Calochortus elegans is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name elegant Mariposa lily, cat's ear, elegant cat's ears or star tulip.[3][4] It is native to the western United States from northern California to Montana.[2][5]
| Calochortus elegans | |
|---|---|
| |
| Calochortus elegans in Klamath Mountains | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Liliaceae |
| Genus: | Calochortus |
| Species: | C. elegans
|
| Binomial name | |
| Calochortus elegans Pursh 1813 not Baker 1875
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
It is a perennial herb producing a slender, generally unbranched stem up to 15 centimeters in height. The basal leaf is 10 to 20 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering. The inflorescence bears 1 to 7 erect bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three sepals and three petals with very hairy inner surfaces and edges. Each petal is greenish white in color with a purple crescent above a hairless patch at the base. The fruit is a winged capsule about 2 centimeters long.[6]
The bulb is a choice wild root vegetable when eaten cooked, and can be eaten raw to avoid starvation.[7] It grows in open woodland and grassy hillsides.[8]
- Varieties[2]
- Calochortus elegans var. amoenus (Greene) auct.
- Calochortus elegans var. amoenus hort.
- Calochortus elegans var. elegans Pursh - Idaho, Oregon, Washington
- Calochortus elegans var. lobbii Baker
- Calochortus elegans var. major Hook.
- Calochortus elegans var. minor Hook.
- Calochortus elegans var. nanus Alph.Wood - Oregon, northern California
- Calochortus elegans var. oreophilus Ownbey
- Calochortus elegans var. selwayensis (H.St.John) Ownbey - Idaho, Montana
- Calochortus elegans var. subclavatus Baker
References
edit- ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0".
- ^ a b c Kewe World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ "Archived TJM 1993 treatment for CALOCHORTUS elegans". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ "USDA Plants Database". plants.usda.gov. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
- ^ Flora of North America Vol. 26 Page 125 Cat’s ear, Calochortus elegans Pursh
- ^ Reiner, Ralph E. (1969). Introducing the Flowering Beauty of Glacier National Park and the Majestic High Rockies. Glacier Park, Inc. p. 4.
- ^ "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
Further reading
edit- Calochortus elegans Hook.f. Bot. Mag. 98: t. 5976. 1872
- Calochortus elegans Baker J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 14: 305. 1874 [1875 publ. 1874]
- Calochortus elegans Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept. (Pursh) 1: 240. 1813 [Dec 1813]
- Calochortus elegans Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept. (Pursh) 1: 240. 1813 [dt. 1814; issued Dec 1813]
External links
edit
Media related to Calochortus elegans at Wikimedia Commons- Calflora Database: Calochortus elegans (Elegant mariposa lily, Northwestern mariposa lily)
- USDA Plants Profile for Calochortus elegans (elegant mariposa lily)
- Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Calochortus elegans
- UC Photos gallery of Calochortus elegans
- Calochortus elegans at eppo.int (EPPO code CCUEL)
- Calochortus elegans at global names Archived 2016-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
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