Crag Lily - Echeandia flavescens
Sawyers Peak Trail - August 24, 2014
Black Range, New Mexico
On Monday, August 24, 2024, not far from the Sawyer's Peak trailhead we found several specimens of Torrey's Craglily (a.k.a. Crag Lily and/or Amberlily), Echeandia (Anthericum) flavescens. This species is found in the southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona, parts of southwestern Texas, and throughout most of Mexico. This location is close to the highest elevation that it grows. In Arizona this species is protected with a "salvage restricted" categorization. In general, this is a wide spread species which seems to grow well in a wide variety of habitats. This was the first time I had seen this species.
The flower of this species closes in the afternoon and reopens the following morning. Each of the three petals has a greenish stripe down the middle, as do the three similiar (but more narrow) sepals.