24 FLORA AND SYLVA, 



botanist seem very nearly related, ever hybridize ; for instance, I have seen tens 

 of thousands of C. luteus, var. citrmus^ and C. venustus^ of the El Dorado strain, 

 intermingling in full bloom, and I have found masses of C. Vesta in flower at 

 the same time as C. venustus, var. citrinus, without finding a single plant that 

 in any way showed hybridization. 



The size of the plants of any species varies greatly according to conditions. 

 In the woodland species the variation in size is the greatest, and the largest 

 factor in this variation is the forest and brush fires, which are periodic in all 

 the woodlands of the West. 



Plants of C. albus, C. Maweanus, or C. elegans, which in the packed 

 soils and shade of the dense growth were slender plants a few inches high and 

 with few flowers, will, in the first year or two succeeding a fire, grow stems 

 8 inches to 2 feet high, with broad leaves a foot or two long, and a dozen or 

 more fine flowers. Doubtless the plentiful supply of potash, the loosening action 

 of fire, and the subduing of other growth, all have a part in causing this trans- 

 formation. The woodland species also vary greatly as to situation. I have 

 observed that all of this class of Calochortus make their finest growth when 

 they grow on rocky ledges in the rich mould which gathers in such spots. 

 Often such a ledge will be the seat of a colony of the finest specimens. 



The plants of the Mariposa sections are more dependent upon the rain- 

 fall than the others, for in the woodlands a slight rainfall may be enough. In 

 a dry season the Mariposas may in a given spot be scattered and small, but let 

 there come a season of abundant rainfall, continuing into the spring months, and 

 the same spots will be glorious gardens of magnificently developed plants. 



In the descriptions which I give I describe the prevalent form of each, 

 and leave out all non-essential characters. 



The Calochorti belong to the Lily family, and 

 have a small ovate bulb, grassy leaves, a branching 

 stem, many flowers the outer divisions of which 

 (sepals) are narrow and greenish, and the inner 

 (petals) broad and coloured. The seed-pod is three- 

 cornered. The inner divisions of the flower have a 

 small pit or gland at their base. 



Section I. 



In this section the plants have a single long shin- 

 ing base leaf : both the flowers and seed-pods are 

 more or less nodding, and the stems are slender and 

 flexuous, and, if branching much, spread laterally. 

 The seed-pod is conspicuously three-cornered, and 

 oblong or elliptical in shape. Nearly all are wood- 

 land plants. 



Group I., Globe Tulips. — These all have glo- 

 bular, pendulous flowers, and are woodland plants. 

 C. albus is found in two forms ; the one best known 

 by the name grows in the Sierra Nevada foothills. 



In it the flowers are long-globular, and after a day 

 or so the petals open out enough to show the inside 

 of the flower ; they are pure white with a purplish 

 base, and are lined with long silky hairs. They are 

 stout and tall. The second variety is found in the 

 coast range of California from San Mateo County 

 south. It is of a lower, more compact habit, with 

 more perfectly globular flowers. The petals are of 

 more substance, and of a pearly white tinted heavily 

 with brown or pink. The flowers never open. The 

 flowers of this form are handsomer, but the plants 

 not so strong. It has never been given a botanical 

 name, but has been catalogued as " The Pearl." 



C. amcsnus. — In the southern portion of the 

 Sierra Nevada C. albus is replaced by a delicate rose- 

 pink form. It is essentially the same in character as 

 the Sierran C. albus. 



C.pulchellus. — The true C.pulchellus was one of 

 the first discovered, as it was collected by Douglas, 

 sent to England, and described and figured in 1835. 



