58 LILY FAMILY 



2. C. nuttallii T. & G. Stems a few inches to V/2 ft. high, 

 longer than the very narrow leaves, with a bulbous swelling 

 at base and bearing usually several large flowers on erect pedi- 

 cels. Petals obovate or wedge-shaped, 1 to V/ 2 in. long, white, 

 tinged with greenish yellow or lilac, a brown or purplish spot 

 or band above the yellow base, this brown eye sometimes 

 entirely surrounded by yellow; gland broadly A-shaped, 

 densely hairy, surrounded by long scattered hairs. 



In the Yosemite meadows, where this Mariposa Lily is 

 rather common, the plants are tall and the flowers beautifully 

 colored, while at higher altitudes they are much dwarfed and 

 the flowers are very pale. This high-mountain form, also 

 known by the anthers, which are deeply notched at base, is 

 sometimes described under the name of C. leichtlinii Hook. 



3. C. venustus Benth. Mariposa Lily. Similar to no. 1 

 but with usually larger and more open flowers, which are 

 mostly very highly colored, the petal-gland oblong and with 

 densely matted hairs. 



This is one of the handsomest of all the Mariposa lilies and 

 is remarkable for the range of its color forms. Along the 

 Wawona Road, near Alder Creek, one form has deep-wine-red 

 petals which are darker toward the middle and are crossed 

 below by a broad yellow band, while on near-by plants the 

 petals are nearly white, with a dark-brown eye. surrounded by 

 yellowish. C. venustus grows also below Crockers, but it does 

 not invade the higher altitudes, where it is replaced by 

 C. nuttallii. 



12. CAMASSIA. 



1. C. quamash Greene. Camas. Flowering stem 1 to 2^ 

 ft. high, from a coated bulb, longer than the grass-like leaves. 

 Flowers blue, in a loose simple terminal raceme, the pedicels 

 % to J4 m - long and jointed at the summit. Perianth Ya, to 

 1 in. long; segments not united, 3-nerved. Stamens 6, on the 

 base of the perianth. Capsule 3-lobed. 



The Camas, or Quamash, inhabits boggy meadows, where 

 its blue flowers are very conspicuous above the other plants. 

 The bulbs of a related species were formerly much eaten by the 

 Indians of the Northwest, who prepared them either by boil- 

 ing or by roasting in pits. Much care was exercised to pre- 

 vent the similar but poisonous bulbs of Death Camas from 

 becoming mixed with the mess. In our district the true Camas 

 has been found from Little Yosemite Valley and Eagle Peak 

 to Crockers and Lake Eleanor. 



