Calochortus tiburonensis
(Liliaceae)
We think we may know what grows in our backyards. Our native flora continues to present some pleasant surprises. Calochortus tiburonensis was discovered in 1970 and formally described as a species new to science in 1973. The species is now protected in a Nature Conservancy Reserve on Ring Mountain. That this large and oddly colored flower was discovered adjacent to a suburban neighborhood and not in the middle of a rainforest should be a source of inspiration to all who enjoy exploring nearby open spaces for new and unusual species.
DISTRIBUTION: A threatened species restricted to serpentine grassland on Ring Mountain, Marin Co., CA.; 50-150 m.