This species is the type of the new genus, Calochortus Pursh (Fl. Amer. Sept.: 216. Dec (sero) 1813, from the Greek kalos, beautiful, and chortos, grass). In addition to the generic description, Pursh gives a somewhat expanded species description. The type of this elegant species was gathered near Kamiah in Idaho Co., Idaho, on 17 May 1806. Lewis comments on this day he "is somewhat astonished that the grass and a variety of plants . . . sustain no injury from the snow or frost" (Moulton, 1991: 267). The genus is the type of the family Calochortaceae Dumort. (Anal. Fam. Pl.: 53. 1829). (The Lewis & Clark Herbarium Digital Imagery Study Set, ANSP, 2002) On deposit at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia Collected by:Meriwether Lewis & William Clark Collection date:05/17/1806