About Calochortus dunnii Purdy
Calochortus dunnii is a perennial herb that produces a slender, branching stem that can reach up to 60 centimeters in height. Its waxy, channeled basal leaf grows 10 to 20 centimeters long, and it withers when the plant flowers. The inflorescence holds 2 to 6 upright bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three sepals and three white or pinkish petals. The petals can be up to 3 centimeters long; they are spotted with red and yellow near their bases, where patches of yellow hairs are also present. The fruit is a narrow, angled capsule that measures 2 to 3 centimeters long.
This plant is endemic to the Peninsular Ranges. It is native to southern San Diego County, California, United States, and northern Baja California, Mexico. It has only been recorded at a small number of sites, where it grows in chaparral, grassland, and closed-cone coniferous forest habitats. It occurs at elevations between 56 and 558 meters (185 to 1,830 feet) in ranges including the Cuyamaca Mountains and the Laguna Mountains.
