Calochortus elegans

Calochortus elegans is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name elegant Mariposa lily, cat's ear, elegant cat's ears or star tulip.[3][4] It is native to the western United States from northern California to Montana.[2][5]

Calochortus elegans
Calochortus elegans in Klamath Mountains
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Liliales
Family:	Liliaceae
Genus:	Calochortus
Species:	C. elegans
Binomial name
Calochortus elegans Pursh 1813 not Baker 1875
Synonyms[2]
Cyclobothra elegans (Pursh) Benth. Calochortus nanus (Alph.Wood) Piper, syn of var. nanus Calochortus selwayensis H.St.John, syn of var. selwayensis

It is a perennial herb producing a slender, generally unbranched stem up to 15 centimeters in height. The basal leaf is 10 to 20 centimeters long and does not wither at flowering. The inflorescence bears 1 to 7 erect bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three sepals and three petals with very hairy inner surfaces and edges. Each petal is greenish white in color with a purple crescent above a hairless patch at the base. The fruit is a winged capsule about 2 centimeters long.[6]

The bulb is a choice wild root vegetable when eaten cooked, and can be eaten raw to avoid starvation.[7]

Varieties[2]

• Calochortus elegans var. amoenus (Greene) auct.
• Calochortus elegans var. amoenus hort.
• Calochortus elegans var. elegans Pursh - Idaho, Oregon, Washington
• Calochortus elegans var. lobbii Baker
• Calochortus elegans var. major Hook.
• Calochortus elegans var. minor Hook.
• Calochortus elegans var. nanus Alph.Wood - Oregon, northern California
• Calochortus elegans var. oreophilus Ownbey
• Calochortus elegans var. selwayensis (H.St.John) Ownbey - Idaho, Montana
• Calochortus elegans var. subclavatus Baker