Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to Oregon and northern California, east to Idaho and Montana.
Habitat: Grassy hillsides and open coniferous forests, middle to high elvations in the mountains.
Flowers: May-June
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bees, beetles
Perennial herb from a deep-seated bulb, the slender stem 5-15 cm. tall.
The one leaf flat, 2-10 mm. broad and 5-15 cm. long, tapered at both ends, greatly exceeding the stem in length.
Flowers few, greenish-white, with a purple crescent on each petal above the gland, the sepal with a similar blotch, on slender pedicels that become deflexed in fruit; sepals 3, shorter than the petals, oblong-lanceolate, glabrous; petals 3, broadly oblanceolate, clawed, fringed laterally and bearded above the gland; gland surface naked, but fringed above and below; stamens 6, in 2 series; style short, stigma trifid, persistent.
Capsule elliptic, 3-winged, nodding.
Publication: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 240. 1814.
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var. elegans – elegant cat's ear, northwest mariposa lily
Occurring east of the Cascades crest in the southeastern counties in Washington; southeastern Washington to adjacent northeastern Oregon, east to central Idaho and western Montana.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Calochortus elegans in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Calochortus elegans checklist entry
OregonFlora: Calochortus elegans information
E-Flora BC: Calochortus elegans atlas page
CalPhotos: Calochortus elegans photos
