▁star - t ul ip . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁The ▁flow ering ▁plant ▁is ▁en demic ▁to ▁eastern ▁California , ▁where ▁it ▁is ▁known ▁from ▁several ▁reduced ▁and ▁threatened ▁populations ▁in ▁Mon o ▁and ▁In yo ▁Count ies . ▁It ▁occup ies ▁grass y ▁habit ats ▁in ▁al kal ine ▁Sh ad scale ▁scr ub ▁plant ▁communities , ▁alongside ▁At ri plex ▁and ▁other ▁play a ▁hal oph y te ▁fl ora , ▁primarily ▁in ▁O w ens ▁Valley . ▁ ▁The ▁species ▁is ▁listed ▁as ▁end anger ed , ▁threatened ▁by ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁local ▁ground water . ▁ ▁Description ▁Cal och ort us ▁exc av atus ▁is ▁a ▁per enn ial ▁bul b , ▁growing ▁a ▁sl ender ▁un branch ed ▁stem ▁to ▁about ▁ ▁in ▁maximum ▁height . ▁ ▁The ▁infl ores c ence ▁be ars ▁ 1 ▁to ▁ 6 ▁ere ct ▁bell - sh aped ▁flowers ▁in ▁a ▁close ▁cluster . ▁Each ▁flower ▁has ▁three ▁sep als ▁which ▁lack ▁spot ting , ▁and ▁three ▁white ▁pet als . ▁The ▁pet als ▁may ▁have ▁green ▁strip ing ▁on ▁their ▁outer ▁surfaces ▁and ▁generally ▁have ▁a ▁red - pur ple ▁bl ot ch ▁at ▁the ▁base . ▁The ▁an thers ▁are ▁re dd ish ▁to ▁pur ple . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Sh ad scale ▁scr ub ▁plant ▁community ▁Salt b ush ▁scr ub ▁plant ▁community ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁US DA ▁Pl ants ▁Profile ▁of ▁Cal och ort us ▁exc av atus ▁( In yo ▁County ▁star -