OALLUNA 



CALOCHORTUS 



219 



small shrub, well adapted for borders of evergreen 

 shrubberies, or for dry slopes and sandy banks and 

 preferring sunny positions ; it is also found growing 

 well in swamps and in partly shaded situations. Cut 

 branches keep their life-like appearance for many 

 """it^^- Alfred Rehdee. 



CALOCHORTUS (Greek for beautiful and grass}. 

 Lili&eecB, tribe Tulipece. West American cormous 

 plants, the occidental representatives of Tulipa. St. 

 usually branched, and from a coated corm, more or less 

 leafy : perianth of unequal segments, the outer ones the 

 smaller and more or less sepal-like, the 3 inner ones 

 large and showy and bearing glands and hairs ; stigmas 

 3, sessile and recurved ; stamens 6 ; fls. showy, shal- 

 low-cupped on the inner segments, arching. Nearly all 

 the species are in cult. Monogr. by J. G. Baker, Journ. 

 Linn. Soc. 14; 302-310 (1875) ; and by S. Watson, Proc. 

 Amer. Acad. Arts and Sci. 14:262-268 (1879). See also 

 Colochorti in the Sierra Nevada, by George Hansen, 

 Erythea, 7: 13-15; A. Davidson, Erythea, 2: 1-2, 27-30. 



L. H. B. 



Calochortuses are natives of western North America. 

 One or two extend into British America, and a few, be- 

 longing to a peculiar group, are found in Mexico ; the 

 remainder are natives of the United States, from Ne- 

 braska to the Pacific ocean. While the generic charac- 

 teristics are unmistakable, the species and even varie- 

 ties have the most variable tastes as to soil, exposure 

 and climate. The Colorado desert and the summits of 

 the Sierra Nevada, the heavy clay lands of Californian 

 valleys, the volcanic soils of the foothills and the mead- 

 ows of the Northwest, each has its own representa- 

 tives of this beautiful tribe. The character of the genus 

 can be treated better under the various groups. Nearly 

 every known species is in cultivation to some extent. 

 Some are readily grown, others present considerable 

 cultural difficulties ; but while there are some which 

 will probably always be difBcult to cultivate, there are 

 many species— and the number includes the very best— 

 which can be successfully grown by any one who is 

 willing to give a little special care to their culture; and 

 there are a few which possess such vigor and hardiness 

 as to be adapted to extensive cultivation. All Calo- 

 chortuses are hardy in the sense of withstanding ex- 

 treme cold, but they will not withstand alternate thaw- 

 ing and freezing nearly so well ; and thus we have the 

 paradox of their going safely through severe eastern or 

 European winters and suffering the loss of foliage in 

 mild ones. They should be planted in the fall, and it is 

 better to plant late, so that leaf growth is delayed until 

 spring. Diverse as are their natural habitats, one soil 

 will answer the needs of all. In my own experience, a 

 light loam, made lighter with sand or sawdust, powdered 

 charcoal, or spent tan-bark, is best. My very best re- 

 sults have been with a mixture of equal parts of a good 

 light loam and spent tan-bark, with a little broken char- 

 coal. Wallace, one of the most successful English 

 growers, recommends making a bed sloping to the 

 ' south, composed of leaf -mold and road grit in equal 

 parts, with a smaller proportion of sharp sand. The 

 idea is a light, porous, not too stimulating soil, with 

 perfect drainage. Wallace recommends covering the 

 beds with reeds to throw off the heavy rains. I accom- 

 plish the same end by such thorough drainage that the 

 rains pass through quickly. It is better to lift the 

 bulbs as soon as they ripen, and replant in the fall. 

 Water sparingly at all times. They take well to pot cul- 

 ture with similar soils and treatment. While not to be 

 forced rapidly, they considerably anticipate their out-of- 

 door season. The same treatment can be used in cold- 

 frame culture, but do not coddle them too much. Under 

 suitable conditions they are really very hardy and tena- 

 cious of life, but excessive moisture, either in air or 

 ground, is not to their liking after the flowering season 

 arrives. Theoretically, all Calochortuses of Section A 

 (Star Tulips) should have shade, and all Mariposas (AA) 

 sunshine ; but I find that the light shade of the lath-house 

 . suits all alike, giving much finer bloom in the Mariposas. 

 The flowering season extends over three months, accord- 

 ing to species. Carl Purdt. 



Index: albus. No. 1 ; amoenus, 1, 6 ; apiculatus, 8 ; 

 atroviolaceus, 25 ; aureus, 22 ; Benthami, 4 ; cseruleus. 



5; CatalinsB, 28; citrinus, 17, 21; clavatus, 23; eoncolor, 

 21 ; elegans, 6 ; flexuosus, 26 ; Greenei, 14 ; Gunnisoni, 

 31 ; Howellii, 16 ; Kennedyi, 20 ; Leichtlinii, 30 : lilaci- 

 nus, 10 ; Lobbii, 6 ; longebarbatus, 15 ; luteus, 21 i 

 Lyallii, 6 ; maorocarpus, 32 ; Maweanus, 3 ; nanus, 6 ; 

 nitidus, 13 ; nudus, 12 ; Nuttallii, 29 ; Obispoensis, 19 ; 

 oculatus, 21 ; Palmeri, 27 ; paniculatus, 1 ; pictus, 24 ; 

 Plummerse, 18 ; pulchellus,2; Purdyi,9; purpurascens, 

 24 ; roseus, 3, 24 ; ruber, 25 ; sanguineus, 24 ; splen- 

 dens, 25 ; sulphurous, 24 ; Tolmiei, 7 ; uniflorus, 11 ; 

 venustus, 24 ; Vesta, 24 ; Weedii, 17. 



A. Star Tumps.— -BZossoms or fruit more or less nod- 

 cling : inner perianth segments strongly arched. 



B. Fls. subglobose, nodding: st. usually tall and 



branching. Globe Tulips.— These have a single 

 long and narrow shining leaf from the base, and 

 slender, flexuous, leafy stems, the perfection of 

 grace in outline. The flowers are exquisite in deli- 

 cacy of tints. Woodland plants. 

 1. dlbuB, Dougl. Fig.321. Strong, 1 ft. high : fls. globu- 

 lar, pendent, 1 in. across, of a satiny texture, delicately 

 fringed with hairs. Calif. B.R. 1661. P.S. 11: 1171.- 

 Chaste and delicate. 



321. Calochortus albus (X M). 



Var. paniculfltus, Baker. Lower : Ivs. narrower, fls. 

 smaller. 



Var. amoenus, Hort. Like C. albus, but rosy colored. 

 Cent. Calif. 



2. pulch^Uus, Dougl. Similar, but fls. flatter, of pure 

 yellow, the edges of petals with a line of stiff hairs : 

 very handsome. Northwest Calif. B.R. 1662. 



BB. Fls. bell-shaped, erect when open, mostly lined 

 with hairs, the pedicels becoming recurved: stem 

 mostly low. and fls. often more or less umbellate. 

 Star Tulips Proper.— Like the Globe Tulip, but 

 smaller as a rule, and the fls. dainty open cups. 

 All of the species resemble each other, and were 

 first included under C. elegans. 



3. Maweinus, Leichtl. Plant low (4-10 in.), usu- 

 ally branched : fls. white, purplish at the base, filled 

 with silky hairs, the gland covered by a broad semi- 

 circular scale : capsule long-elliptic. Calif. N. B.M. 

 5976 as 0. el pg an s.—Ya.iia.hle. Var. mijor, Hort. Pig. 

 322. Twice as large in all its parts. Var. rdseuB, Hort. 

 Pis. tinged rose. 



4. Bfenthami, Baker. Resembles C. pulchellus : sts. 

 low : Ivs. narrow: fls. nearly erect, yellow, the segments 

 K in. long and brown at the base. Sierra Nevadas, in 

 Calif. J.H. III. 30; 549. 



