Calochortus dunnii

Dunn's mariposa lily

Family: Liliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Dunn's mariposa lily is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern San Diego County in dry, stony ridges of chaparral and yellow-pine forest at elevations of 1,500 to 1,700 meters. Flowering in June, this plant produces white to pink flowers with distinctive red-brown spots above the nectary, 20 to 30 millimeters long with delicate yellow hairs near the flower's center. Growing 20 to 60 centimeters tall with slender, generally branched stems, it develops erect flowers in clusters of 2 to 6. Its basal leaves are 10 to 20 centimeters long, channeled and withering, with reduced cauline leaves ascending the stem. The fruit is an erect, linear structure 2 to 3 centimeters long with distinct angular edges.

Habitat: Dry, stony ridges in chaparral, yellow-pine forest

Bloom period: Jun

Elevation: 1500-1700 m

Bioregions: s PR (s San Diego Co.)

California counties: San Diego

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.