PBSWiki - Calochortus Species Three

Calochortus species starting with E and ending with Lo are found on this page.

Calochortus species A-B -- Calochortus species C-D -- Calochortus species Lu-N -- Calochortus species O-R -- Calochortus species S -- Calochortus species T-U -- Calochortus species V-Z -- Calochortus hybrids -- Calochortus index

Calochortus elegans, is classified in Section Calochortus, Subsection Eleganti (Cat's ears or Pussy ears). This is the type species of the genus, discovered (1806) by Meriweather Lewis on the famous Lewis and Clark expedition near what is today Klamath, Idaho. This is a widespread species with several recognized varieties. It can be up to 15-20 cm tall, but rarely. Usually the stems are under 8 cm, and bear one to seven upright, bowl shaped flowers. The species is found from western parts of Montana and Idaho into southeast Washington, northeast Oregon, southwest Oregon and northern California. The plants are usually found on the margins of coniferous forests or on grassy slopes in open woods. The photo below is Calochortus elegans var. elegans and is from population found in Emigrant Springs State Park, Union County, Oregon. Photo by Ron Parsons.

Calochortus eurycarpus, Section Calochortus, Subsection Nitidus. Also known as the "Wide-Fruit Mariposa Lily" and "Star Tulip". This is a very attractive species, with 10-55 cm stems that are rarely branched bearing one to five, open bowl shaped flowers. It is quite a widespread species found in parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and western Utah. It also occurs in a variety of habitats, from grasslands, sage brush slopes and even in open coniferous (and decidious) forests, at elevations of 1100-2700 m. The photos below were taken at various localities in Idaho, north of Ketchum. July 2007. Photos by Mary Gerritsen

Calochortus exilis is the smallest species of section Cyclobothra, with erect to somewhat lax stems, up to 10 cm high, with two to four upright, shallow, bowl-shaped flowers. This species is limited to the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, where it occurs at quite high elevations (2500-3000 m). The photos shown below were taken in a recreation area of the Nacional Parque El Chico, above Pachuca, Hildago State, Mexico in September, 2007. Elevation was about 2600 m. Photos by Mary Gerritsen.

Calochortus fimbriatus was until recently classified as a variety of Calochortus weedii (var. vestus) but was recently given a distinct taxon. This species is in subsection Weediani. A very distinct feature of this species is the double row of fringed hairs on the petals. It occurs more northerly of Calochortus weedii, endemic to Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties where it is found in the South Coast ranges. It also is found further inland in Ventura county. The plants grow in dry coast scrub, open woodlands and chaparral, at elevations up to 900 m. This is one of the latest blooming Calochortus species, often in flower from late July to mid-August. The photo below is was taken in Monterey County, California. Photo by Ron Parsons.

Calochortus flexuosus, commonly known as the Winding or Twining Mariposa Lily, is a desert species found in southeast California, southern Nevada, southwest Utah, central Arizona, and southwest Colorado. It is also found in Baja California and Sonora Mexico. It gets its name from its vine-like habit of twining up through nearby shrubs and cacti. Photos taken by Ron Parsons are of wild populations in Nevada, early May, 1993.

Calochortus fuscus , also known as Hinton's cyclobothra, has also been described as Calochortus hintonii but the later was reduced to synonmy with Calochortus fuscus in 1963. One of the Mexican Calochortus, section Cyclobothra, subsection Ghiesbreghtiani. This small flowered species has erect flexuous glaucous branching stems 30-60 cm in height, with two to four 2-2.5 cm shallow bowl shaped to nearly flat flowers. It is known from the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan and Oaxaca, where it occurs at 900-2300 m in oak and pine forest. The photo below was taken in the state of Jalisco, September 2006. Photo by Mary Gerritsen

Calochortus greenei , also known as Greene's Mariposa, is a localized species that occurs in Siskiyou County, California, and in Jackson and Klamath Counties, Oregon. It is usually found in grassy slopes at elevations of 700-1100 m. These photos were taken in June, 2007. Photos by Mary Gerritsen.

Calochortus gunnisoni is a wide ranging species, with a principally Rocky Mountain distribution, from central Montana, south through Wyoming, Colorado, eastern Utah and some disjunct populations in New Mexico, southwest South Dakota and eastern Arizona. It is found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, open pine forests, edges of aspen groves, mountain meadows, high elevation sagebrush and limestone slopes. It is generally found at fairly high elevations (1000-3300 m). Photo by Ron Parsons, taken in the Grand Mesa National Forest, Delta County, Colorado.

Calochortus hartwegii is one of Mexican species of Calochortus, Section Cyclobothra, subsection Purpurei. This robust species has erect, sometimes branched, bulbiferous, glaucous stems that are 30-75 cm tall, with two to three large (4.5-7 cm) flowers borne on stout penduncles. The stature of this plant and large flower are quite distinctive. This species ranges from Zacatecas to Aguascalientes, Nayarit and Jalisco states.The photos below are from a hilly area outside of the city of Guadalajara, and were taken in September, 2006. Photos by Mary Gerritsen

Calochortus invenustus has a disjunct range in coastal southern California, the southern Sierra Nevada, and the Bodie Hills of Nevada, growing in scrub and open pine woodland at higher elevations. It has an unusually blue color for the genus and is reputed to be difficult to grow. The first photos from Jane McGary pictures plants grown from Ron Ratko's seed collection that are in a bulb frame in northern Oregon, kept dry in summer. The next two photos below were taken at Mt. Pinos, Kern County, in July of 2006 by Mary Gerritsen. She writes: "This species, also known as the "Plain Mariposa Lily" is far from that. It has a delicate beauty of its own, but at least in one locality, it grows not far from the very showy, highly colorful, Calochortus venustus."

Calochortus kennedyi , also known as the "Desert Mariposa Lily" is stunning when you see it in the wild. It is a wildflower favorite, with erect to somewhat lax, glaucous stems, 10-60 tall. The height depends somewhat on the openness of the habitat. In the open it tends to be short and stout, whereas when growing up through shrubs it tends to be tall and thin. An individual plant may have up to eight cup shaped flowers, 3-5 cm, usually with a rounded to slightly pointed margin. The petals can be scarlet, vermilion, orange, yellow orange or even brilliant yellow. This species has a quite broad distribution, occurring in southern and eastern California, southern Nevada, the Big Bend area of west Texas, and in addition, the states of Sonora, Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico. The photos below, first, typical orange form, Inyo county, CA photo by Ron Parsons, and second, a flower in profile, in the vicinity of Mt. Pinos (lower elevation) Kern County, CA. Photo by Mary Gerritsen.

Calochortus leichtlinnii is a species often found at quite high elevations in three western states: Oregon, California and Nevada. The plants are generally found in open exposed situations in alpine and montane coniferous forests, at elevations ranging from 750-4000 m. The photos below are from a population at the top of a ridge above Donner Pass, California (July 2006). Photos by Mary Gerritsen

Calochortus longebarbatus is a plant of subalpine to alpine meadows with an extensive disjunct range from central Washington state to Shasta County, California. The photo shows the long, ragged petal hairs that give it its name. Callahan suggests some moisture throughout the year, although these plants are fairly dry in summer (though plunged in a bulb frame, where the soil stays faintly moist). These plants were grown from seed collected by the Leach Botanical Garden, Portland, Oregon. Photo by Jane McGary

There are two recognized varieties of Calochortus longebarbatus. The nominate variety is Calochotus longebarbatus var. longebarbatus, and it is the most widespread and commonly seen form, depicted below from a population in Modoc county, California, mid-July, 2006.(Two photos on left by Mary Gerritsen). The other form, Calochortus longebarbatus var. peckii, is found in Central Oregon in the Ochocho mountains. (Photo on right, by Ron Parsons). This variety is actually triploid, and Ownbey estimated that it had reproduced vegetatively for over 500,000 years. It is distinguished from the nominate variety by its shorter stature, broader and shorter petals, and the transverse petal band is usually darker.

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