Limited in its range to the desertlands of southern California and
southwestern Arizona, the desertlily or ajo (AH-hoe) resembles a small
easter lily. During dry seasons the plants do not bloom, but following
wet winters each deeply-buried bulb sends up a vigorous shoot which may
be from 6 inches to 2 feet tall, with a bud cluster at its tip. The
delicately fragrant flowers may appear in late February, with some tardy
bloomers still in evidence in early May. Bulbs were dug and eaten by
Indians and, because of their flavor, were called ajo (garlic) by the
Spanish pioneers. The town of Ajo and a nearby valley and mountain range
in southwestern Arizona were named for this plant.
_Hesperocallis undulata_ Lily Family
[Illustration: DESERTLILY]