Calochortus venustus
| Calochortus venustus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Liliaceae |
| Genus: | Calochortus |
| Species: | C. venustus |
| Binomial name | |
| Calochortus venustus Dougl. ex Benth. | |
Calochortus venustus is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name butterfly mariposa lily.
Distribution
The bulb is endemic to California, particularly to Central and Southern California, and the Sierra Nevada. It thrives in the light, sandy soils of a number of habitats, both grasslands and open wooded areas, at 300–2,700 metres (980–8,860 ft) in altitude.
Description
Calochortus venustus is a perennial herb producing a branching stem 10 to 60 centimeters tall. There is a basal leaf up to 20 centimeters long which withers by the time the plant blooms.
The inflorescence is a loose cluster of 1 to 6 erect, bell-shaped flowers. The flowers are variable in size and palette; they are often showy and intricately patterned. The petals may be a variety of colors from white to pale pink or purple to bright red or orange, sporting a large dark central blotch and a smaller, paler blotch above. They generally have three curving sepals 2 or 3 centimeters long and three oval-shaped, clawed petals up to 5 centimeters long.
The fruit is an angled capsule 5 or 6 centimeters long.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Calochortus venustus. |
- Calflora Database: Calochortus venustus (Butterfly Mariposa Lily, butterfly mariposa)
- Jepson Manual (TJM93) Treatment of Calochortus venustus
- USDA Plants Profile of Calochortus venustus
- Flora of North America
- Calochortus venustus - Photo gallery