Considered by some botanists as a distinct species, this mariposa or
“butterfly tulip” is found in the higher mountains of the eastern
Mojave-Colorado Desert and also in the vicinity of the Painted Desert of
northern Arizona. Common in Petrified Forest National Park from May to
July, the bright yellow flowers make an eye-catching display among the
colorful pieces of petrified wood covering the ground. The bulbs can
withstand severe cold, but suffer during winters when there is frequent
freezing and thawing.
_Calochortus nuttalii aureus_ Lily Family
[Illustration: GOLDEN MARIPOSA]