Doubting Mariposa Lily. Calochortus ambiguus, Lily Family ( Liliaceae ), Doubting Mariposa Lily. Also called False Sego Lily, or Calochortus watsonii var. ambiguus. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. A forb/herb, perennial of the Liliaceae family. Native to Arizona, Utah, the extreme southwest of New Mexico, and Sonora, Mexico. It has two inch white, grayish, violet, or pink flowers with 3 petals which are round or crescent-shaped, depressed petal glands, and often dark purplish anthers. The flower remains open for 2 - 3 days, at daylight only, then they become seed capsules. It has linear leaves and upright, branched stems. The similar species vary in the following ways. C. flexuosus has trailing stems, C. gunnisonii has hairier petals, and C. nuttallii has less branched stems and paler anthers. Calochortus ambiguus is fairly closely related to Calochortus gunnisoni, but it is distinguished by its different distribution, obtuse anthers, and a shorter gland. Quick Notes: Height: About 12 - 24 inches. Flowers: Two inch white, grayish, violet, or pink flowers with 3 petals which are round or crescent-shaped, depressed petal glands, and often dark purplish anthers. Inflorescences subumbellate, 1 � 4 - flowered. Flowering Time: April to June. Fruit: Capsules erect, linear-oblong, 3-angled, apex acute. 2 - 5 inches long. The seeds are flat. Leaves: Slender, linear, smooth margined, leaves. With upright, branched stems. It's grass-like basal leaves are about 2 to 3 inches long, with a lengthwise groove. There are usually, only a few smaller stem leaves. The basal leaves wither before the plant blossoms. Found: Native to the USA (AZ, NM, UT). Also found in Mexico in northern Sonora, & parts of northern Chihuahua. Hardiness: USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 �C (-40 �F) USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 �C (-35 �F) USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 �C (-30 �F) USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 �C (-25 �F) USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 �C (-20 �F) USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 �C (-15 �F) USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 �C (-10 �F) USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 �C (-5 �F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 �C (0 �F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 �C (5 �F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F) Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Elevation: 3,600 � 8,860 Feet. Habitat: On rocky open slopes in juniper, pine or oak forests, or in meadows, in clay soils & dry soils. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken May 11, 2009. On General Crook Trail Between Camp Verde & Payson, Arizona.

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