CALOCHORTI IN THE SIERRA NEVADA. 15 



twelve flowers on one stalk, Calochortus albus Dougl. is the mos* 

 noble. It is fitly termed " Snowdrop " by the population here- 

 abouts in Amador County. Our florists should take up its culture, 

 and they may be assured that the most desirable companion for 

 orchids in any combination is represented in this very Calochortus. 

 Its wliite is glossy, transparent, and oftentimes tinged with a deli- 

 cate pink shining through from the internal coloring of the petals, 

 which are entirely closed. The thick, fleshy hairs possess the pink 

 pigment also, and add greatly to the beauty of the flowers. Strong 

 bulbs will send up spikes fourteen inches high, and the single green 

 leaf at the base reaches a length of twelve inches by a width of one 

 inch. C. albus occurs from 1,500 to 2,500 feet elevation, and seems 

 to prefer more sheltered hillsides, at times even deep shady under- 

 growth of pines. 



Calochortus Benthami Baker is dwarfish in its habit. Its leaf of 

 bluish-green color reaches greater development than the flower 

 stalk, being at times as long as twelve inches, whereas the flowers 

 hang over on a stalk barely five inches high. The flowers are open, 

 thickly set with fleshy hairs, which caused the name of "Cat's- 

 ears " to be applied to them. Greenish yellow on the outside, the 

 inner coloring of the petals is a rich sulphur yellow. Most of the 

 flowers have a brown spot at the base of the petals, which at times 

 is very large and deep in color. 



This C. Benthami grows from 1,500 up to 4,500 feet elevation, 

 keeping, therefore, company with the true Mariposa Lily, C. venusttis, 

 but it flowers at a difterent time, being one of the first blooms in 

 spring. As C. albus is the next to open, it is plain that no hybrid, 

 between C. Benthami and C. venustus could occur, Avhereas the 

 hybrid C. albus x Benthami has been found by me at diflferent occa- 

 sions. It is rare, though, and of a most beautiful pale sulphur 

 yellow, well worthy of being produced in an artificial way by our 

 horticulturists. 



The lavender-colored Calochortus coeruleus Wats, is the companion 

 of the Mariposa Lily C. LeichtUnii. It has the habit of G. Ben- 

 thamii, and grows under the shelter of the giant pines, peeping out 

 from under the thick layer of pine needles. It is not found till an 

 elevation of 5,000 feet is reached, but there it abounds by thousands, 

 covering the ground with its tiny bells of lavender and white. 



