The plant is endemic to northern California, from the east bay (notably in Mount Diablo State Park) and north of the San Francisco Bay Area.[3][4][5][12] It grows in the Northern California Coast Ranges and Klamath Mountains, from 100 metres (330 ft)[2][4]–1,000 metres (3,300 ft)[2]–1,500 metres (4,900 ft)[4] in altitude. It is a common member of the scrub and woodland flora, found on dry slopes in California oak woodland and chaparralhabitats.[2][3]
Soil types vary, from the nearly solid serpentine rock to yellow clay.[4]
Natural habitat is quite wet, with 75 cm or more of rain per year, followed by a dry, hot summer. Winters are cool but not frigid (USDA zones 8-9). The growing season is from midwinter to the April–May–June flowering and seed set. The plant is dormant from mid-June to November.[4]
Calochortus amabilis is a bulbous perennialherb producing an upright, somewhat waxy branching stem to heights between 10 and 50 centimeters.[2] The leaf at the base of the stem is flat, waxy, and narrow in shape, reaching up to 50 centimeters long and not withering away at flowering.[2][13]
The inflorescence bears two or more heavily nodding flowers, each with spreading pointed yellow sepals and brown-speckled yellow petals. The inside of the petals is waxy and coated in small hairs. The fruit is a winged capsule up to three centimeters long containing dark brown seeds.[2][5]
Basal/radical leaves: Basal leaves are shiny,[4]lanceolate-acuminate,[7] narrow,[3] measure 20-[2] 25-[7] 50 cm[2][3] in length, and are persistent[2][4] through the bloom and early fruiting stage.[4]
Inflorescences: Nodding,[2][3][7] pendent[4] flowers are borne in groups of 2-many,[2] hanging in open branched clusters.[3] Bracts are lanceolate, and measure 2–10 cm in length.[2]
Flowers: Flowers measure about 2.5-[3][4] 4 cm[4] in length and are borne from April–June.[2][3]
Perianth: Perianth is spheric and is either neatly closed at the tip[2] or has petals that overlap slightly at the tip.[2][7]
Sepals: Three[3][7] conspicuous[5] ovate[2] to lanceolate,[2][3] spreading sepals, are deeply appressed at the base to the petals.[4] Sepals are often tinged green[4][5] or red,[4] and measure 1.5-[2] 2 cm[2][3] long. Sepals are held horizontally to slightly descending.[4]
Petals: Three[3][7] ovate [7] or widely lanceolate[2] petals with a short claw and obtuse apex[7] are deeply[2][3] to brightly[4] yellow, sometimes tinged green[4][5] with abaxial brown spots [2] and are glabrous,[2][7] except for the margins, which are densely ciliate (having a fringe of hairs),[2][3][7][4] Petals are slightly longer than sepals[3] and measure 1.6-[2] 2 cm long.[2][3]
Nectary: Crescent-shaped[2][5][3][4] to almost rectangular,[4] depressed,[2][4] (forming a knoblike structure on the outside of each petal)[4] with several transverse, fringed membranes with white or yellow glandular hairs measuring 1/3-2/3 of the width of the petals.[2]
The bulbs of Calochortus amabilis are a traditional food of the Kashaya Pomo of California, who bake or boil the bulbs, which are then eaten like baked or boiled potatoes.[8][14] They are a beloved food of the Pomo, locally referred to as "bo".[7]
Hardiness: Hardy,[4][5] particularly if well mulched. In cold areas, it can be grown in an alpine house or an unheated glasshouse.[4]
Light : Prefers sun[6] to partial[4][6] or full shade.[4]
Soil: Adaptable, but prefers well-drained soil.[6] Prefers a humus-rich, water-retentive medium with up to two thirds organic matter and one third sand, gravel, or grit.[4]
Water: Drought tolerant to moderate.[6] In the wild, the plant grows in areas with more than 2.5 cm of rain per week during the growing season. If grown in pots, plants should get 2.2-3.8 cm of water per week, since containers typically dry out more quickly. Complete dryness is needed for the dormant season; some growers dig the bulbs up for the summer to prevent premature autumn growth or bulb rot.[4]
Propagation: Sow seed as soon as ripe.[5] Seeds require no treatment to aid germination.[10]
Amabilis means 'pleasing', 'likeable', or 'lovely'. Calochortus is derived from Greek meaning 'beautiful grass', a reference to the characteristic grass-like foliage of the genus.[15] The full name translates literally to 'lovable, beautiful grass'.[3][15]
The common name "Diogenes' Lantern" is a reference to the Greek philosopher Diogenes, who famously carried a lantern around in broad daylight, claiming he was "looking for a man" (implying that none of the beings he saw around him qualified; sometimes quoted as "looking for an honest man").[16]
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabSpellenberg, Richard, Professor Emeritus of Biology, New Mexico State University, National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers: Western Region, copyright 2001 by Chanticleer Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Published in the US by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. ISBN0375402330 pp 576
^ abcdefghijklmBrickell, Christopher "The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z of Garden Plants (Volume 1: A-J)", 3rd ed. Copyright 1996, 2003, 2008 Dorling Kindersley Ltd., London. ISBN9781405332965 pp 213-214
^ abcdefghCarol Bornstein, David Fross, Bart O'Brien 2007. "California Native Plants for the Garden". Cachuma Press. ISBN0962850586 (paperback) ISBN0962850594 (hardcover). pp 212
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvParsons, Mary Elizabeth "The Wild Flowers of California", illustrated by Margaret Warriner Buck. Published by Cunningham, Curtiss & Welch, San Francisco 1912. Copyright William Doxey 1897, copyright Mary Elizabeth Parsons 1902, 1906. (no ISBN for this edition) pp 148-149
^ abcMoerman, Daniel E. "Native American Food Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary", first ed. Copyright Timber Press, Inc. 2010. ISBN9781604691894 (hardcover). pp 67
^ abHowell, John Thomas. "Marin Flora: Manual of Flowering Plants and Ferns of Marin County, California", second edition. Copyright 1949, 1970, 1985, University of California Press. ISBN0520056213 pp 106
^ abcEmery, Dara E. "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants", 6th edition (printed 2011). Copyright 1988 Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. ISBN0916436039. pp 43
