Calochortus greenei

Greene's mariposa lily

Family: Liliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Greene's mariposa lily is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in eastern Klamath Ranges, northwestern California Ranges, and western Modoc Plateau in shrubby hillsides and open woodland at elevations of 700 to 1,100 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces bell-shaped flowers with perianth segments in shades of green and lilac, featuring 30 to 40 millimeter petals that are purple with a darker crescent and yellow base. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with generally branched stems, it has distinctive basal leaves up to 20 centimeters long and 1 to 2 reduced cauline leaves. Its flowers feature ovate sepals with yellow hairs and a purple spot at the base, accompanied by widely obovate petals with a deeply depressed nectary bordered by wide ciliate membranes. The fruit is an erect, winged elliptic capsule reaching 20 to 25 centimeters in length.

Habitat: shrubby hillsides, open woodland

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: +- 700-1100 m.

Bioregions: e KR, nw CaR, w MP

California counties: Siskiyou

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