Calochortus monanthus | |
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Conservation status | |
Possibly extinct; see text
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Monocots |
Order: | Liliales |
Family: | Liliaceae |
Genus: | Calochortus |
Species: | C. monanthus |
Binomial name | |
Calochortus monanthus Ownbey |
Calochortus monanthus is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common names single-flowered mariposa lily and Shasta River mariposa lily. It is presumed extinct, having been collected and documented once over a century ago and never found again. The single known specimen was collected by botanist Edward Lee Greene from a meadow on the banks of the Shasta River near Yreka, California, in June of 1876. The plant had an unbranching stem and an inflorescence of a single erect, bell-shaped flower on a long peduncle. The flower had three sepals about 4 centimeters long and three toothed petals each between 4 and 5 centimeters. The petals were pinkish with a dark red spot at each base.