Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Robert]

Robert, please beware of the marijuana growers. We need you and hope for more
interesting pictures of your native plants in their natural habitats.
Many thanks for everything!

Yes, I will be safe! The higher elevations are safe to hike as well as most of the lower elevations. Many places in the lower elevations are private property, and off limits. Fortunately, we have some nice state parks at lower elevations that are safe and still have wild areas to explore around. There is plenty of safe areas to keep me busy and stay out of harms way. 

[Ed Alverson]

(Attachment Link)
One last photograph, a group of Dryopteris arguta growing in the shade of Bigleaf Maples, Acer macrophylla. Today, I came across 5 species of fern, the others were Adiantum jordanii, Pentagramma triangularis, Polypodium calirhiza, and Asidotis densa.

Hi Robert, it is great that you are featuring ferns here. Followers of this thread in Europe and elsewhere may be interested to know that Dryopteris arguta is related to the European D. rigida (and the eastern NA D. marginalis); Adiantum jordanii is related to A. capillus-veneris, and Polypodium calirhiza is related to P. vulgare. The two polypodiums are cousins, of a sort; both are allopolyploids that combine the genes of two diploid species. In the case of P. calirhiza, the two parental species are P. glycyrrhiza and P. californicum (both species restricted to western North America), and in P. vulgare the two parental species are P. glycyrrhiza and P. sibiricum (the latter coming from northern North America and eastern Asia).

I have a couple of plants of the natural hybrid, Adiantum x tracyi, which is jordanii x aleuticum. My understanding is that A. jordanii is considered difficult to grow outside of California's Mediterranean climate, but the hybrid x tracyi is similar (though more robust) and much more amenable to cultivation. Possibly strains of A. jordanii from the upper elevation or northern geographic limits of its range may be more suited to temperate gardens but I doubt anyone has yet tested this idea.

Ed

[Hoy]

Hi Ed,
I would gladly test any fern here in my climate

[Robert]

Possibly strains of A. jordanii from the upper elevation or northern geographic limits of its range may be more suited to temperate gardens but I doubt anyone has yet tested this idea.

Ed

Greetings Ed,

Thanks for the technical information.

It is quite possible many west side (Sierra Nevada) "California" plants may be amenable to garden culture in seemingly less than ideal climates. I have recently been studying a flora of the state of Nevada. It is surprising to see that some low elevation California species also grow in Nevada. One thing that I'm always on the look out for, are species growing at the extreme end of their range or where they were previously thought not to grow. Climatically there is something of interest around our parts during all the seasons.

[Tim Ingram]

We grow Polypodium scouleri in the garden, which I read in Sue Olsen's superb book is a coastal species (and needs coolth and shade, so rather different to the more xerophytic ferns). It does sound as though the higher altitude Californian ferns would be well worth a trial in the garden. I must learn more about them now seeing Robert's pictures and Ed's comments. We grow Asplenium ceterach and A. trichomanes very successfully in the sand bed. (Trond - I don't think ferns suffer so badly from the depredations of slugs, they could be good in a Norweigan garden )

[Ed Alverson]

We grow Polypodium scouleri in the garden, which I read in Sue Olsen's superb book is a coastal species

Getting a bit off-topic here, but yes, Polypodium scouleri is an amazing tropical-like fern that is adapted to moderate temperate climates. It only grows in coastal forests of Picea sitchensis or Sequoia sempervirens, either as an epiphyte or on rock outcrops or soil banks. With age, the epiphytic clumps, in particular, can become enormous, reminiscent of epiphytic gardens in tropical cloud forests. Here is the abstract from a paper on the topic published in the American Journal of Botany in 2003:

Redwood forests contain some of the largest and most structurally complex trees on Earth. The most abundant vascular epiphyte in
these forests is the fern Polypodium scouleri (Polypodiaceae). We measured dimensions of all 765 P. scouleri mats on 32 trees (27
Sequoia sempervirens, 5 Picea sitchensis). Eighteen P. scouleri mats from 11 trees were randomly selected for removal and dissection
in the laboratory. The total fern mat mass consisted of live fronds (3.3%), dead fronds (2.4%), live rhizomes (4.2%), dead rhizomes
(8.9%), roots (34.4%), humus (28.0%), and debris (18.8%). We used multiple regression analysis to develop equations for estimation
of fern masses, and we applied these equations to undisturbed fern mats on the 32 trees. Individual trees supported up to 742 kg dry
mass of P. scouleri mats. These are the highest whole-tree epiphyte masses ever reported. We also quantified crown structure and
counted the number of vascular plant species occurring as epiphytes on each tree. Very large, complex trees had more fern mat mass
and higher vascular epiphyte species richness than smaller, simpler trees. Desiccation-sensitive organisms dependent on water stored
in fern mats may be unable to survive in managed redwood forests lacking large, complex trees with abundant P. scouleri.

[Ed Alverson]

Hi Ed,
I would gladly test any fern here in my climate

Casa Flora (a wholesale producer in the US) has put Adiantum x tracyi into tissue culture: http://www.casaflora.com/plant/tracys-maidenhair/. So it should be readily available in the US, perhaps they could also export to Europe.

[Tim Ingram]

I could wish I had the redwoods to go with it! Reading that I know see that we don't have those coastal fogs that P. scouleri really needs, even if it does grow in the garden moderately well. The higher altitude ferns that Robert shows are more likely to grow successfully, and certainly in pots as we have grown Cheilanthes.

[Robert]

I could wish I had the redwoods to go with it! Reading that I know see that we don't have those coastal fogs that P. scouleri really needs, even if it does grow in the garden moderately well. The higher altitude ferns that Robert shows are more likely to grow successfully, and certainly in pots as we have grown Cheilanthes.

In California, there is an interesting transition zones between the coastal redwood forest and the hot interior. Most of the time this zone is at the summit crest of the first mountain ridges in the coastal range, however where coastal rivers cut through the coast range this transition zone is larger and not as abrupt as on the mountain crest. When my uncle was alive I had access to Mount Tamalpais through some little known back trails very near to his home. Much of the coastal area seems well explored, but I sure wish that I had that access to those trails now. At least, I learned that there were coastal plant species that spilled over into a warmer environment. Certainly it appears that there are possibilities that there could be coastal plant communities that possess greater heat tolerance than those well within the summer fog belt.

[Robert]

18 December 2014

Weather: High Clouds

High:53F (11.5c)  Low:39F (3.5c)



Today, I thought that I would give the North Fork of the American River a try. The North Fork and the Middle Fork of the American River converge at 595 ft (182 meters), where the trailhead begins. For the first 2 to 3 miles the North Fork runs north-south then turns to the east. Today, I scouted the east facing west bank. When the river turned to the east, I would be on the south facing bank, a different exposure than last weeks outing.



At the beginning the trail is as wide as a one lane dirt road (basically that is what it is). The cut faces were full of ferns. Polypodium calirhiza (pictured) and Pentagramma triangularis were the predominant ferns.



A terrible photograph, but seeing is believing, Ranunuculus californicus or R. canus in bloom. Very unusual for this time of year!



At first I thought that I might not find much as I worked my way up stream, now on a path.



As usual, once I start getting off the beaten path the plants start getting interesting.

Pellaea andromedifolia, Coffee Fern, one of the Cliff-brake Ferns. They generally grow in very dry locations. I found them both in somewhat sunny locations as well as shaded locations, always where it would be very dry during the summer.

[Robert]

I do my best to keep an eye on everything. I found this Phacelia cicutaria in the grass (upper, center), something to look forward to this spring.



Bulbs were sprouting everywhere. I found the dry remains of Calochortus, Erythronium, and much more. I will be back in the spring.



I also found these Ranunculus that were extremely interesting. I am still uncertain who they are.



On shady cliff faces were many Dudleyia cymosa.



I crossed several feeder creeks on my way up river. I was really hoping that I would find Woodwardia ferns.

[Robert]

As usual I ended up on a game trail, then no trail. Out of time it was time to turn back.



I took a different route back and found Woodwardia fimbriata by one of the feeder streams.



Here is another look. They can get somewhat large, 1 x 1 meter would be, maybe, average size, and always water lovers, growing near creeks or springs.



A close-up, and then back down to the truck waiting for me. It would be dark soon and I was not interested in being out in the dark.

[Tim Ingram]

I can only imagine what those dudleyas look like in flower! Very enjoyable following your walk and I learn something new every time. We have grown Woodwardia unigemmata successfully for many years, even through one exceptionally dry summer, which surprised me greatly. I have just planted W. fimbriata under the apples with many other ferns. No stream nearby but I hope it might show similar tolerance to drier summers. Species of dryopteris and polystichum all do very well and they add a great deal to the garden.

[Hoy]

Casa Flora (a wholesale producer in the US) has put Adiantum x tracyi into tissue culture: http://www.casaflora.com/plant/tracys-maidenhair/. So it should be readily available in the US, perhaps they could also export to Europe.

Thanks for the link, Ed but I think they only do wholesale.

[Hoy]

I  imagine that I am following in your steps, Robert, seeing what you see!

Interesting details, what lacks is the smells and sounds that always are accompanying you at a walk like that!