Star Lily -or- Common Star Lily -or- Starlily -or- Sand Lily -or- Mountain Star-lily (Leucocrinum montanum), family Liliaceae (Lilly)
This beautiful flower was found in the dry, arid setting of the Pawnee National Grasslands making this a pleasant refreshing find! While so many plant genus include great numbers of species, this particular specimen is the ONLY member. Native to North America, it is a perennial. Alternate names are Sand lily, Mountain lily, Wild tuberose, Star of Bethlehem. USES:
The roots of star lily were reportedly used for food by the Crow Indians. The Paiute and Shoshoni Indians used a poultice of the pulverized roots and applied it to sores and swellings. This information comes from Plant-Life.org.
FunFact: A most interesting fact from Wikipedia is about the life habit of the plant. In a way it can be said to hybernate!
By midsummer the plant disappears from view and goes dormant through the hottest part of the season. The plants have fleshy roots instead of bulbs. Flower
Plant location: Seen on a hike in the Pawnee National Grasslands - Pawnee Butte, Trail #840 on May 26, 2008 and again on Hwy 36 East about 5 miles from Estes Park on May 7, 2009. The plant view is from the more recent date.
Plant
Bloom season: starts in early spring to early summer - May through June.
Foliage
Star Lily -or- Common Star Lily -or- Starlily -or- Sand Lily -or- Mountain Star-lily (Leucocrinum montanum), family Liliaceae (Lilly)
USES:
The roots of star lily were reportedly used for food by the Crow Indians. The Paiute and Shoshoni Indians used a poultice of the pulverized roots and applied it to sores and swellings. This information comes from Plant-Life.org.
Flower 
Plant location: Seen on a hike in the Pawnee National Grasslands - Pawnee Butte, Trail #840 on May 26, 2008 and again on Hwy 36 East about 5 miles from Estes Park on May 7, 2009. The plant view is from the more recent date.
Plant 
Bloom season: starts in early spring to early summer - May through June.
Foliage