Calochortus amoenus
Encyclopedia
Calochortus amoenus is a species of flowering plant in the lily family
which is commonly known as purple fairy-lantern. It is endemic to the slopes of the Sierra Nevada foothills of central California
.
herb
producing a branching stem to heights between 20 and 50 centimeters. The leaf at the base of the stem is narrow in shape, reaching up to 50 centimeters long and not withering away at flowering. There are two or three smaller leaves along the stem.
The inflorescence
bears two or more nodding flowers, each with its petals curved closed into a spherical shape. Each flower has rose-colored sepal
s and petals, the petals fringed and lined with long, pink whiskery hairs. The fruit is a winged capsule
2 or 3 centimeters long containing dark brown seeds.
Liliaceae
The Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
which is commonly known as purple fairy-lantern. It is endemic to the slopes of the Sierra Nevada foothills of central California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Description
This is a perennialPerennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
herb
Herbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
producing a branching stem to heights between 20 and 50 centimeters. The leaf at the base of the stem is narrow in shape, reaching up to 50 centimeters long and not withering away at flowering. There are two or three smaller leaves along the stem.
The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
bears two or more nodding flowers, each with its petals curved closed into a spherical shape. Each flower has rose-colored sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s and petals, the petals fringed and lined with long, pink whiskery hairs. The fruit is a winged capsule
Capsule (fruit)
In botany a capsule is a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. A capsule is a structure composed of two or more carpels that in most cases is dehiscent, i.e. at maturity, it splits apart to release the seeds within. A few capsules are indehiscent, for example...
2 or 3 centimeters long containing dark brown seeds.