fredwatsons favoriter

Mariposa lilies growing on open, mountainous grassland near the coast. The soil appears hard packed, silty, clay-like, with some serpentine soil, now covered by mostly non-native grasses. In ancient times this area was a marine terrace.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Clay Mariposa Lily (Calochortus argillosus) Similar in appearance to Butterfly Mariposa Lily (Calochortus venustus) but:

WITHOUT the maroon blotch/spot at outer end of petal.
Nectaries at base of petals are rectangular not square.
Hairs on nectary are long, dark purple-maroon, not short-yellow-hairy like C. venustus.

Calflora C. argillosus in Monterey County: https://www.calflora.org/entry/observ.html?track=m#srch=t&lpcli=t&taxon=Calochortus+argillosus&chk=t&cch=t&cnabh=t&inat=r&cc=MNT

Jepson eFlora: Clay Mariposa Lily (Calochortus argillosus)
"Stem: 40--60 cm, simple, bulblets present. Leaf: basal 20--30 cm, withering; cauline reduced upward. Inflorescence: +- umbel-like; flowers 1--4, erect; bracts 2--8 cm. Flower: perianth bell-shaped; sepals 20--40 mm; petals 20--40 mm, +- rounded, white to purple or pale yellow, central red spot within pale yellow, sparsely hairy; nectary 1 crescent or chevron, not depressed, densely short-hairy; filaments not dilated at base, anthers purple, pink to yellow-white. Fruit: erect, 4--6 cm, lanceolate. Ecology: Hard clay from volcanic or metamorphic rocks; Elevation: < 800 m. Peak bloom: April-June. Note: Flowers highly variable, generally showy."
Jepson eFlora: Clay Mariposa Lily (Calochortus argillosus) https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=76542

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016--not listed
Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015--not listed.
Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019--not listed
Monterey County Wildflowers, Trees & Ferns--not listed

See interesting discussion/comments re the Clay Mariposa Lilly growing in this area by Morgan Stickrod, helianthelsa and others:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/116355161

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49858393
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/6185354

Clay Mariposa Lily (Calochortus argillosus) Native plant, endemic to California, growing on grassy foothills above Toro Creek, on the SE side of Fort Ord. Substrate is decomposing sandstone on a former marine terrace. Last year, there were 100 +- on this knoll, the last week of May, 2021.

Similar in appearance to Butterfly Mariposa Lily (Calochortus venustus) but
1) WITHOUT the maroon blotch/spot at outer end of petal.
2) Nectaries at base of petals are rectangular not square.
3) Hairs on nectary are Long, dark purple-maroon, not short-yellow-hairy like C. venustus.

Jepson eFlora: Clay Mariposa Lily (Calochortus argillosus)
"Stem: 40--60 cm, simple, bulblets present. Leaf: basal 20--30 cm, withering; cauline reduced upward. Inflorescence: +- umbel-like; flowers 1--4, erect; bracts 2--8 cm. Flower: perianth bell-shaped; sepals 20--40 mm; petals 20--40 mm, +- rounded, white to purple or pale yellow, central red spot within pale yellow, sparsely hairy; nectary 1 crescent or chevron, not depressed, densely short-hairy; filaments not dilated at base, anthers purple, pink to yellow-white. Fruit: erect, 4--6 cm, lanceolate. Ecology: Hard clay from volcanic or metamorphic rocks; Elevation: < 800 m. Peak bloom: April-June. Note: Flowers highly variable, generally showy."
https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=76542

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016--not listed
Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015--not listed.
Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019--not listed
Monterey County Wildflowers, Trees & Ferns--not listed

See other interesting discussion/comments re the Clay Mariposa Lilly growing in this area:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49858393
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/6185354

The Mission Cactus in not native to the region, but was brought to Monterey County by Spanish missionaries and settlers. Both the fruit and pads (nopales) are edible. As part of the former Soberanes Ranch, these cactus are widespread in the canyon's dryer south-facing slope.