Bigpod Mariposa, Big-pod Mariposa Lily, White Mariposa Lily, Wide-fruit Mariposa, Wide-fruited Mariposa, Wing-fruited Mariposa Lily: Calochortus eurycarpus (Synonyms: Calochortus euumbellatus, Calochortus nitidus, Calochortus nitidus var. eurycarpus, Calochortus parviflorus)

Big-pod mariposa lily is a beautiful wildflower with a single erect stem arising to 50 cm tall from a deep seated, tunicated bulb.

A single bract-like leaf is found about midway up the stem. The basal leaf is flat, and may be as much as 30 cm long, and 5-25 mm wide. The venation is parallel, and the leaf has a grass-like shape, although tapering to both ends.

The inflorescence is one to five flowered, with the showy flowers being held erect. The three creamy white petals (they could be a light lavendar too) have a noticeable red-puple blotch at mid petal. The individual petals are obovate to rounded in shape. The sepals are green, ovate to lanceolate in shape, with a pointed tip. The sepals are shorter than the petals.

Although it is a beautiful wildflower, the big-pod mariposa lily should not be dug to bring home. The bulb is found deep underground, there is a great danger of damaging it, and mariposa lilies tend not to survive well in gardens. Instead, leave it alone and enjoy the beauty it adds to nature.

Big-pod marioposa lily is found from the Blue and Wallowa Mts of northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, eastward across central Idaho to southwestern Montana and western Wyoming.

The photo above shows a close-up of a flower of big-pod lily as seen in meadows along Hat Pt. Road near Granny View in the Hells Canyon NRA........June 28, 2007. Note the broad sepals which are shorter than the petals.

This photo shows a close-up view of the inner petal surface of big-pod mariposa lily. Note the slender stamens, tri-lobed stigma, and crescent-shaped, orangish-yellow gland on the lower petal. Photographed along forest road #4304 west of Anatone, WA in the Umatilla N.F........July 6, 2008.

The photo above shows the form of big-pod mariposa lily as photographed along forest road #4304 west of Anatone, WA in the Umatilla N.F.........July 6, 2008.

This photo shows a close-up sideview of a petal and the slender, greenish sepals of big-pod mariposa lily as photographed along forest road #4304 west of Anatone, WA in the Umatilla N.F.........July 6, 2008. The similar Calochortus macrocarpus var. maculosus which is in the region has whiter petals and narrow sepals which are longer than the petals.

The photo at left shows a close-up view of the broad basal leaf of big-pod lily as seen in meadows along Hat Pt. Road near Granny View in the Hells Canyon NRA.........June 28, 2007. The basal leaf of this species is shorter than the floral stem. The photo at center shows the leaf and stem with flower buds developing as seen in vernally moist scablands along Indian Creek, northwest corner of Big Summit Prairie, Ochoco National Forest.......May 27, 2018. The photo at right shows the leaf and stem with flower buds developing as seen in vernally moist scablands along Indian Creek, northwest corner of Big Summit Prairie, Ochoco National Forest.......May 13, 2018.

Dried fruits of bigpod mariposa as seen at the south end of Summit Prairie, Malheur National Forest..........August 10, 2015.

Additional photos of bigpod mariposa as seen along Forest Service Road #1647 in southeastern Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest.........July 18, 2010. The flowers at this site range from white to pink and lavender.

Bigpod mariposa in bloom along Forest Road 66 about a mile or two east of Twin Lakes Campground, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.......July 18, 2019.

Bigpod mariposas blooming in vernally moist swales about 100' west of Big Creek Campground, Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest......July 9, 2023.

The photo at left shows a close-up of a maturing fruit of bigpod mariposa as seen along Forest Service Road #1647 in southeastern Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest.........August 3, 2011. The photo at right shows a mature seed pod of bigpod mariposa as seen along the Lick Creek Trail #1809, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area......August 11, 2018.