Calochortus amabilis

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Calochortus amabilis
Calochortus amabilis 2.jpg
Status TNC G4.svg
Apparently Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Calochortus
Species:
C. amabilis
Binomial name
Calochortus amabilis
Purdy

Calochortus amabilis [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] (syn. C. pulchellus var. amabilis) [11] is a species of the genus Calochortus in the family Liliaceae. It is also known by the common names Diogenes' lantern, [2] [3] [4] [7] yellow globe-tulip, [7] golden globe-tulip, [4] yellow globe lily, [3] golden fairy lantern, [3] [4] [6] [9] [10] golden lily-bell, [7] Chinese lantern, [4] and short lily. [8]

Contents

Distribution and habitat

The plant is endemic to northern California, from the east bay (notably in Mount Diablo State Park) and north of the San Francisco Bay Area. [3] [4] [5] [12] It grows in the Northern California Coast Ranges and Klamath Mountains, from 100 metres (330 ft) [2] [4] 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) [2] 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) [4] in altitude. It is a common member of the scrub and woodland flora, found on dry slopes in California oak woodland and chaparral habitats. [2] [3] Soil types vary, from the nearly solid serpentine rock to yellow clay. [4] Natural habitat is quite wet, with 75 cm or more of rain per year, followed by a dry, hot summer. Winters are cool but not frigid (USDA zones 8-9). The growing season is from midwinter to the April–May–June flowering and seed set. The plant is dormant from mid-June to November. [4]

Common understory plant associates are Calochortus luteus , Clarkia unguiculata and Delphinium variegatum .[ citation needed ]

Description

Calochortus amabilis is a bulbous perennial herb producing an upright, somewhat waxy branching stem to heights between 10 and 50 centimeters. [2] The leaf at the base of the stem is flat, waxy, and narrow in shape, reaching up to 50 centimeters long and not withering away at flowering. [2] [13]

The inflorescence bears two or more heavily nodding flowers, each with spreading pointed yellow sepals and brown-speckled yellow petals. The inside of the petals is waxy and coated in small hairs. The fruit is a winged capsule up to three centimeters long containing dark brown seeds. [2] [5]

Uses

Food

The bulbs of Calochortus amabilis are a traditional food of the Kashaya Pomo of California, who bake or boil the bulbs, which are then eaten like baked or boiled potatoes. [8] [14] They are a beloved food of the Pomo, locally referred to as "bo". [7]

Cultivation

Calochortus amabilis is cultivated as an ornamental plant by specialty native plant and bulb nurseries, for use in traditional and wildlife gardens, and natural landscaping projects.

In the wild, C. amabilis naturally hybridizes with Calochortus tolmiei . [4]

Etymology

Amabilis means 'pleasing', 'likeable', or 'lovely'. Calochortus is derived from Greek meaning 'beautiful grass', a reference to the characteristic grass-like foliage of the genus. [15] The full name translates literally to 'lovable, beautiful grass'. [3] [15]

The common name "Diogenes' Lantern" is a reference to the Greek philosopher Diogenes, who famously carried a lantern around in broad daylight, claiming he was "looking for a man" (implying that none of the beings he saw around him qualified; sometimes quoted as "looking for an honest man"). [16]

Related Research Articles

<i>Calochortus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Calochortus is a genus of flowering plants in the lily family. The group includes herbaceous, perennial and bulbous species, all native to North America.

<i>Erythronium albidum</i> Species of flowering plant

Erythronium albidum, the white fawnlily or white trout lily, is a small herbaceous geophyte in the lily family. It is also known as adder's tongue, whitedog's-tooth violet, serpent's tongue, trout lily, deer tongue, and yellow snowdrop. Large numbers of this plant indicate that the woodland has never been subjected to heavy machinery, where it would be unable to grow due to soil compaction.

<i>Erythronium americanum</i> Species of flowering plant

Erythronium americanum, the trout lily, yellow trout lily, or yellow dogtooth violet, is a species of perennial, colony forming, spring ephemeral flower native to North America and dwelling in woodland habitats. Within its range it is a very common and widespread species, especially in eastern North America. The common name "trout lily" refers to the appearance of its gray-green leaves mottled with brown or gray, which allegedly resemble the coloring of brook trout.

<i>Calochortus nuttallii</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus nuttallii, also known as the sego lily, is a bulbous perennial plant that is endemic to the Western United States. The common name of sego comes from a similar Shoshone word. It is the state flower of Utah.

<i>Calochortus striatus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus striatus, known by the common name alkali mariposa lily, is a species of mariposa lily native to California and into Nevada.

<i>Calochortus macrocarpus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus macrocarpus, also known as sagebrush mariposa lily, is a North American species of bulbous perennials in the lily family.

<i>Calochortus albus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus albus is a North American species in the genus Calochortus in the family Liliaceae. It is also known by the common names fairy lantern, white fairy lantern, pink fairy lantern, lantern of the fairies, globe lily, white globe lily, white globe-tulip, alabaster tulip, Indian bells,satin bells, snowy lily-bell, and snow drops.

<i>Calochortus amoenus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus amoenus is a species of flowering plant in the lily family which is commonly known as purple fairy-lantern.

Calochortus concolor, also known by the common name goldenbowl mariposa lily, is a species of flowering plant in the lily family.

<i>Calochortus dunnii</i> Species of plant

Calochortus dunnii is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name Dunn's mariposa lily.

<i>Calochortus kennedyi</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus kennedyi is a North American species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name desert mariposa lily.

<i>Calochortus monophyllus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus monophyllus is a North American species of flowering plants in the lily family known by the common name yellow star-tulip.

<i>Calochortus obispoensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus obispoensis is a rare California species of flowering plants in the lily family known by the common name San Luis mariposa lily. It is endemic to San Luis Obispo County, California, where it grows in the chaparral of the coastal mountains, generally on serpentine soils.

<i>Calochortus pulchellus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus pulchellus is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name Mt. Diablo fairy-lantern or Mount Diablo globelily.

<i>Calochortus raichei</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus raichei is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name Cedars' fairy-lantern. It is endemic to Sonoma County, California, where it is known only from The Cedars, an unincorporated area outside Guerneville north of Cazadero, just west of Austin Creek State Recreation Area.

<i>Calochortus syntrophus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus syntrophus is a rare species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common names Callahan's mariposa lily and clustered mariposa lily. It is endemic to northern California, where it occurs in a remote area north of Montgomery Creek in Shasta County. It has also been spotted in adjacent Tehama County. Its habitat includes open, rocky areas with moist or wet soils in oak woodland territory. It was first discovered in 1993 and its description was published the following year.

<i>Nuphar polysepala</i> Species of flowering plant

Nuphar polysepala is a species of Nuphar native to western North America. The name Nuphar is Greek for "water-lily" and polysepala means many sepals. It is commonly found in shallow muddy ponds from northern Alaska and Yukon southward to central California and northern New Mexico, and can be recognized easily by its large floating leaves and bright yellow blossoms.

Calochortus westonii, common name Shirley Meadow star-tulip, is a rare endemic plant known only from the Greenhorn Mountains range of the southern Sierra Nevada, within Kern and Tulare Counties, California.

<i>Calochortus gunnisonii</i> Species of flowering plant

Calochortus gunnisonii commonly known as Rocky Mountain mariposa or Gunnison mariposa lily is a North American species of flowering plant in the lily family. It is native to the western United States, primarily in the Rocky Mountains and Black Hills: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Washington state (Grant County, northwestern Nebraska and eastern Idaho.

Calochortus exilis is a rare Mexican species of plants in the lily family. It is native to mountains in the State of Hidalgo in east-central Mexico.

References

  1. "NatureServe Explorer - Calochortus amabilis". NatureServe Explorer Calochortus amabilis. NatureServe. 2022-05-30. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 Baldwin, B. G., D. H. Goldman, D. J. Keil, R. Patterson, T. J. Rosatti, and D. H. Wilken, editors. 2012. "The Jepson Manual: vascular plants of California", second edition. University of California press, Berkeley. ISBN   9780520253124 pp 1380-1381
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Spellenberg, Richard, Professor Emeritus of Biology, New Mexico State University, National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers: Western Region, copyright 2001 by Chanticleer Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Published in the US by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. ISBN   0375402330 pp 576
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Gerritsen, Mary E. and Ron Parsons, 2007. "Calochortus : Mariposa lilies and their relatives", Timber Press. ISBN   9780881928440. pp 52-54
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Brickell, Christopher "The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z of Garden Plants (Volume 1: A-J)", 3rd ed. Copyright 1996, 2003, 2008 Dorling Kindersley Ltd., London. ISBN   9781405332965 pp 213-214
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Carol Bornstein, David Fross, Bart O'Brien 2007. "California Native Plants for the Garden". Cachuma Press. ISBN   0962850586 (paperback) ISBN   0962850594 (hardcover). pp 212
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Parsons, Mary Elizabeth "The Wild Flowers of California", illustrated by Margaret Warriner Buck. Published by Cunningham, Curtiss & Welch, San Francisco 1912. Copyright William Doxey 1897, copyright Mary Elizabeth Parsons 1902, 1906. (no ISBN for this edition) pp 148-149
  8. 1 2 3 Moerman, Daniel E. "Native American Food Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary", first ed. Copyright Timber Press, Inc. 2010. ISBN   9781604691894 (hardcover). pp 67
  9. 1 2 Howell, John Thomas. "Marin Flora: Manual of Flowering Plants and Ferns of Marin County, California", second edition. Copyright 1949, 1970, 1985, University of California Press. ISBN   0520056213 pp 106
  10. 1 2 3 Emery, Dara E. "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants", 6th edition (printed 2011). Copyright 1988 Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. ISBN   0916436039. pp 43
  11. 1 2 The Plant List
  12. Flora of North America
  13. C. Michael Hogan. 2009. GlobalTwitcher.com: Gold Nuggets: Calochortus luteus Archived 2011-10-04 at the Wayback Machine , ed. N. Stromberg.
  14. University of Michigan at Dearborn: Native American Ethnobotany of Calochortus amabilis
  15. 1 2 Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN   9780521685535 (paperback). pp 44, 86
  16. "Northern California Wildflowers: Diogenes' Lantern Lily". Lost Coast Outpost.