In July 1989 Hugh McDonald started a newsletter entitled Mariposa dedicated to the genus Calochortus available by subscription to other "Calochortus Fanciers". Although as editor he wrote most of the text, he was assisted by his wife Karin Stokkink in layout and had several advisors: Stan Farwig, Vic Girrard, Chuck Baccus, and Bryan Ness. In the introduction to the first issue he described the focus as both botany and horticulture with an emphasis on the latter. Letters from subscribers about their experiences were encouraged. Historical information was to be included and it was planned that each of the four issues a year would focus on a different species. The early issues included copies of black and white drawings followed later by black and white copies of images. Volume 7, number 1 introduced color copies of species. Over the years free seeds were offered when available and sources of bulbs were listed. Comments from readers were often included and trips described. Germination and horticultural tests were reported and pertinent articles from other sources were included. Jim and Georgie Robinett took over as editors starting with Volume 10, July 1998. Georgie continued on her own starting with Volume 12, a double catch up issue number 3-4 after Jim died and she had time again in 2001. Diana Chapman of Telos Rare Bulbs became editor in 2005 with volume 16, number 3. She edited a few more issues after that. Hugh McDonald often wrote articles about Calochortus for many publications, but these newsletters are a treasure trove of detailed information about this genus. It is with his permission along with the permission of Georgie Robinett and Diana Chapman that they are reproduced here. Issues to download are listed below along with the species highlighted in that issue.
Volume 1, No. 1 (July 1989) Introduction
Volume 1, No. 2 (October 1989) Calochortus albus
Volume 1, No. 3 (January 1990) Calochortus elegans
Volume 1, No. 4 (April 1990) Calochortus uniflorus
Volume 2, No. 1 (July 1990) Calochortus eurycarpus
Volume 2, No. 2 (October 1990) Cultivation
Volume 2, No. 3 (January 1991) Calochortus venustus
Volume 2, No. 4 (April 1991) Calochortus macrocarpus
Volume 3, No. 1 (July 1991) Calochortus kennedyi
Volume 3, No. 2 (October 1991) Calochortus ambiguus
Volume 3, No. 3 (January 1992) Calochortus plummerae
Volume 3, No. 4 (April 1992) Calochortus venustulus
Volume 4, No. 1 (July 1992) Calochortus barbatus
Volume 4, No. 2 (October 1992) Calochortus purpureus
Volume 4, No. 3 (January 1993) Excerpt from Adventures with Hardy Bulbs by Louise B. Wilder
Volume 4, No. 4 (April 1993) Calochortus amabilis
Volume 5, No. 1 (July 1993) Calochortus tolmiei
Volume 5, No. 2 (October 1993) Calochortus umbellatus
Volume 5, No. 3 (January 1994) Calochortus longebarbatus
Volume 5, No. 4 (April 1994) discussion of Calochortus in the Liliaceae family
Volume 6, No. 1 (July 1994) Germinations tests, Mariposa section key to Calochortus palmeri
Volume 6, No. 2 (October 1994) Calochortus palmeri
Volume 6, No. 3 (January 1995) Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus
Volume 6, No. 4 (April 1995) Calochortus nuttallii
Volume 7, No. 1 (July 1995) Calochortus gunnisoni
Volume 7, No. 2 (October 1995) Calochortus weedii
Volume 7, No. 3 (January 1996) Calochortus ghiesbreghtii
Volume 7, No. 4 (April 1996) Calochortus nigrescens
Volume 8, No. 1 (July 1996) Calochortus spatulatus
Volume 8, No. 2 (October 1996) Calochortus amoenus
Volume 8, No. 3 (January 1997) Calochortus subalpinus
Volume 8, No. 4 (April 1997) Calochortus minimus
Volume 9, No. 1 (July 1997) Calochortus howellii
Volume 9, No. 2 (October 1997) Part 1 - Phylogenetic Perspective by Tom Patterson, color photos of variations of Calochortus venustus
Volume 9, No. 3 (January 1998) Part 2 - Genetic Approaches to Phylogeny Reconstruction by Tom Patterson, color photos of variations of Calochortus venustus
Volume 9, No. 4 (April 1998) Part 3 - Preliminary Findings by Tom Patterson, color photos of variations of Calochortus venustus
Volume 10, No. 1 (July 1998) Calochortus vestae
Volume 10, No. 2 (October 1998) Calochortus monophyllus
Volume 10, No. 3 (January 1999) Calochortus excavatus
Volume 10, No. 4 (April 1999) Calochortus luteus, Planting Mixes
Volume 11, No. 1 (July 1999) Calochortus superbus
Volume 11, No. 2 (October 1999) Calochortus clavatus
Volume 11, No. 3 (January 2000) Calochortus albus revisited
Volume 11, No. 4 (April 2000) Calochortus syntrophus
Volume 12, No. 1 (July 2000) Calochortus coxii
Volume 12, No. 2 (October 2000) Calochortus weedii var. vestus (now considered a synonym of Calochortus fimbriatus)
Volume 12, Nos. 3-4 (January-April 2001) Calochortus argillosus
Volume 13, No. 1 (July 2001) Calochortus greenei and Calochortus persistens
Volume 13, No. 2 (October 2001) Calochortus coeruleus
Volume 13, No. 3 (January 2002) Calochortus aureus
Volume 13, No. 4 (April 2002) Calochortus catalinae
Volume 14, No. 1 (July 2002) Calochortus obispoensis
Volume 14, No. 2 (October 2002 Calochortus leichtlinii
Volume 14, No. 3 (January 2003) Calochortus tiburonensis
Volume 14, No. 4 (April 2003) DNA studies discussion
Volume 15, No. 1 (July 2003 Calochoruts splendens also discussion of Calochortus davidsonianus considered a synonym by some
Volume 15, No. 2 (October 2003) Calochortus nitidus
Volume 15, No. 3 (January 2004) Calochortus simulans
Volume 15, No. 4 (April 2004) Calochortus nudus
Volume 16, No. 1 (July 2004) Calochortus pulchellus
Volume 16, No. 2 (October 2004) summary of master thesis by Randy K. Zebell re: Calochortus venustus, Calochortus simulans, and Calochortus argillosus, color photos showing forms of Calochortus venustus
Volume 16, No. 3 (January 2005) Calochortus striatus
Volume 16, No 4 (April 2005) Calochortus westonii
Volume 17, No. 1-2 (July-October 2005) Calochortus in the Rock Garden, with brief summaries and small photos of possible species