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PLANT of the MONTH ~~
MAY, 2008
updated on or about the 1st of each month
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MARIPOSA LILIES
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Mariposa means "butterfly" in Spanish, and the flowers of this plant do bear some resemblance to the winged insect. They are are a few inches in diameter and quite showy, having 3 wedge-shaped petals and sepals, forming a goblet- or bowl-shape. Calochortus means beautiful grass, referring to the long, grasslike leaves, which are not very noticeable and wither somewhat when the plant is blooming. These are perennials which sprout from a bulb, a food source for native people who roasted them in ovens.
The following chart gives some distinguishing characteristics of the Mariposas which are native to our mountains. Catalina, Plummer's and Yellow Mariposas are pictured on this page. Mousing-over the photos will identify which kind it is.
| Common name | Species | Flowers | Bloom Time | Other characteristics |
| Catalina Mariposa Lily | Calochortus catalinae | white tinged with pink or blue, not usually with hairs | March-May | 1 to 2 feet high, fire-follower, one flower per stem, found in grassland and coastal sage scrub |
| Butterfly Mariposa Lily | Calochortus venustus | white with a pink spot on each petal, scattered hairs near the base of the petals | April-July | 1 to 3 feet high, not common, found in grasslands or shaded forested areas |
| Plummer's Mariposa Lily, Pink Mariposa Lily | Calochortus plummerae | pale yellow interior to pink edges, speckled appearance, usually fringed with hair near the base | May-July | 1 to 2 feet high, found in openings in chaparral and on dry, rocky slopes |
| Yellow Mariposa Lily | Calochortus clavatus | bright yellow, usually fringed with hair near the base | April-June | 1 to 3 feet high, fire-follower, up to 5 flowers on a zig-zagging stem, found on dry slopes |
| Splended Mariposa Lily, Lilac Mariposal Lily | Calochortus splendens | deep lilac, with a few hairs at the base | May-June | 1 to 2 feet high, usually several flowers per stem, found on dry slopes |
Contributed by Liz Baumann
ARCHIVES of past Plants of the Month:
April 2008: Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)
March 2008: Shooting Star (Dodecatheon clevelandii)
February 2008: Eucrypta (Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia)
January 2008: Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa, Arctostaphylos glauca)
December 2007: Fire's Impact on Plants of the Santa Monicas - Volume 1
November 2007: California Aster (Lessingia filaginifolia, Corethrogyne filaginifolia)
October 2007: Turkey Mullein (Eremocarpus setigerus)
September 2007: Wild Heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum)
August 2007: California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)
July 2007: Calabazilla (Cucurbita foetidissima)
June 2007: Speckled Clarkia (Clarkia cylindrica)
May 2007: Prickly Poppy (Argemone munita)
April 2007: Wild Cucumber (Marah macrocarpus)
March 2007: Large-Flowered Phacelia (Phacelia grandiflora)
February 2007: Chaparral Currant (Ribes malvaceum)
January 2007: Tree Tobacco (Nicotiana glauca)
December 2006: Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
November 2006: Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)
October 2006: Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)
September 2006: Vinegar Weed (Trichostema Lanceolatum)
August 2006: Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)
July 2006: Woolly Blue Curls (Trichostema lanatum)
June 2006: Yucca (Yucca whipplei)
May 2006: Monkey Flower (Mimulus Species)
April 2006: Lupine (Lupinus Species)
March 2006: Ceanothus (Ceanothus Species)
February 2006: Wild Peony (Paeonia californica)
January 2006: Purple Nightshade (Solanum xanti)
December 2005: Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
REFERENCES:
Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains, by Milt McAuley -
link to Amazon.com
Flowering Plants: The Santa Monica Mountains, Coastal and Chaparral Regions of Southern California, by Nancy Dale -
link to Amazon.com
Roadside Plants of Southern California, by Thomas J. Belzer -
link to Amazon.com
California Native Plants for the Garden, by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien -
link to Amazon.com
California Herbal Remedies, by LoLo Westrich -
link to Amazon.com