Calochortus nudus
Encyclopedia
Calochortus nudus is a species of flowering plant in the lily family
known by the common name naked mariposa lily. It is native to the mountains of northern California
and southern Oregon
, where it grows in wet areas such as meadows and lakeside bogs. It is a perennial
producing an unbranching stem up to about 25 centimeters tall. The basal leaf is 5 to 15 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering. The inflorescence
bears one or more erect, bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three small, pointed sepal
s and three wider petal
s all pinkish or lavender in color. The petals are mostly hairless and about 1.5 centimeters long. The fruit is a capsule
about 2 centimeters long.
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...
known by the common name naked mariposa lily. It is native to the mountains of northern 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...
and southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where it grows in wet areas such as meadows and lakeside bogs. It is a perennial
Perennial 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...
producing an unbranching stem up to about 25 centimeters tall. The basal leaf is 5 to 15 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering. 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 one or more erect, bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three small, pointed 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 three wider petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s all pinkish or lavender in color. The petals are mostly hairless and about 1.5 centimeters long. The fruit is a 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...
about 2 centimeters long.