Calochortus raichei

Calochortus raichei is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name Cedars fairy-lantern, or Cedars mariposa lily. It is endemic to Sonoma County, California, where it is known only from The Cedars, an unincorporated area outside Guerneville near Cazadero. It was named for botanist Roger Raiche, who first identified it as a distinct species in 1987.^[1] It is limited to the serpentine soil on the banks of the Big Austin Creek in this isolated area.

Description

It is a perennial herb producing a stem which can be quite tall for a mariposa lily, reaching a meter in height. The basal leaf is up to 40 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering; there may be smaller leaves farther up the stem. The herbage of the plant is generally very waxy in texture.

The inflorescence bears one or two nodding flowers, spherical in shape with their petal tips touching. The three sepals are about 2 centimeters long and dull red to greenish, and the three petals about 4 centimeters in length and yellow, often with darker tinting. The petals are coated inside and fringed with hairs. The fruit is an angled capsule around 3 centimeters long containing several brown seeds.

References

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment - Calochortus raichei
• USDA Plants Profile: Calochortus raichei
• Flora of North America
• Calochortus raichei - Photo gallery