Calochortus elegans explained

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.^{[1] [2]} It is native to the western United States from northern California to Montana.^[3]

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.^[4]

The bulb is a choice wild root vegetable when eaten cooked, and can be eaten raw to avoid starvation.^[5] It grows in open woodland and grassy hillsides.^[6]

Varieties

• 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

Further reading

• 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

• • 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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Archived TJM 1993 treatment for CALOCHORTUS elegans . 2024-03-16 . ucjeps.berkeley.edu.
2. Web site: USDA Plants Database . 2024-03-16 . plants.usda.gov.
3. http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Calochortus%20elegans.png Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
4. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101462 Flora of North America Vol. 26 Page 125 Cat’s ear, Calochortus elegans Pursh
5. Book: Reiner, Ralph E.. Introducing the Flowering Beauty of Glacier National Park and the Majestic High Rockies. Glacier Park, Inc.. 1969. 4.
6. Web site: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin . 2024-03-16 . www.wildflower.org.