
Habitat Moist meadows
Elevation 0–200 m (0–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Petals purple, with or without dark purple band distal to gland.
var. macrocarpus
1. Petals white, with reddish purple crescent distal to gland.
var. maculosus
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 127. FNA vol. 26, p. 136.
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. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
C. macrocarpus var. macrocarpus, C. macrocarpus var. maculosus
Synonyms Mariposa macrocarpa
Name authority Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 398, plate 94. (1840) Douglas: Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 276, plate 8. (1828)
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