Clay mariposa lily facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clay mariposa lily
Scientific classification
Genus:	Calochortus
Species:	argillosus

The Calochortus argillosus is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the lily family. People often call it the clay mariposa lily.

This special plant only grows in one place: the coastal central California area. You can find it in the local mountains, especially where the soil is hard clay.

Description

The Calochortus argillosus is a type of perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years and has soft, green stems, not woody ones like a tree. Its stem grows straight up, without any branches, reaching about 40 to 60 centimeters (16 to 24 inches) tall.

At the bottom of the stem, there's a long, narrow leaf. This leaf can be up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) long. It usually dries up and disappears when the plant starts to flower.

The plant produces 1 to 4 flowers on its stem. These flowers are shaped like bells and stand upright. Each flower has three sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. It also has three petals, which are the colorful parts of the flower. The petals can be up to 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) long. They are usually round and can be white or pink. Often, they have a colorful spot or streaks of red, purple, and yellow in the middle.

After the flower blooms, it forms a fruit. This fruit is a narrow capsule that can be up to 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) long. It holds the plant's seeds.