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Desert mariposa lily (Calochortus kennedyi)        Images © Mark A. Chappell

Mariposa lilies in the genus Calochortus are among my favorite western wildflowers.   They occur in a variety of colors and shapes, and this species, C. kennedyi, the desert mariposa lily, is one of the most spectacular.   These bright red-orange flowers were growing near Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County, California, during the reasonably wet spring of 2008.   In other areas, this plant produces yellow flowers.   A close relative, Calochortus palmeri, was growing nearby.

          More pictures of C. kennedyi are on this page.

  • Canon 1D3, 180 mm Tamron macro lens, fill-in light from Canon ringflash (2008)