A N F Keys
1 Plants 120−300 cm tall (when flowering); cauline leaves whorled and appearing whorled in clusters of 4−16; flowers 70−115 mm across, pendent; tepals 67−100 mm long, yellow and orange with conspicuous large spots having light ring around dark center and also reddish dots; filaments 37−49 mm long, bearing versatile anthers (13−)20−32 mm long .. Lilium humboldtii subsp. ocellatum [pics]
1' Plants to 100 cm tall (when flowering); cauline leaves few and alternate; flowers 28−70 mm across; tepals 20−52 mm long; filaments 6−14 mm long, bearing anthers < 19 mm long
2 Basal leaves to 9; raceme with nodding flowers having 6 dark, wine red and green (brown) tepals; tepals lacking nectaries and glabrous; anthers versatile .. Fritillaria biflora var. biflora [pics]
2' Basal leaves typically 1; cyme with flowers having distinct sepals and petals of light pastel colors or white; each petal with a nectary and hairs on inner surface; anthers basifixed .. Calochortus
Calochortus Pursh
MARIPOSA LILY
1 Flowers nodding with ± closed perianth, 16−25 mm across, white; sepals (10−)13−18 mm long .. Calochortus albus [pics]
1' Flowers erect and perianth open, 30+ mm across, pigmented or white with pigmented spots or markings; sepals 20−50 mm long
2 Perianth bright yellow with reddish bands
3 Blades linear (basal leaf) to very narrowly lanceolate (cauline leaves), 50−200(−400) × to 13 mm; petals (21−)35−50 × (23−)25−33 mm, lacking reddish mark above nectary; filaments 10−14 mm long; anthers 6−15 mm long, mauve to purple or strong violet .. Calochortus clavatus var. pallidus [pics]
3' Blades linear, 200−300 mm long, to 1.5 mm wide at midblade; petals 28−30 × 25−27 mm, having reddish mark above nectary; filaments ± 10 mm long; anthers 6−7 mm long, deep violet .. Calochortus clavatus var. gracilis [pics]
2' Perianth not bright yellow, although some with yellowish markings or yellow hairs
4 Perianth light to deep lilac or pink-lavender, mostly lacking markings except a reddish purple spot near nectary gland, with scattered white to pale lilac hairs on upper surface; nectary gland not sunken and lacking margin, either lacking hairs or with dense cover of branched hairs; anthers 6.5−9.5 mm long, very deep violet .. Calochortus splendens [pics]
4' Perianth white to rose with conspicuous markings or spots; anthers pinkish, cream-colored, or pinkish yellow
5 Perianth white to lavender; nectary gland not depressed or slightly depressed, hairs thick and wavy
6 Petals at base white to light lavender with conspicuous purple spot and above midpoint white often changing to or aging darker lavender to lavender purple, purple spot 6.5−19 mm long; nectary gland not depressed and lacking margin, oblong to somewhat round, ca. 3−4.5 mm, yellowish green and densely hairy, the hairs to 2 mm long and yellowish and purplish .. Calochortus catalinae [pics]
6' Petals below midpoint white to creamy white, above midpoint blushed lavender with a central marking; nectary gland slightly depressed and lacking margin, rectangular to squarish, 5−6 × 3−5 mm, yellowish green and densely hairy, the hairs reddish or reddish at tips and whitish to yellow-orange at bases or purplish red at tips and yellow-orange at base .. Calochortus venustus [pics]
5' Perianth 3-colored with deep reddish purple markings at base below nectary gland, with hairs of middle band yellow having purplish red bases and tips; nectary gland circular and depressed or slightly depressed
7 Petals 28−50 × (20−)25−54 mm, with creamy white middle band and a rose lavender to light purple upper band, sometimes ciliate on outer margin, the hairs of upper band purple; nectary gland 2.5−3.5 mm long, hairless or nearly so, densely bordered with a ring of yellow-fringed scales and hairs converging over gland and obscure it; filaments 9−13.5 mm long, whitish to pale lavender; anthers 10−18.5 mm long .. Calochortus plummerae [pics]
7' Petals 30−40 × 30−39 mm, with creamy white middle band and a purplish red dash at base of each hair and rose lavender to light purple upper band, conspicuously ciliate on outer margin; nectary gland 3.5−4 mm wide, with hairs on gland and around margin of gland, the marginal hairs dense and converging over gland, 2.5−4 mm long, yellow, some forked, ± fused at base in several series, the hairs on gland surface 4−4.8 mm long, thickish, whitish translucent; filaments (8)12−13.5 mm long, whitish and dotted or dashed purplish red at base and tip; anthers ca. 10 mm long .. Calochortus weedii var. intermedius [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013