2016 - Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Robert]

Oh, that was a treat Robert after along day weeding before we open the garden tomorrow. Some tremendous pictures! Nature really does know best. I'm more intrigued by the xerophytic ferns; imagining a rocky trough devoted to them (a project for the future).

Tim,

There are plenty of xeric rock ferns here in California. I will show photographs as I can.

Yes, the wildflowers were awesome on this day. I am looking forward to the growing season in the high country. The wildflowers can be amazing there too, especially when there has been adequate precipitation.

[Robert]

Robert,

I am enjoying your colourful report while looking out on a very bleak landscape up here. What a contrast!

Trond,

It seems that we have swapped weather. We have had some showery and cool weather the past two weeks or so. For us, this has been very welcome, as we can use all the rain and snow that we can get. The cool weather also delays the snow melt in the high Sierra Nevada. This provides us with more water later in the season when we especially need it.

Awhile back I think that you had warmer temperatures in Norway that we had here in our part of California. It has turned cool the past few days but more warm weather is just around the corner for us.

[Robert]

Poho Ridge

Part III

Continuing where I left off.....

Rosa bridgesii seemed to have gained benefit from the King Fire. It is a dwarf suckering species. At this site new shoots had sprouted throughout the other plants. Many were blooming and their delightful fragrance filled the air.



A short distance from the ridge crest there was a small stream in a shady swale. Here I found a completely different mix of species. Near the stream there were colonies of Star-flower, Trientalis latifolia.

This species was once in the Primrose family, Primulaceae, now it is in the Myrsinaceae, the Myrsine family going under the name Lysimachia latifolia. In the second edition of The Jepson Manual of Vascular Plants of California, 2012 this species is listed in the Myrsinaceae family, but still under the genus name Trientalis. Many plant names are certainly changing!



Where there was abundant moisture there were colonies of Dicentra formosa in bloom.



I did not spot any unusual forms of Dicentra at this site, however I did see some when exploring the Mokelomne River canyon. Hopefully time will become available for me to post this outing as there were certainly a number of interesting plants that I came across.



On the slope above the Dicentra grew Delphinium gracientum.

[Robert]

The flower blossoms of Delphineum gracilentum range in color from various shades of pale lavender-blue, pink, to shades of white. At this site all the plants were various shades of white, however I have seen some colonies where there can be a mixture of different color forms.

I enjoy growing various Delphinium species in our garden. Delphinium gracilentum has proved to be one of the more difficult species to establish in our garden, however I keep trying.



Another species that enjoyed this shaded swale was Fringe Cups, Tellima grandiflora. It like Huechera are members of the Saxifragaceae family and the relationship to each other is easy to see in both the flowers and foliage.



The stream in the swale drained into a larger canyon where Brush Creek Reservoir was located.



Some folks fishing at the reservoir had a mean dog running around without a leash, so I did not hang around very long.

I did see this lily. The species may have been Lilium washingtonianum. I looked around for more plants that might bloom this season, however I did not see any.



At this time I moved back to the ridge crest to further examine the fire damage on the ridge.

[Robert]

I wanted to examine some of the "hot spots" where the fire burned most intensely. As with the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park, there was not much life even after two seasons in these areas, however they were not completely lifeless or without natural regeneration.



Scattered in the barren mineral earth there were seedlings of both Knobcone Pine, Pinus attenuata and Arctostaphylos viscida. Knobcone Pine is more or less completely dependent on fire for its propagation. The cones of this species will remain completely closed and cling to the tree until a fire comes through their area opening the cones and releasing the seeds. If one looks closely at the first photograph from the ridge top (reply #290, last photograph), one can see the burned remains of some Knobcone Pine and their open cones still clinging to the tree branches.



Nearby, where the fire was just a bit less intense Triteleia ixioides was in bloom.



There were also nice clumps of Wyethia angustifolia in bloom too.



It was now getting late and time to return toward home.

On the way back, across the river, and up out of the canyon I spotted a few Penstemon heterophyllus in bloom.

[Robert]

One of the clumps of Penstemon heterophyllus was quit nice with good form and many flowers.



The last treat after a delightful day in the mountains were the blooming colonies of Phlox speciosa. I do not come across this species as frequently as I might expect to, so this turned out to be an excellent way to end this day.

Until next time! 

[Hoy]

Trond,

It seems that we have swapped weather. We have had some showery and cool weather the past two weeks or so. For us, this has been very welcome, as we can use all the rain and snow that we can get. The cool weather also delays the snow melt in the high Sierra Nevada. This provides us with more water later in the season when we especially need it.

Awhile back I think that you had warmer temperatures in Norway that we had here in our part of California. It has turned cool the past few days but more warm weather is just around the corner for us.

We had very warm weather for a short week. Now it is back to normal again

Glad to hear you get a little rain - and nice to see the regrowth after the fires!

[Hoy]

I know some of the plants you show this time
Dicentra formosa is a common garden plant here and do very well in my garden. Tellima grandiflora too!

Robert, do you know the difference between the European and American star-flower (Trientalis)? They look quite similar to my eyes.

[Gabriela]

Nice findings again Robert 
I still have Trientalis as in Primulaceae on my seeds shop, so I'll have to change it. I never saw it belonging there, same I don't see it in Myrsinaceae, but of course it doens't matter...
I'll let you answer Trond question.

[Ed Alverson]

I always say that god did not create species in order for humans to be able classify them, and this whole situation with Trientalis, Anagalis, and Lysimachia proves my point. If anyone is interested in learning more, you can get an overview from this paper: http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.3372/wi.39.39103 . Apparently Trientalis may be a genus with a hybrid origin, among other things. The great "sin" of Trientalis, Anagalis, etc. is that they render Lysimachia paraphyletic, which in my view is no great problem, just the way that evolution works. And Trientalis as a genus has probably been around for a good length of time, given its wide distribution around the northern hemisphere.

If anyone is interested in an explanation of the problems created by combining phylogeny and taxonomy, this is a good read, and is also pertinent to the recent Dodecatheon/Primula discussion: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/EvSy/PDF/Brummitt_bonyfish.pdf

Ed

[Tim Ingram]

Wow, that is quite hard going Ed (the first reference), because in a way you have to wear several hats depending on the information and use you want to make of phylogeny and taxonomy. I think I follow the gist, that if you are not careful you can end up losing sight of the true diversity of plants - and the value of seeing that for what it is. I will have to try and read through it again with a steady mind, but as a gardener/plantsman - and someone who has also studied the detail of the physiology and chemistry of plants - I find more names more valuable than fewer (within limits), because of properly distinguishing between species that are morphologically so obviously different. It can a bit like beginning to learn all over again!!

[Robert]

Ed,

This is interesting information. I may never be able to get "up-to-speed" on some of this information. After care giving for years, it is a challenge for me just to get caught up with the basics.    All of this information certainly has its place. Personally my efforts are towards making botany and horticulture relevant for everyday people in our everyday world. This certainly can has it challenges and rewards too. Anyway, thanks for the additional information.

Ed,

I finally read both articles thoroughly. Very fascinating! The last paragraph of Mr. Brummitt's letter to the editor certainly caught my attention as a "practical user". It will certainly be interesting to see how this all plays out. From my perspective there seems to be increasing amounts of taxonomic chaos, but then I'm a "penny ante operator", if that, in all of this.

Anyway, thanks again for sharing this interesting information.     

Trond,

I will have to pay closer attention to Trientalis while in the field. I did look up Trientalis latifolia in my 2012 version of Jepson's Manual. I was somewhat surprised to find T. europaea listed as native to California (the far northwestern part of the state). Some of the difference listed between the species: 1.) T. europaea has some cauline leaves, T. latifolia does not 2.) T. europaea generally has a white corolla, T. latifolia the corolla is generally + or - pink. I know that I want to examine this last point more closely in the field. I seem to find plenty of white flowered T. latifolia in the field. Maybe I am not paying close enough attention to them? I will start checking for cauline leaves too. My brother has remarked to me that "field observations and data often trump lab observations and data". Sometimes I wonder how much actual field time is spent observing the diversity of any given species. I truly do not know, however I ponder such things at times.

[Gabriela]

Thanks for the links Ed, super interesting. Like Tim said, I'll have to read through them with a steady mind (i.e. when we'll get three rainy days in a row 
Sometimes I wonder if it's so important mentioning the family anymore, especially when the info is addressed towards gardeners or people who just want say to recognize it in the field.

Robert - all Trientalis latifolia I saw had +/- pink flowers. It is clearly distinct of T. borealis. I never saw T. europaea in 'flesh'. From what I know they differ not only by leaves but also in the lenght of flower pedicels.

[Hoy]

Robert - and Gabriela, thanks for the infomation.
I have planted Trientalis latifolia (from seed) in my garden but the plants were still very small last year. Hope I get flower this year (if they survive!).

Regarding the colour - Trientalis europaea can be pink!

[Robert]

Trond,

With this week's posting there will be photographs of Trientalis latifolia with flowers that are either pink, white, or shades in between (take ones pick). I was very curious so I spent some time checking the plants in the area (there were many) for cauline leaves. Not small leaves or leaves very close to the distal whorl of leaves, but some more or less in the middle of the stem. It may not be very common but a few plants indeed can have cauline leaves.