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Lily Family Yellow Mariposa Lily May-June Open Grasslands |
Liliaceae Calochortus luteus "Beautiful grass, referring to flowers and leaves" "Yellow" |
This plant is much like the white mariposa lily but with yellow flowers. The roots of this plant as well as other mariposa lilies were eaten by the Native Americans. Mariposa is the Spanish word for butterfly. The 1-2"-wide flower stands in the grass on a foot-long stalk.
The yellow mariposa lily is usually in bloom a couple of weeks before the white mariposa lily and it prefers more open grasslands. They can be seen at the south end of Middle Ridge along the Fish Trail, above China Hole at the end of Pine Ridge and east of Jackass Peak.
