Calochortus panamintensis

Panamint mariposa lily

Family: Liliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Panamint mariposa lily is a rare (CNPS 4.2) California native perennial found in northern Desert Mountains (Panamint Range) in dry pinyon and juniper woodland at elevations of 2,500 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white flowers tinged with lilac, 20 to 40 millimeters long, with distinctive green stripes on the back and a red or purple nectary surrounded by a fringed membrane. Growing 40 to 60 centimeters tall with generally simple stems and small bulblets, it develops an elegant upright form. Its basal leaves are 10 to 20 centimeters long and wither during flowering, while upper cauline leaves are 2 to 6 centimeters long and tightly inrolled. The erect fruit is approximately 7 centimeters long, linear, and angled with an acuminate tip.

Habitat: dry pinyon/juniper woodland

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: 2500-3200 m

Bioregions: n DMtns (Panamint Range)

California counties: Inyo, Kern

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