Calochortus raichei
Encyclopedia
Calochortus raichei is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family
known by the common name Cedars fairy-lantern, or Cedars mariposa lily. It is endemic to Sonoma County, California
, where it is known only from The Cedars, an unincorporated area outside Guerneville
near Cazadero
. It was named for botanist Roger Raiche, who first identified it as a distinct species in 1987. It is limited to the serpentine soil
on the banks of the Big Austin Creek in this isolated area.
herb
producing a stem which can be quite tall for a mariposa lily, reaching a meter in height. The basal leaf is up to 40 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering; there may be smaller leaves farther up the stem. The herbage of the plant is generally very waxy in texture.
The inflorescence
bears one or two nodding flowers, spherical in shape with their petal tips touching. The three sepal
s are about 2 centimeters long and dull red to greenish, and the three petal
s about 4 centimeters in length and yellow, often with darker tinting. The petals are coated inside and fringed with hairs. The fruit is an angled capsule
around 3 centimeters long containing several 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...
known by the common name Cedars fairy-lantern, or Cedars mariposa lily. It is endemic to Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
, where it is known only from The Cedars, an unincorporated area outside Guerneville
Guerneville, California
Guerneville is a town in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California, USA. A popular vacation destination for couples and families as well as corporate retreats and family and friend reunions, Guerneville is well-known for its natural beauty, laid-back attitude, friendly population, good...
near Cazadero
Cazadero, California
Cazadero is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in western Sonoma County, California, United States with a population of 354 as of the 2010 Census. Nearby towns include Jenner, Annapolis, Stewart's Point, Duncans Mills, Villa Grande, Rio Nido, Guerneville, Monte Rio, and The Sea Ranch...
. It was named for botanist Roger Raiche, who first identified it as a distinct species in 1987. It is limited to the serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
on the banks of the Big Austin Creek in this isolated area.
Description
It 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 stem which can be quite tall for a mariposa lily, reaching a meter in height. The basal leaf is up to 40 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering; there may be smaller leaves farther up the stem. The herbage of the plant is generally very waxy in texture.
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 two nodding flowers, spherical in shape with 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 are about 2 centimeters long and dull red to greenish, and the 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 about 4 centimeters in length and yellow, often with darker tinting. The petals are coated inside and fringed with hairs. The fruit is an angled 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...
around 3 centimeters long containing several brown seeds.