Desert Mariposa Lily

calochortus kennedyi

The Desert Mariposa Lily (Calochortus kennedyi) is a striking perennial wildflower native to the arid desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Rising from deep underground bulbs, this resilient plant braves some of the harshest environments on Earth to produce brilliantly colored flowers. In late spring, its blossoms burst forth in vibrant shades of fiery orange, vermilion, or occasionally yellow, creating a stunning contrast against the muted, sandy soils of its habitat. Historically, the plant held cultural significance for Indigenous peoples, who harvested the bulbs as a valuable food source. Today, it is highly sought after by nature enthusiasts and photographers eager to catch a glimpse of its ephemeral, glowing petals.

生息地: Found in dry, sandy, or rocky soils of desert scrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and open slopes across the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin deserts.

外見

This plant stands between 10 and 50 centimeters tall, featuring a slender, often unbranched stem with narrow, grass-like leaves that tend to wither before blooming. The flowers are cup- or bell-shaped, measuring about 3 to 5 centimeters across, and consist of three large, fan-like petals. These petals are most famously a vivid, intense orange-red, although yellow-petaled varieties exist in certain regions. Inside the base of each petal lies a distinct, dark purple or near-black crescent-shaped blotch, often fringed with small, yellow hairs, which serves as a guide for desert pollinators.

界Plantae門Tracheophyta綱Liliopsida目Liliales科Liliaceae属Calochortus

Desert Mariposa Lily

カテゴリ

植物

レア度

Common

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

スナップ

最初にスナップしよう！

おもしろい事実

In years with little to no winter rain, the lily will completely bypass sprouting, remaining dormant and protected deep within the dry earth for multiple seasons.

Indigenous peoples of the Southwest, including the Paiute and Navajo, traditionally collected the sweet bulbs to eat raw, boiled, or roasted.

The genus name 'Calochortus' is derived from Greek, meaning 'beautiful grass', which perfectly describes the plant's elegant grass-like foliage and stunning blossoms.

特殊能力

The plant can remain completely dormant underground as a bulb during extremely dry years, waiting out droughts until sufficient winter rainfall triggers growth.

It forms vital symbiotic relationships with underground fungi, allowing it to efficiently extract scarce nutrients and moisture from nutrient-poor desert soils.

The distinct, dark ultraviolet-absorbing patches and hairs at the base of the petals act as a visual bullseye to guide native bees directly to its nectar and pollen.

サイズと詳細

長さ: 10-50 cm
寿命: 5-15 年

食性と食事

As a photosynthetic plant, it synthesizes its own energy from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water while absorbing key mineral nutrients from the soil.

主な食物

Sunlight
Carbon Dioxide
Water
Soil Minerals

生態系とのつながり

mutualism

Desert Sweat Bee

Lasioglossum sisymbrii

The Desert Sweat Bee feeds on the nectar and pollen of the Desert Mariposa Lily, acting as its primary pollinator.

eaten by

Botta's Pocket Gopher

Thomomys bottae

Botta's Pocket Gopher digs up and consumes the nutrient-dense underground bulbs of the lily as a key food resource.

mutualism

Sagebrush Checkerspot

Chlosyne acastus

The Sagebrush Checkerspot butterfly visits the brilliant orange flowers to drink nectar, facilitating cross-pollination.

特徴

このオブジェクトにはまだ特徴バッジが割り当てられていません。

別名

まだ別名はありません。

コレクション

テーマが追加されると、このオブジェクトのコレクションがここに表示されます。

安全性

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。

よくある質問

Desert Mariposa Lilyを見分けるには？

Desert Mariposa Lilyを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。

Desert Mariposa Lilyの長さは何ですか？

10-50 cm

Desert Mariposa Lilyの寿命は何ですか？

5-15 年

Desert Mariposa Lilyは何を食べますか？

As a photosynthetic plant, it synthesizes its own energy from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water while absorbing key mineral nutrients from the soil.

Desert Mariposa Lilyは通常どこに生息していますか？

Found in dry, sandy, or rocky soils of desert scrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and open slopes across the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin deserts.