1 White Globe Lily, Fairy Lantern
Calochortus albus
Liliaceae Lily Family
Blooms: April—June
Fragile and luminous, globe lilies gleam from shaded niches in open woods or brush. Only large or long-tongued bees such as bumblebees can access their dangling flowers of three overlapping petals, which protect their pollen from rain and wind. Their slender leaves with parallel veins resemble grass (Calochortus is Greek for “beautiful grass”).
The genus Calochortus originated in the Coast Ranges of California and diversified into dozens of species and four basic shapes: mariposa and star tulips with spread-open petals, cat’s ears with smaller trichomotous (hairy) petals, and egg-shaped globe lilies. Globe Lilies are endemic to the southern two-thirds of California.
2 Tooth Wort, Milk Maids
Cardamine californica var. californica
Brassicaceae Mustard Family
Blooms: February—May
Toothwort overwinters as a rosette of leaves and is one of the first flowers to bloom in moist areas and shady places such as woods and canyon. Small bees, small flies, and butterflies are its pollinators, and it hosts several species of white butterflies.
Some Cardamine have medicinal qualities, but Tooth Wort has nothing to do with the treatment of teeth. Its name comes from a tooth-like projection at the base of its petals.
Flowers of the Mustard Family have four petals that bend back in the form of a cross. Edible Brassicacea include brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, horseradish, and radishes. Some Brassicacea are eaten as salads and greens, though they contain oil that can irritate skin and a peppery sap that can require lengthy cooking and rinsing.
