2017 - Robert's botanical adventures in Northern California

[Robert]

I returned to the Outback and drove to the top of Peavine Ridge. My plan was to visit a site where Calochortus clavatus var. avius can be found. Unknown to me, there was active logging in this area creating conditions that were much too dangerous for my type of exploration. Fortunately there were alternative sites to visit.



Much of the top of Peavine Ridge consists of volcanic rocks that erupted during the past 10 million years. They are part of the Mehrten Formation. In places the exposed Andesite Lahars (volcanic mud flows) create a unique environment for a diversity of plant species.



By this time the wind and rainsqualls had arrived making photography extremely difficult. There was a large stand of Calochortus leichtlinii in bloom in this open area and I was lucky enough to get one good photograph.



Allium campanulatum also occupied this open sunny area. Many were found blooming among the volcanic rubble.



Mingling among the Calochortus and Allium were colonies of Triteleia ixioides ssp. scabra in bloom.

[Robert]

At times the wind howled and the rain poured. Penstemon laetus was blooming throughout this open sunny site. This specimen was sheltered behind a large Manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula.



A number of annuals shared space with the bulbous species. There were drifts of Clarkia rhomoidea (pictured), Mimulus bicolor, and Mimulus torreyi mixed throughout this site.



Soon the wind became intense and I retreated onto the lee side of the ridge. This area was partly forested with a considerable understory of brush. Viola purpurea ssp. purpurea found a home in these protected semi-shades sites. Most had finished blooming, however I did find a few flowers here and there.



The perennial vetch, Vicia american ssp. americana (pictured) was very common throughout this area. The best find was a specimen of Latyrus lanszwertii var. tracyi with a creamy golden yellow banner. I also found nice stands of Silene lemmonii in bloom.

The weather conditions continued to deteriorate. I decided to move on to Chipmunk Bluff where the weather conditions would most certainly be worse. This decision does not make sense, however I had a strong intuitive feeling that this was the right place to go.

[Robert]

CHIPMUNK BLUFF

Chipmunk Bluff, 6,417 feet (1,956 meters), is an open south facing granite bluff completely exposed to the elements. When I arrived it was a toasty 45 F (7 C) and a stiff breeze was pelting me with a heavy drizzle. With the wet and wind chill it seemed frigid.



My first find made the trip worthwhile, Ceanothus fresnensis. I rarely encounter this Ceanothus species and I was very pleased to find it growing abundantly in this area.



My timing was also perfect for Phlox diffusa. They were blooming abundantly among the granite boulders.



Hiding in rocky nooks were blooming clusters of Cymopterus terebinthinus var. californicus.



The Wild Buckwheat, Eriogonum incanum, is very common in this area. They are found in sunny, dry locations and are quite happy on Chipmunk Bluff.

[Robert]

It was cold, but it was also quite magical hiking through the fog and mist.



Juniperus grandis loomed like giant Ents on the high ridges. Their massive trunks and ancient looking branches created an ethereal feeling, as they appeared then disappeared back into the foggy mist.



North facing slopes and sheltered sites were still covered with snow.



Many of the rock crevices were filled with rock ferns. Here Cryptogramma acrostichoides shares a crevice with Cheilanthes gracillima.



In other cracks the upright blue-green fronds of Pellaea bridgesii contrasted with the granite and the foliage of other plants. Here Pellaea bridgesii is sharing space with Arctostaphylos nevadensis.

[Robert]

Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi was still another crevice dweller.



Nice specimens of Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi are very showy when in bloom. Their flowers brightened the landscape even on this cold misty day.



Juniperus grandis was the giant in this landscape and Juniperus communis was a miniature as it crept on the ground around large boulders and other shrubs.



Here and there Penstemon roezlii poked through the grass or out of a crevice. Penstemon roezlii is, more or less, a smaller version of Pestemon laetus. They are very similar and can be very difficult to distinguish from one another when they are not in bloom.



The orange-red bracts Castilleja pruinosa brighten many of the exposed cliff faces. This species is highly variable, however the plants at this site were quite uniform and matched the species description perfectly.

I stayed dry and warm in my rain suit, however my hands became bitter cold in the drizzle and wind. It was not safe climbing around the rock faces with cold, stiff, numb hands. It was also getting late, so I lowered myself off the cliff face and hiked back to the Outback and started back to Sacramento.

[Robert]

KANAKA VALLEY

It was still light and I had a bit of time, so I stopped off at Kanaka Valley, elevation 1,019 feet (311 meters).



I was extremely pleased to find Calochortus luteus at this site. At one time this species grew abundantly in the lower foothills of El Dorado County. Now it is rarely seen, except at the margin of the Sacramento Valley in the Deer Creek Hills.



Another good find was this pink form of Brodiaea elegans ssp. elegans. Occasionally I do find pink forms of this species. Very rare are the picotee forms with deep lavender and white flowers.

The sun was setting and I still had an hour drive to our house in Sacramento. It was time to go!

Despite some rainy and cold weather this turned out to be a very successful and productive outing. And Chipmunk Bluff turned out to be the perfect destination despite the misty drizzle and fridge wind.

Until next time…….

[Maggi Young]

Juniperus grandis loomed like giant Ents on the high ridges. Their massive trunks and ancient looking branches created an ethereal feeling, as they appeared then disappeared back into the foggy mist.

great images - and those with the rock outcrops.

[Robert]

Thank you Maggi. 

It must have been good luck. The weather was terrible on Chipmunk Bluff - not ideal for photography. It was a delight to scramble among the rocks and there were so many beautiful plants to see.

It looks like we are going to have a complete change in the weather - 39 C on Saturday.

Thursday the plan is to visit the Snow Mountain region in the Northern Inner Coastal Mountains. The following week I will travel to Lyon's Creek.

Now I have to have a tooth pulled today. Ugh! 

[Maggi Young]

39C is too much !
I hope your visit to the dentist goes well !

[Robert]

39C is too much !
I hope your visit to the dentist goes well !

My visit with the dentist went extremely well. The broken tooth is gone. No pain! No pain even without pain killers!  Now I just have to wait for the wound to heal.

The next two days will be extremely busy for me. Thursday will be an outing to the Snow Mountain region. The weather should be perfect. I will report back after I return from Snow Mountain.

They (weathermen) have upped the ante on the temperatures for this weekend - 40 C now. What a swing in the temperatures!

Until next time.......

[Maggi Young]

That's good news, Robert!
 Less so about 40 C - we Scots folk melt in such temperatures!  Take care!

[johnw]

That's good news, Robert!
 Less so about 40 C - we Scots folk melt in such temperatures!  Take care!

It was a rare & unbearable 30.5c here yesterday and the sun was fierce.  Dropped to 9c last night, a wonderful 15.5c today which I reckon is perfection.

john

[Robert]

I had an excellent outing to the Bear Valley and Snow Mountain Regions of Colusa County (inner coastal mountains) on Thursday.

Now to survive the heat wave. Sunday through Tuesday the forecast is for 42 C high temperatures, cooling    to 40.5 on Thursday. Up to this point the weather has been relatively cool. We will see how the plants in our garden adjust to the swing in the temperatures. Today's high temperature is forecast to be a cool    40 C. The hot temperatures are not that unusual for this time of the year (no records will be broken), however the swing in temperature is a bit odd.

[Robert]

BEAR VALLEY
&
SNOW MOUNTAIN
REGIONS

Thursday, 15 June 2017

Sacramento Weather

Weather: Clear
Temperatures, High: 93 F, 34 C
          Low: 59 F, 15 C




I left Sacramento early on Thursday morning on a somewhat whirlwind trip to the Bear Valley and Snow Mountain Regions in Colusa County, California. There were a number of sites I wanted to revisit and I also wanted to explore another approach to the summit of Snow Mountain. This was a full agenda.

The dry season has arrived at Bear Valley and the rangeland has turned gold as the non-native grasses have withered in the dry heat. Before the overgrazing and the invasion of exotic non-native species, my understanding is that such open space was carpeted with native perennial bunch grasses and a plethora of bulbous and annual flowering plants. The native perennial bunchgrasses browned a bit during the summer dry season, but they also remained “green” to a certain degree too. The native landscape must have looked different then and certainly the nature and behavior of fire in the ecosystem was very different.



My first goal was to revisit several sites just west of Bear Valley in the serpentine ophiolite.



The chaparral is rich in plant species in this area. Although many native species have finished their yearly growth cycle; flowered, set seed, and have withered or gone dormant, there were still many well-adapted xeric species in growth or flowering.



Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, is a late blooming shrubby species. Their white flowers were quite prominent scattered about the chaparral.



Coastal White Leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. pulchella, is an early blooming species, however the peeling bark of their larger limbs and trunks is very beautiful at this time of year.

[Robert]

A number of annual species bloom into the dry season. Clarkia gracilis ssp. tracyi (pictured) is very showy and many were still blooming as I worked my way around in the chaparral. Calycadenia fremontii was another prolific species blooming in dry clearings.



Monardella villosa, Coyote Mint, is a common xeric species that finds its home in the dry chaparral throughout the lower elevations of Northern California. Some forms bloom prolifically and have very bright lavender-blue flowers. The foliage also has a pleasant minty fragrance.



Elymus multisetus is one of our native perennial bunch grasses. Remnants of the native bunchgrass community can be found in many low elevation chaparral habitats. Various bunchgrass species: Stipa, Festuca, Melica, Elymus, and more can still be found in isolated areas.



Where there is moisture throughout the season the Magnoliids, Calycanthus occidentalis, was still in bloom.



I revisited one of my favorite meadows in the area and found that there was still a good flow of water flowing from the downhill side of the meadow. Here in the moist ground grew nice colonies of Triteleia peduncularis. Triteleia penduncularis is one of the few members of the Themidaceae family that prefers growing in moist sites.