Winding Mariposa Lily - Calochortus flexuosus

 I was taken aback to see this delicate flower from the Lily Family (Liliaceae) gracing a dry, gravelly slope above a road cut. This is winding mariposa lily (Calochortus flexuosus), found in the southwestern U.S. Flower petals range from white to pink and have a band of yellow low on them.

Although I only found a few of these flowers scattered, they can grow in large numbers, as seen on the Southwest Colorado wildflowers page.

Mountain Deathcamas-Zigadenus elegans

This attractive flower growing from an erect stem with mostly basal leaves is mountain deathcamas (Zigadenus elegans). It's part of the Lily Family (Liliaceae) and is found throughout most of North America except the southeast. It grows at higher elevations and flowers from late June to August.
All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested. They contain the alkaloid zygadenine.

For more information about mountain deathcamas, click here.

Starry False Lily of the Valley-Maianthemum stellatum

This is one of my favorite plants, it just looks so elegant and is easy to identify! However, its name keeps changing. I used to know this as False Solomon's Seal, but now the name is Starry False Lily of the Valley. Likewise, the scientific name has changed from Smilacina stellata to Maianthemum stellatum. Keeping up with plants can be hard work!

It's in the Lily Family (Liliaceae), so is a monocot. In this area I only see this plant in moister areas, but in other parts of the U.S. it also grows in forests.

For more information about Starry false lily of the valley (wow, what a mouthful), click here.

Sego Lily-Calochortus nuttallii

This striking white flower is the sego lily (Calochortus nuttallii). Although they bloom at lower elevations earlier in the summer, I saw one in bloom yesterday at about 7,400 feet.

They have three white petals, with yellow and dark red markings at the base. They are perennial and have a bulb that is considered a delicacy by some. Some of the Mormon pioneers ate the bulbs to help avoid starvation, and this flower later became the state flower of Utah.

For more information about the sego lily, click here.

Foothill Deathcamas-Zigadenus paniculatus

We have three different species of deathcamas (Zigadenus) in this area, but foothill deathcamas (Zigadenus paniculatus), also called sand corm, is distinguishable with its bright yellow anthers and frequent appearance in sagebrush areas. It's a member of the Lily Family (Liliaceae), with the narrow leaves providing a clue.

Photo taken 5-19-09. Flower parts are in sixes. This plant is poisonous to both humans and livestock. For more information about foothill deathcamas, click here.

Spotted Fritillary-Fritillaria atropurpurea

As I was walking through a pinyon-juniper woodland, I spotted an indescript flower next to the prickly pear (Opuntia polycantha) cactus. I got down on my knees to get a better look at this member of the Lily Family (Liliaceae).

From below, the flower became much more colorful, with the yellow background color and purple mottling. This is spotted fritillary (Fritillaria atropurpurea). It has many other common names, including purple fritillary, spotted mountainbells, and spotted missionbells. It is found from the Dakotas to California, and the flower is always nodding, so it is easy to miss.

This is a view from about waist high, with a spotted fritillary on each side of the Opuntia. Not the fly on the one on the right side

For more information about spotted fritillary, click here.