About Calochortus superbus Purdy ex Howell
Calochortus superbus is a perennial herb that reaches heights between 40 and 60 centimeters. It produces a single basal leaf up to 30 centimeters long, which withers before the plant flowers. Its inflorescence is a loose cluster holding 1 to 3 upright, bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three sepals and three petals; all of these segments are up to 4 centimeters long, and they have yellow blotches at their bases. There is typically a darker spot inside each yellow blotch, and the base color of the flower segments can range from white to light purple, or it may be solid yellow. After flowering, the plant produces an angled seed capsule that measures 5 or 6 centimeters long. This species closely resembles Calochortus venustus. A key distinguishing feature mentioned is that C. superbus has a squarish nectary, while the nectary of C. luteus is oval to crescent-shaped.
