XGunnison's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus gunnisonii)X
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Gunnison's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus gunnisonii), family Liliaceae (Lily)
This plant is so exotic looking one could easily lose themselves in a fantasy of tropical islands while gazing at it. WIKIPEDIA has this on the genus; 'Calochortus is a genus of bulbous plants that includes 70 species from British Columbia to Guatemala and east to Nebraska. Calochortus is the most widely dispersed genus of Liliaceae on the North American Pacific coast. Of these, 28 species are endemic to California. The genus Calochortus includes Mariposas (or Mariposa lilies) with open wedge-shaped petals, Globe lilies and Fairy lanterns with globe-shaped flowers, and Cat's ears and Star tulips with erect pointed petals. The word Calochortus is derived from Greek and means "beautiful grass". Calochortus produce one or more flowers on a stem that arises from the bulb, generally in the spring or early summer. Unlike most other Liliaceae, Calochortus petals differ in size and color from their sepals. Flowers can be white, yellow, pink, purple, bluish, or streaked. The insides of the petals are often highly hairy. These hairs, along with the nectaries, are often used in distinguishing species from each other.' End quote.
Edible: Unfortunately, the (edible) roots of this plant are as sweet as the blossoms look. They were so extensively gathered by Native Americans and early settlers that some species have become rare and/or endangered. The roots are a viable food source, so much so that settlers in Utah survived a famine from 1848-1849 by consuming them. Animals find them appealing as well. Rodents are known to gather and store the bulbs for winter food.
USES: Ethnobotanical information includes: Keres, Western Infusion of plant taken for swellings. Cheyenne Dried, chopped bulbs used as an ingredient for a medicinal mixture. Root put into a horse's mouth before running the animal in a race. Bulbs dried and used as a winter food. Dried bulbs pounded fine and meal boiled into a sweet porridge or mush. Bulbs cooked fresh and used for food. Navajo, Ramah Plant used as a ceremonial medicine. Juice of leaf applied to pimples. Decoction of whole plant taken to ease delivery of placenta. Bulb used as "life medicine." Bulbs eaten raw or gathered in the fall and boiled.
The Mariposa portion of the plant's common name means butterfly in Spanish. It is not hard to imagine this beautiful bloom taking flight. Would that we could go along.
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Plant location: The Moose Visitor Center Nature Trail, Gould Colorado, was where we sighted this lovely bloom. July 31, 2008. Habitat is montane to subalpine, with the plants found in meadows, aspen forests, and shrublands.Plant -
Bloom season: May through July.Foliage -
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