Calochortus dunnii is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name Dunn's mariposa lily.
Calochortus dunnii | |
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Conservation status | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Liliales |
Family: | Liliaceae |
Genus: | Calochortus |
Species: | C. dunnii |
Binomial name | |
Calochortus dunnii Purdy | |
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]
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.
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]
Taxon identifiers |
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