Calochortus kennedyi (desert mariposa lily) ( )

This striking spring bloomer can be differentiated from other mariposas by its deep orange-red to yellow or vermilion velvety petals, each with a brownish purple spot at the base;. In some places, mariposas are beetle-pollinated. The desert mariposa has clusters of two to four flowers on a stalk rising from a bulb hidden beneath linear, basal leaves. In Arizona, its blossoming is largely limited to April, peaking in mid-month. It is found in many habitats, from desert to grassland and semi-arid woodland vegetation. "Arizona Highways Presents Desert Wildflowers, 1988".