Calochortus dunnii

Calochortus dunnii is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name Dunn's mariposa lily.

Calochortus dunnii

Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Calochortus
Species:
C. dunnii
Binomial name
Calochortus dunnii
Purdy

Distribution

The plant is endemic to the Peninsular Ranges, native to southern San Diego County, California; and northern Baja California state, Mexico. It is known from only a few occurrences in chaparral, grassland, and Closed-cone coniferous forest habitats, at 185–1,830 feet (56–558 m) in elevation in the Cuyamaca Mountains, Laguna Mountains, and others.[2][3]

Description

Calochortus dunnii is a perennial herb growing a slender, branching stem up to 60 centimeters tall. The waxy, channeled basal leaf is 10 to 20 centimeters long and withers at flowering.

The inflorescence bears 2 to 6 erect bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three sepals and three white or pinkish petals. The petals are up to 3 centimeters long and spotted with red and yellow near the bases, where there are patches of yellow hairs.

The fruit is a narrow, angled capsule 2 to 3 centimeters long.

Conservation

Although the plant isn't seriously impacted by any one major problem,[1] the main threat to the existence of this rare species is collecting by admirers of the attractive flowers.[4]

References

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