Stem 15–60 cm. Leaf blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 2–10 mm wide. Bracts 1–4 cm long. Flowers 1 to 3; sepals yellowish, 15–30 mm long; petals white or purplish, 3–4 cm long; inner surface sparsely hairy with a purple, flattened-hemispheric mark 4–6 mm above the fringed bullet-shaped gland; anthers oblong. Capsule ellipsoid, erect, 2–3 cm long (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Big-pod Mariposa Lily -
Calochortus eurycarpus*Basal Leaf: Flat, broader and usually more than half as long as the stem leaves.
*Anthers: Oblong and blunt at the tip.
*Sepals: yellowish, 15-30 mm long.
*Petals: Outside is white or purplish, 3-4 cm long. Inside is purplish with sparse hairs and at the base a fringed yellow gland; centrally there is a large circular purplish spot.
Baker Mariposa Lily -
Calochortus apiculatus*Basal Leaf: Flat, broader and usually more than half as long as the stem leaves.
*Anthers: Lanceolate (wider from base to below middle and tapering to the tip)
and apiculate (short, sharp tip).
*Sepals: 15-25 mm long.
*Petals: Outside is white, drying yellowish, and serrulate on the margins. Inside the petals are hairy (or strongly bearded), white, and at the base it is yellow with a small (1.5 mm), circular, dark, central gland.
Elegant Mariposa Lily -
Calochortus elegans*Basal Leaf: Flat, broader and usually more than half as long as the stem leaves.
*Sepals: purplish, 10-15 mm long.
*Anthers: Lanceolate (wider from base to below middle and tapering to the tip)
and apiculate (short, sharp tip).
*Petals: Strongly clawed. Outside is white. Inside is purple, surface is hairy (ciliate or densely long bearded), and at the base is darker purple crescent-shaped gland.
The following Mariposa Lilies differ from those above in that their basal leaves are channeled (v-shaped), similar in width to the stem leaves, and often less than half the length of the stem leaves:
Gunnison's Mariposa Lily -
Calochortus gunnisoniiBruneau Mariposa Lily -
Calochortus bruneaunis, SOC
Nuttall's Mariposa Lily -
Calochortus nuttallii Green-band Mariposa Lily -
Calochortus macrocarpusIn addition,
Calochortus eurycarpus is easily distinguished from
Calochortus bruneaunis and
Calochortus nuttallii by the arched, but not circular gland inside the petals and in having broader ovaries and fruits (orbicular to oblong).
Calochortus eurycarpus has broader ovaries and fruits (orbicular to oblong) while
Calochortus gunnisonii has linear ovaries and fruits.
Most often in subalpine meadows. In Montana, this species decends to the valleys. In either case, it prefers open areas and in Montana, it grows in well-drained soil.
