Cedars' fairy-lantern facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cedars' fairy-lantern
Scientific classification
Genus:	Calochortus
Species:	raichei

The Cedars' fairy-lantern (scientific name: Calochortus raichei) is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the lily family. This special plant is found only in Sonoma County, California. It grows in a specific area called The Cedars, near Guerneville and Cazadero.

This plant was named after a botanist, Roger Raiche. He first collected it in 1982. Later, in 1987, scientists Farwig and Girard officially described it as a new species.

Where Does It Grow?

This unique plant only grows in certain places. It likes a special type of rock called ultramafic rock. This rock creates a unique soil known as serpentine soil. You can find it near the start of Big Austin and East Austin Creeks. These creeks are part of the Russian River watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a specific river or body of water.

The Cedars' fairy-lantern also grows in other nearby creeks. These include Murray, Devil, Thompson, Morrison, and Gilliam Creeks. It can also be found in Grasshopper, Danfield, Cedar, and House Creeks. These last creeks are part of the Wheatfield Fork of the Gualala River watershed.

What Does It Look Like?

The Cedars' fairy-lantern is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years and has soft, non-woody stems. It grows from a bulb, which is like a small onion. The stem usually stands about 2 to 5 decimeters (about 8 to 20 inches) tall. Sometimes, it can even reach 1 meter (about 3 feet) tall!

The plant has a gray leaf at its base. This leaf can be up to 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) long. It often dries up by the time the plant flowers. There might be smaller leaves higher up on the stem. The whole plant often feels very waxy.

The plant usually has only one or two flowers. These flowers hang downwards. In good growing spots, the plant might have more flowers, from 3 to 12. The flowers are round, with their petal tips touching. They have three sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. These sepals are about 2 centimeters long and are dull tan to greenish. The three petals are about 4 centimeters long and are yellow. Both the sepals and petals change color to orange-bronze as they get older. The inside of the petals is covered with tiny hairs, and the edges are fringed.

After the flower blooms, it forms a fruit. This fruit is an angled capsule. A capsule is a dry fruit that splits open to release seeds. It is about 3 to 5 centimeters long. Inside, it holds dark brown seeds.

Images for kids

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  A close-up of the Cedars' fairy-lantern flower.