''Calochortus ciscoensis'' is a
North American species of flowering plants in the
lily family
The lily family, Liliaceae, consists of about 15 genera and 610 species of flowering plants within the order Liliales. They are monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, often bulbous geophytes. Plants in this family have evolved with a ...
first described for modern science in 2008. It was originally described as only occurring only in eastern
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its ...
(
Uintah,
Duchesne Duchesne is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Joseph Duchesne (c. 1544–1609), French physician and chemist. Physician-in-ordinary to King Henry IV
*André Duchesne (1584–1640), French historian
*François Duchesne (1616–16 ...
, and
Grand Counties) but has since also been found in
Mesa County, Colorado
Mesa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 155,703. The county seat is Grand Junction. The county was named for the many large mesas in the area, including Grand Mesa.
Mesa Count ...
).
''Calochortus ciscoensis'' is a bulb-forming
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
herb
In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...
, each bulb producing several stalks up to 40 cm tall. Flowers range from white to pink. It typically lacks, or has a significantly reduced, chevron as compared to ''Calochortus nuttalli'' with which it is closely allied and may be confused. Unlike ''C. nuttalli,'' it tends to grow in clusters typically with multiple flowers and has long, drooping leaves that are present at the time of flowering, and it grows only at relatively low elevations on harsh substrates.
Utah Rare Plant Guide
link to pdf page with short description plus color photos
References
External links
SEINet, Arizona Chapter, ''Calochortus ciscoensis'' S.L.Welsh & N.D.Atwood
several color photos
ciscoensis
Flora of Utah
Plants described in 2008
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
{{Liliales-stub