Gunnison's Mariposa-lily
Calochortus gunnisonii S. Wats.
Family: Liliaceae, Lily
Genus: Calochortus

Description
General: perennial herb, stem erect, 10-30 cm tall, simple,
rarely with a basal bulblet, from deeply buried, fleshy bulbs.
Leaves: about 3-5, grass-like, alternate, clasping stem,
concave-convex, rolled in lengthwise, about 5-10 cm long
and 2-3 mm broad, reduced upwards.
Flowers: erect, white to purple, greenish within, often
with a narrow, sideways purple band on each petal above
the gland and a purple spot below. Sepals 3, similarly
marked, usually much shorter than the petals, lanceolate,
pointed, hairless. Petals 3, 3-4 cm long, obovate, usually
rounded above, densely bearded about the gland with hairs
branched and glandular at tips. Gland depressed, arched
sideways, densely covered with branched processes, the
outermost of which are somewhat united at the base to
form a discontinuous membrane. Anthers lanceolate,
pointed, longer than the filaments. Ovary linear, not winged,
tapering to a persistent 3-parted stigma.
Flowering time: July-August.
Fruits: capsule, linear-oblong, pointed, 3-angled, erect,
2.5-3 cm long. Seeds straw-colored, strongly flattened, with
loose-fitting coats.

Distribution
Grasslands and open coniferous forests, in c. parts of MT.
Also from NM, e. UT, e. AZ and SD.

Edible and Medicinal plant, see below.
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Contents
Identification
English Names Index
Scientific Names Index
Family Index
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Edible Uses:
The bulb of Gunnison's mariposa lily is edible, raw or cooked. One report says that the raw bulb tastes like a raw new potato. It has a crisp nut-like texture and a pleasant flavor when cooked. The bulbs can be dried and ground into a powder for making a sweet porridge, mush etc. They were eaten by many tribes, and were widely used by settlers in Utah when food was scarce. Leaves are edible cooked. It is hard to obtain a sufficient quantity of the leaves since they are small and use of the leaves will weaken the bulbs. The seeds can be ground into a powder. The flower buds are edible raw and can be added to salads.

Medicinal Uses:
A tea of the plant was taken internally by the Acoma and Laguna Indians to treat rheumatic swellings and by the Navajo to ease the delivery of the placenta. Juice of the leaves were applied to pimples.

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