Calochortus raichei

The cedars fairy-lantern

Family: Liliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

The cedars fairy-lantern is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern North Coast Ranges (The Cedars, Big Austin Creek drainage in Sonoma County) in open serpentine woodland at elevations of 200 to 300 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces pale yellow flowers with obovate petals 35 to 45 millimeters long, nodding and slightly hairy with distinctive ciliate edges. Growing with stout stems 10 to 100 centimeters tall, it has a glaucous, mealy appearance and mostly simple stem structure. Its basal leaves are long and channeled, reaching 10 to 40 centimeters in length, while cauline leaves are reduced and fewer in number. The plant bears nodding, angled fruit 25 to 35 millimeters long, containing irregular dark brown seeds.

Habitat: Open serpentine in woodland

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: 200-300 m

Bioregions: s NCoRO (The Cedars, Big Austin Creek drainage, Sonoma Co.).

California counties: Sonoma

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