Calochortus pulchellus
Encyclopedia
Calochortus pulchellus is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family
known by the common name Mt. Diablo fairy-lantern. It is endemic to California
, where it is mainly restricted to Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County
. There are historical occurrences in surrounding counties. It grows in chaparral
and woodland of the bayside slopes. This is a perennial
herb
growing a branching stem up to about 30 centimeters tall. The basal leaf is up to 40 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering; there are 2 or 3 smaller leaves farther up the stem. The inflorescence
is a solitary flower or a cluster of several flowers, which are nodding and usually spherical with all their petal tips touching. The three sepal
s and three petal
s are 2 or 3 centimeters long and pale to deep yellow. The petals are thinly hairy inside and often fringed with yellow hairs. The fruit is a winged capsule
2 or 3 centimeters in length.
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 Mt. Diablo fairy-lantern. It is endemic to 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...
, where it is mainly restricted to Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
. There are historical occurrences in surrounding counties. It grows in chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
and woodland of the bayside slopes. This 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...
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...
growing a branching stem up to about 30 centimeters tall. The basal leaf is up to 40 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering; there are 2 or 3 smaller leaves farther up 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...
is a solitary flower or a cluster of several flowers, which are nodding and usually spherical with all their petal tips touching. The three 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 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 are 2 or 3 centimeters long and pale to deep yellow. The petals are thinly hairy inside and often fringed with yellow 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 in length.