Red mariposa lily is an erect, simple-stemmed perennial growing to 8" tall.  The lower leaves are glaucous, linear, 4-8" long and generally withering by the time of blooming.  The upper leaves are reduced.  The three sepals are ovate to 1" long, the three petals are obovate, twice as long, and scarlet to orange forming a campanulate perianth.  Each petal has a dark gland called a nectary at the base, densely covered by short hairs.  Red or Kennedy's mariposa prefers heavy clay soils of open to brushy desert flats from 2000' to 6500' in creosote bush scrub, joshua tree woodland and pinyon-juniper woodland.  It ranges from Inyo Co. south to San Bernardino Co., and blooms from April to June. These pictures were taken on the pebble plains of Big Bear Valley and near on the base of the north slope of the San Gabriel Mts near Pearblossom.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Calochortus 2) kennedyi.
Pronunciation: kal-oh-KOR-tus KEN-ed-ee-eye.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.