Calochortus umbellatus

Oakland star-tulip, Oakland Star-Tulip

Family: Liliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Oakland star-tulip is a rare (CNPS 4.2) California native perennial found in southern North Coast Ranges and San Francisco Bay Area in open chaparral and woodland, generally on serpentine at elevations of 100 to 700 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white or pale pink-lilac flowers with purple spots at the base, bell-shaped and 12 to 18 millimeters long with widely wedge-shaped petals. Growing with stems 8 to 25 centimeters tall and generally two-branched, it emerges from a bulb with a single linear cauline leaf. Its basal leaves persist and reach 20 to 40 centimeters long, with a distinctive nectary covered by a ciliate membrane. The fruit is a nodding, winged capsule 10 to 14 millimeters long containing dark brown, net-like seeds.

Habitat: Open chaparral or woodland, generally on serpentine

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: 100-700 m

Bioregions: s NCoRO, SnFrB.

California counties: Alameda, Marin, Contra Costa, Lake, Mendocino, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Napa

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