2015 - Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Robert]

IRON MOUNTAIN
PART II

I traveled up the mountain to a second stop at 6,408 feet (1,953 meters). I saw many of the same plants including more Delphinium gracilentum and the beautiful dandelion, Agoseris retrorsa, pictured.

The only other new plant seen was Huckleberry Oak, Quercus vaccinifolia.

It was time to quickly move on to a third stop at 7,124 feet (2,171 meters).



Here in a Red Fir (Abies magnifica) forest, spring was just beginning to arrive. I took a short hike up a rocky ridge to 7,226 feet (2,202 meters). Mountain Maple, Acer glabrum var. torreyi were just starting into growth.



Wyethia mollis were poking their heads out of the ground. This one already was advance to the point of having a flower bud. Most were not that far along. This was true for most of the other species in this area too.



It was time to get back to the truck quickly as the storm clouds were beginning to move in quickly. I wanted to see how far up the mountain I could get before the rain or snow started. It was getting cold!

[Robert]

As I drove up the mountain a few sprinkles of rain started. It was 7,447 feet (2,270 meters) time to stop before the rain began to pour down. I check the temperature, 35 F (1.5 C), getting kind of cold.

Near the road there was a steep drop off and cliff face. A spring opened up about half way down. This looked like a good site to check out as quickly as possible.

There were many interesting plants just starting into growth. I was very happy to see blooming plants of Dicentra uniflora (pictured). I was hoping to find Viola sheltonii. V. sheltonii and Dicentra uniflora are often found growing with each other. This will be a great site to check on a little later in the season.

I worked my way up the steep bank quickly as the rain started to pick up.



As soon as I arrived at the truck it started to pour - Snow!

The snow was sticking too. Time to move back down the mountain.

[Robert]

I made one unproductive stop as I moved down the mountain. On 30 April of this year I had explored a ridge top - bald a bit farther down the mountain. This appeared to be out of the path of the current storm. I would give it a try.

I parked the truck at 5,550 feet (1,691 meters) and approached the site from a different route.

Pussy Paws, Calyptridium umbellatum, were in bloom a very common species throughout the Sierra Nevada.



In a small meadow the annual Mimulus bicolor were in bloom. This is a beautiful species that I like to grow in the garden.



With it grew the tiny annual Mimulus torreyi. This was a nice combination.



Moving up through the forest I found a few Calochortus coeruleus in bloom.

[Robert]

At the ridge top, 5,656 feet (1,724 meters), there were many bulbs and other interesting plants in bloom.

Pictured are masses of Allium obtusum var. conspicuum. They were in bloom everywhere.



Viola purpurea was blooming throughout this area too. Their growth had certainly slowed as they were in bloom when I had visited this site on 30 April.



Many Calochortus leichtlinii were blooming. This was a surprise as they generally bloom much later in the season - July at this elevation.



Here and there were the tiny Linanthus ciliatus.



And in shadier locations the annual Nemophila maculata were in bloom. This species was also blooming on the 30 April visit.

[Robert]

On my 30 April visit I had seen Lewisia kelloggii in growth with no flowers or flower buds. Here they were in full flower. What a beautiful sight!



I was very pleased to see them in bloom and with more flower buds to open yet.

I spent some more time looking around to see what I might find before returning to the truck.

I thought that the day was over as I drove down the mountain, however the best was yet to come.

To be continued with part III.

[Hoy]

Thank you again, Robert

When you show the views it could be here but when you show the details it is quite another world!

Here grasses and grass like plants dominate almost everywhere with few and rather small flowering plants here and there.

Apart from the plant species also the habitats look different also. It seems like you have more open soil (gravel) with space between the plants. Here if it was enough soil grass would have dominated or moss and lichen where the soil is shallow even where it is dry summers.

Like this, about 1100m in a summer dry area:

[Maggi Young]

Some of these Californian annuals are completely new to me - like the little  Linanthus ciliatus - what a super wee plant.

[Robert]

Thank you again, Robert

When you show the views it could be here but when you show the details it is quite another world!

Here grasses and grass like plants dominate almost everywhere with few and rather small flowering plants here and there.

Apart from the plant species also the habitats look different also. It seems like you have more open soil (gravel) with space between the plants. Here if it was enough soil grass would have dominated or moss and lichen where the soil is shallow even where it is dry summers.

Like this, about 1100m in a summer dry area:


(Attachment Link)

Trond,

The ecosystems in California have been altered greatly. At the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada invasive Eurasian grasses have taken over huge areas. In the higher elevations logging and cattle grazing have altered the plant communities. In California there are thousands of square miles of highly degraded ecosystems. It is a blessing that there is a considerable amount of inaccessible terrain - unsuitable for logging, grazing, or other forms of development.

The photographs often show rocky, gravelly areas because this is where I find the native plants, especially the less common species. At some point, I think that it might be appropriate to posts photographs of these degraded ecosystems. It is depressing and quite unnecessary, however even here citizens need to be prompted into action to save their home (the planet). Much of the destruction is due to ignorance. So many now do not know how to be stewards of the land they live on. I believe that in most cases their hearts are in the right place, they just do not know anything different.

The farm property was highly degraded first by gold mining, then cattle grazing. When we became owners of the "ranch" the place looked nice, however the plant ecosystem was a mess. Until recently fire control continued the destruction. Now with a different approach to fire control things are starting to change and the native plants are coming back. I have posted a few photographs of the change and have been thinking of post more.

[Robert]

Some of these Californian annuals are completely new to me - like the little  Linanthus ciliatus - what a super wee plant.

Maggi,

Right on!    Many of our native annuals are super wee plants. This is why I use them in the garden. It is very appropriate for our climate. Someday I will be able to get the garden back in order and post photographs of how nice our annuals can look in a garden setting. 5 years ago or so the garden looked good. In the early morning, my wife and I would go out front to enjoy the garden and some herb tea. Too often we would find someone standing in the middle of our garden like a wild deer. Not such a good thing but the garden did attract a lot of attention back then.

Now Iron Mountain part III and more super annuals.

[Robert]

IRON MOUNTAIN
Part III

It was time to leave the ridge top, return to the truck and drive back to the farm. There was still a considerable amount of daylight left so I pulled off the road at Flemming Meadows.

Just one more stop!     



There are a series of meadows in this area (elevation 3,823 feet - 1,165 meters). The cool and rainy weather recently has kept them moist and the plants growing.

The first meadow was full of Trifolium variegatum, one of our attractive Clover species. Sharing the space and blooming were Triteleia hyacinthina and Ranunculus occidentalis. I wish that the photographs had turned out. It was quite lovely.

Earlier in the season I had checked the meadows for signs of Viola sheltonii. I did not find any, however there were other plants to check on too.



Iris hartweggii grows abundantly in the neighboring forested areas. At first I only found those that had set seed and thought the blooming season was over at this site. As I continued to hike I started to find blooming plants - many more.



I should have known better than to stop the drive back to the farm. Once I started to find interesting plants it was impossible for me to stop.

A terrible photograph but an interesting plant - Orobanche fasciculata a beautiful parasitic plant.



Now maybe I would hike down to Camp Creek.

Quickly I found blooming patches of Viola lobata. On the hike down into the canyon to Camp Creek I saw many stunted plants of this species. Clearly the drought was having its effect on this species. There was more soil moisture where the blooming plants were located. In addition, they were blooming very late in the season. Generally they are found blooming in late March or early April at this elevation.



On the forest trail down to Camp Creek the understory of the forest was carpeted with Star Flower, Trientalis latifolia. Trail Plant, Adenocaulon bicolor was frequently seen too.

[Robert]

As the trail neared the creek the forest canopy opened with a beautiful sunny hillside full of wild flowers. Dichelostemma congestum grew abundantly.



Here grew the annual Mimulus bicolor.



Here too grew the annual Mimulus kelloggii.



They created a beautiful mixed garden.

Also blooming in the area were dense patches of Penstemon heterophyllus, Phacelia heterophylla, Gilia capitata, Pseudobahia heermanii, and a few large plants of Keckellia breviflora. What a shame that the batteries and memory chips of my old camera were reaching their limit. Oh well, a good reason to return soon.

[Robert]

A short distance away was Camp Creek, elevation 3,283 feet (1,001 meters). Here were completely different plant communities.



Near rocks with running water all around grew Darmera peltata.



In our area the flowers of this species are generally white to flushed pink. Here I found one that was strong pink.

Also in this area were thickets of Rhododendron occidentale, budded and ready to bloom soon, as well as large clumps of Lilium pardalinum. They will be blooming in June.



On the opposite bank of the creek the rock faces were covered with a blooming garden of Sedum spathulifolium and Mimulus guttatus. It was all so beautiful. Unfortunately the camera batteries gave up. 

There was so much more.

I especially liked the blooming colonies of Chimaphila menziesii. C. umbellatum, another species that can be found in the Sierra Nevada, is called Pipsissiwa in the Cree language. The meaning is "it breaks into pieces" as it was used to break up gallstones by Native Americans. The leaves taste of Wintergreen and was one of the ingredients of "old-time" root bear.

I was still full of enthusiasm, however the batteries, daylight, and the stomach were running on empty. Time to return to the farm.

This was an excellent outing for me. I was very happy to find that I had not missed out on the early bloomers in the high country. The rain, snow, and cool weather had slowed the progression of the plants. There are some good sites to return to a bit later. So until next time...

[Robert]

I guess that this is old news, however it is exciting for me.

In March of this years I was out on one of my outings and came across a Western Morning Glory, Calystegia occidentalis - not in bloom. I was not comfortable about how it keyed out. Perhaps for good reason. It appears that the plant I found was a newly discovered and named species, 2013-20014, Calystegia vanzuukiae. For me this is very exciting! I hope to go out and visit the site very soon, confirm the find, and report back. I had always felt that there were new species to find here in California, especially in the wild locations were I like to visit. Good reason to stay alert and keep my senses wide open when out and about.

[Maggi Young]

Wow, Robert  that IS exciting. Well done for your gut feeling it was different - easy to dismiss such feelings as just species variability. Good fun to be vindicated, eh? !!

[Hoy]

Robert,

how very deserved and exciting! I think it is more to find many places - botanists have not yet visited every corner of the world

I recognise some of the last plants you show. Darmera and some of the others are garden plants here.

I have Trientalis latifolia in my garden (from seed last year). It has not flowered yet and I can't tell it apart from the native species (T. eurpaea) which I also have in my garden so far.

Thanks for your answer also. It is not many sites untuched by man, not even in the most remote places.