The colors below indicate the kind of documentation available for this species
in the California counties where it occurs.
Kennedy's Mariposa Lily Calochortus kennedyi var. kennedyi (Liliaceae)
Among members of the Lily family, Old World tulips are much loved and grown worldwide. Calochortus, the Mariposa Lily or Mariposa Tulip, is a related group of native bulbous perennial herbs with grass-like leaves. Mariposa Lilies are not as widely known as tulips but they win instant and enthusiastic admiration from all who discover them. Their simple but elegant flowers are adorned with elaborate hairy nectaries at the base of each petal. The shape, position, and bearded adornments of these nectaries are important characters for species identification.
DISTRIBUTION: Heavy or rocky soils in creosote-bush scrub and pinyon-juniper woodland from the Transverse Ranges to the Mojave Desert; 600-2200 m.
