2017 - Robert's botanical adventures in Northern California

[Robert]

Arturo,

Yes, Phyllodoce breweri is acid loving. I have had reasonably good success growing both Phyllodoce breweri and Cassiope mertensiana in our Sacramento garden. Acid soil is crucial to success! I also grew many seedlings from various regions, stressing seeds selected from low elevation sites. I am hoping to see flowers this spring. If all goes well I will cross the best forms for sets of F1 hybrids. Looking into the future these could be inbred and then out crossed with the best lines to create a heat tolerant race that thrives in Sacramento. A bit of dreaming ahead of myself! 

I cannot say enough good things about our native Primula, i.e. Dodecatheon species. I get very excited about them and the topic is worth an essay. I am making very good progress with my breeding program with them. I will continue to report on my progress.

As for the first heavy snow that shuts things down in the high country - sometime in November - more or less. One year I hiked from Echo Lake to Lake Aloha is Desolation Valley (this is how I have always referred to this region) during the first week of November. It was a fantastic experience. Another time my brother and I hiked into the head waters of the Kern River in September. Shepherds Pass still had a snow field we needed to cross to pass over the summit, 11,000 feet (3,353 meters) or so. A snow storm struck while we were in the upper Kern River Basin. It was close to white-out conditions as we crossed back over the pass and back down to the Owens Valley (the dry side of the Sierra Nevada). Similar conditions can be encountered on the head waters of the San Joaquin River, such as Evolution Valley and the Humphreys Basin, late in the season. This is another place I love to visit - late in the season is generally best as the mosquitoes can be terrible beyond belief. These locations are in the southern Sierra Nevada and are not immune to early season snow storms. My worst experience with a snow storm was in Montana - but then that is another story. We will see what this year brings.

[Diane Whitehead]

Robert,

I would be very interested to see photos of your dodecatheon hybrids.  Have you posted any yet?

[Robert]

SMITH LAKE

Part IV

I was curious to take a peek over the summit of the ridge, so I continued to drift my way up toward the crest of the ridge. Late in the season, Goldenbush starts into its blooming cycle.



Singlehead Goldenbush, Ericameria suffruiticosa, is generally the only species of Ericameria seen on the west side of the Crystal Range.



Chaenactis alpigena was another species that I was very pleased to find on this ridge. The flowers are not especially showy, however the small colonies of gray foliage are very pretty.



Rhizocarpon lichens (yellow lichen center) are quite common on rock in this part of the Sierra Nevada. At times they can form extremely large colonies. Most of the rock face on the south col was covered in this species, giving the granite face a yellowish cast.



I was very pleased to find such a diversity of plants on the north ridge. I could have continued to the ridge crest, however I wanted to explore around this small pond perched above Smith Lake. In the 1970’s a small pond like this would be full of Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs, Rana muscosa. Over the last 45 years they have disappeared from much of their original range in the Sierra Nevada. Air pollution, global climate change and the introduction of disease may all be responsible for their disappearance. There are hundreds of small pools like this in the Desolation Wilderness. I am always eager to check on such ponds to see if there are any Yellow-legged Frogs.

[Robert]

I took one last look at the peak and then started my way down toward the pond.



As I worked my way down off the ridge I continued to find interesting plants. Near the base of the ridge by the pond I found Castilleja applegatei ssp. pallida in bloom.



Monardella odoratissima ssp. pallida is very prolific throughout the Sierra Nevada. Generally the flowers of this species are a buff white, as in this photograph. I did find a number of plants with pale lavender flowers in this area. This is a bit unusual and I was very pleased to find them in this location. Sadly the photograph did not turn out.



A most exciting find was this colony of Penstemon heterodoxus var. cephalophorus. This variety is larger in all ways than variety heterodoxus and is extremely showy.



I finally arrived at the pool. Sadly there were no Yellow-legged Frogs.

[Robert]

The pool was surrounded by an array of blooming plants. A large colony of Pedicularis attollens was blooming at the north end of the pond.



Sibbaldia procumbens is found only at high elevations in the Sierra Nevada. It has quite the range! I understand it can be found in the high mountains of Mexico. Of coarse, it can be found in arctic regions, both in North America as well as Eurasia.



At the south end of the pond where a small stream exits, I again found Primula tetrandra (Dodecatheon alpinum) growing among the rocks with its roots surrounded by trickling water.



Clearly I enjoy this Genus (Dodecatheon). Our native species from high altitude are a bit more challenging to grow in hot low elevation gardens – but it is possible and well worth the effort.



It was now getting late in the day. It was time to leave this alpine paradise, hike back down to Smith Lake, and head home.

[Robert]

One last look over my shoulder before leaving Smith Lake.

This was one of my most pleasurable outings of this season, not at all anticlimactic. I logged 131 plant species - not bad for this time of the year. The area was a bit quiet; I only logged 5 species of birds. During the 1970’s I was an avid birder. Spotting 5 species was a bit unusual, even for this time of year.

Next, I will be reporting on my outing to the Rockbound Pass area of Desolation Wilderness area. This trip was a real adventure!

Until next time…….

[Robert]

Robert,

I would be very interested to see photos of your dodecatheon hybrids.  Have you posted any yet?

Hi Diane,

I do not think that I have posted any of my intra-specific Dodecatheon hybrids yet (not sure - can't remember). Some are too young to bloom; some had only one flower this past season. They are part of a species improvement project. Some should bloom this spring and I will definitely post photographs with an explanation.

[Robert]

I was at Wrights Lake to check on the flora. The blooming season is winding down.



My visit did not last long as a strong thunderstorm developed.

There has been a fairly active thunderstorm season in the Sierra Nevada this year. Some have been powerful with heavy rain and large hail.



This thunderstorm produced heavy rain and large hail.



Many of the hail stones were 32 mm in diameter.

The lightning was reason enough to find shelter. The hail made shelter necessary. A tree might might have been a good idea as a temporary shelter, but not with lightning. Needless to say, this foray was cut short.

[Robert]

A few scenes from my recent outing to the Rockbound Pass area of Desolation Wilderness.

Dicks Peak (left) Jacks Peak (right)

This view is from the summit of the Red Peak Stock Trail.

Clyde Lake and the headwaters of the Rubicon River are in the canyon below the peaks. In this area the drainage is known as Rockbound Valley. The Rubicon River flows northward to Rubicon Reservoir before turning to the west and flowing down to Hell Hole Reservoir and then eventually to the confluence with the Middle Fork of the American River.



Mount Price and the glacially scoured cirques and valleys. The rock faces look barren, however some very interesting flora inhabits this area.

I am now working on this report.

Until then.....

[Hoy]

Robert,

Looking forward to your report on Desolation Wilderness. Sounds very exciting

We have only one species of Cryptogramma here (crispa) but you have several! C. crispa prefers open rather sunny habitats. It grows both in the lowland and higher up in the mountains. Athyrium distenifolium is well known here also from mountain habitats but Pellaea is unknown.

The Pinemat Manzanita looks great! It is more like our native one then the other Manzanitas you have shown.

Lilium parvum looks great too! We have no native Lilium species here although a few have escaped gardens.

The small lakes and ponds look very intriguing. Here Carex rostrata would occupy the water edges. The blooming of Rhod. columbinum would be quite a sight I guess

A big difference from here is the absence of moss. Here a plethora of moss species would carpet the ground in mesic and wet areas.

The Cream bush (high altitude form?) looks great. I have grown a form of Holodiscus discolor which looked quite different - taller and with longer trusses of flower.


I am fascinated by the louseworts also - they differ from ours in habit.

The Ivesia was a new one - looks interesting!

Chrysolepis sempervirens (is it evergreen also at that altitude?) could be interesting to try here!

And what a landscape! I am used to different kinds of montane landscapes here but yours are different

[Robert]

Hi Trond,

When I am out I do see plenty of bryophytes. This time of year they are generally noticed and active in areas that stay moist such as streams, seeps, and other damp areas.

At the Placerville farm, most of the oak trees are covered with moss (as well as many species of lichens). This time of year they are dry and may not be noticed. Once the winter rains start they will expand and come into active growth.

At this time I know very little about our native Bryophytes. I have checked out a number of books from our public library on the topic, however I have not found a satisfactory text(s)….. yet. I feel that our native Bryophytes are a crucial part of our California ecosystems and that they warrant attention.

Lilium parvum is a gem of a species. There are a number of varieties, one with pink flowers (var. hollidayi, our El Dorado County endemic, “Ditch Lily”), and another with yellow(ish) flowers (var. crocatum).

During the 1990’s I spent much time studying and recording our native lily species in Northwestern California. This was an extremely fascinating project. Not only are there many species in this region, but there is also tremendous variation within the species (especially Lilium pardalinum) as well as natural hybrids. I observed Lilium kelloggii with flowers ranging from white through all shades of pink. In the Marble Mountains, Lilium pardalinum ssp. pardalinum can be found at low elevations in considerable variety (but all shades of orange). As one climbs higher into the mountains the lilies slowly change over to ssp. wigginsii (the flowers become increasingly yellow). The bulbs also change in their morphology. Subspecies pardalinum has large bulb scales with 1-2(3) segments; subspecies wigginsii has much smaller bulb scales with generally 2-4 segments. The outer segments are often like “rice grains”. It is incredibly fascinating. This region is a long distance from our home in Sacramento and I am no longer in a position to go there. This is a bit unfortunate, but on the plus side there is plenty to keep me busy locally.

During this same time period, I was also studying the natural hybrids of Lilium pardalinum and L. parvum in the Sierra Nevada. The flower shape and size of Lilium pardalium is genetically very dominant in hybrid plants. Hybrids can generally only be detected by observing the bulb scales, when the hybrid nature of the lilies becomes obvious. Occasionally I found autotetraploid forms of Lilium pardalinum. I never found any known triploids – they might be observed as sterile plants  - perhaps? The elevation belt where the hybrids occur is under tremendous pressure from both commercial logging and various “recreational” uses. Many of the sites I formerly visited have been completely trashed – the lilies are gone. Illegal marijuana growers trashed other sites, along various creeks, although the lilies may have survived. Now that the marijuana laws have changed (it is now legal to grow, sell, and use the stuff) in California it might be safe to return to some of these sites.

Our native lilies are extremely fascinating and warrant additional study – even locally in the Sierra Nevada.

I have yet to grow Bush Chinquapin, Chrysolepis sempervirens, in our garden. They can be found growing over a tremendous altitude range. The species is quite compact, however the high elevation forms may be smaller in stature. The growing condition at some high elevation sites is brutal – this might account for their small size. This is something worth investigating.

[Robert]

ROCKBOUND PASS

Thursday, 31 September 2017

Part I

Sacramento Weather
Weather: Clear
Temperature, High: 98 F, 36.5 C
                       Low: 60 F, 15.5 C



On early Thursday morning I set off from the Twin Lakes Trailhead at Wrights Lake toward the Rockbound Pass region of Desolation Wilderness area. My initial plan was to hike northward to the valley that approaches Rockbound Pass. From there, I hoped to climb the north ridge of the valley to the Red Peak Stock Trail and then descend to Top Lake from the ridge top. From there I hoped to hike westward down to Lawrence Lake and then return to Wrights Lake.

This was an ambitious plan with well-defined objectives. During the 1970’s the Red Peak Stock Trail was rarely traveled. Although still in use, the trail is still lightly traveled. The route is floristically interesting and I hope to thoroughly explore this the area. This foray would be a good start. Top Lake is quite picturesque. I had not visited the lake since the 1970’s. Top Lake was planted with Golden Trout (not native to this part of the Sierra Nevada) sometime around 1960. I was curious to evaluate the condition of the lake at this time. The flora, too, in this area could be very interesting. Lawrence Lake is one my favorite places to camp and enjoy the wilderness. The flora around Lawrence Lake is less diverse, however I did not want to pass up an opportunity to visit.

I set off early, 6:30 a.m., into the cool (46 F, 8 C), still morning air. There are still a number of open meadows north of Wrights Lake, remnants of the original Wrights brother’s dairy established in the 1860’s.



The trail soon moves into higher ground. The rocky terrain is littered with glacial erradics, both large and small. Much of the area is covered with high elevation chaparral; Huckleberry Oak (Quercus vacciniifolia), Pinemat Manzanita (Arctostaphylos nevadensis) and a few Ceanothus cordulatus. Large picturesque Jeffrey Pine, Pinus jeffryi, accents this rocky terrain.



To the east, higher peaks rise toward the crest of the Crystal Range.



Indian Dream, Aspidotis densa, was the most frequently encountered fern in this rocky terrain.



I spotted this Meadowhawk on a Huckleberry Oak along the trail. Ten species of Sympetrum occur in the Sierra Nevada. This Meadowhawk may have been Sympetrum corruptum, a species that commonly travels long distances from water, and has colorless wings with orange-tinged veins. Typical of Dragonflies of the Genus Sympetrum its wings are held forward while at rest.

[Robert]

This mushroom was quite colorful and interesting. Unfortunately, I could not identify this one.



I finally crossed a low ridge and had my first go view of Rockbound Pass, the low point at the head of the valley.



Glacial polish could be seen throughout the valley on the open exposed granite.



Often large sheets of granite were polished.



Here I made the choice to leave the trail. My best route was the low point on the left side of this photograph. The goal was to climb directly up the ridge and connect with the Red Peak Stock Trail that follows the top of this ridge to the crest of the Crystal Range.

[Robert]

Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum grew out of many of the rock crevices along this route.



Myriopteris (Cheilanthes) gracillima was also a frequent resident of the many crevices.



Occasionally I found veins of aplite running through the rock. Aplite is hard and resists weathering. A vein of aplite is often seen as a raised vein running slightly above the softer surround rock. This vein also contained some pegmatite with its large oversized crystals.



High on the slope, this ancient stand of Juniperus grandis has endured countless tempests.



This cross-country route was easily followed as long as I avoided the thick stands of Huckleberry Oak that I encountered.

[Robert]

As I climbed higher, I encountered more plants in bloom. This late blooming Asteraceae, Snakeroot, Ageratina occidentalis, was hiding among a group of large boulders. This species ranges throughout northern California and I encounter it often enough. I was pleased to find it in bloom, as it is quite attractive when flowering.



As I continued to climb the steep slope, small seeps opened from the side of the mountain. Thickets of Salix orestra enjoyed the perennially moist habitat. The leaves of this species are very attractively clothed with matted hairs.



Blooming plants of Mimulus moschatus started to appear as the moisture content of the soil increased.



As I approached a false crest to the ridge, Angelica breweri was still blooming in scattered stands among a number of other wildflowers.



At the crest of the false summit I had a nice panorama of the Wrights Lake Basin.