(genus Calochortus), tuliplike perennial plants of the lily family (Liliaceae), consisting of about 40 species native to western North America. They have simple or somewhat branched stems, 15 to 130 cm (0.5 foot to 4 feet) tall, rising from corms (bases of modified underground stems) and bearing a few narrow leaves and showy white, yellow, lilac, or bluish flowers, often spotted or marked in the centre. The three large broad petals, 2.5 to 5 cm long, usually bear a conspicuous basal gland.