WILDFLOWERS OF NEW MEXICO

No mistaking this flower for a lily with its 1–2 foot tall stems and showy, erect, bright orange flowers. Note the tapering, slightly curled-back petals with dark spots near the base. Though widespread from North Dakota to Maine, this beautiful flower is rare and endangered in NM, CO, and TX.

FLOWERS: June–August. Clusters of 1–3 erect, orange to red-magenta flowers on stem tips; each flower has 6 petal-like tepals,and 6 protruding stamens; tepals 2–3 inches long (5–7.7 cm), pointed, tapering to a narrow base with space between the bases; lower half has dark spots. Pollinated by the wings of swallowtail butterflies.

LEAVES: Alternate on stem but whorls of 4–11 leaves near the top. Blades elliptic to linear, 1 1/8–4-inches (2.9–10.2 cm) long, 1/8–1-inch (0.3–2.3 cm) wide.

HABITAT: Moist sandy soils, steam banks, springs; open mixed-conifer, aspen forests.

ELEVATION: 7,700–10,000 feet.

RANGE: Widespread across northern U. S. from Montana to Maine.

SIMILAR SPECIES: The large, showy, orange flower make this lily unique in NM.

NM COUNTIES: Northern NM and Sacramento mountains in mid- to high-elevation, moist habitats: Los Alamos, Otero, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval.