''Calochortus vestae'' is a
California species of flowering plants in the
lily family
The lily family, Liliaceae, consists of about 15 genera and 610 species of flowering plants within the order Liliales. They are monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, often bulbous geophytes. Plants in this family have evolved with a ...
known by the common name coast range mariposa lily. It is grows primarily in the forests of the
North Coast Ranges of
California (
Sonoma,
Lake, and
Mendocino Counties), with additional populations in the southernmost
Cascades in
Shasta County and also in foothills of the
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
. It generally grows in clay soils.
Description
''Calochortus vestae'' is a
perennial herb
In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...
producing a branching stem between 30 and 50 centimeters tall. The basal leaf is 10 to 20 centimeters long and withers by flowering.
The
inflorescence is a loose cluster of 1 to 6 erect, bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three petals up to about 4 centimeters long and three
sepals 2 to 3 centimeters long beneath. The
petal
Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...
s are white to purplish in color with a central area of pale yellow with a darker reddish or brownish blotch within. At the base of each petal is a red-streaked patch of hairs.
Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Calochortus vestae''
/ref>
References
External links
United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile: ''Calochortus vestae''''Calochortus vestae'' - Calphotos Photo gallery, University of California
vestae
Endemic flora of California
Plants described in 1895
Natural history of the California Coast Ranges
{{Liliales-stub