2018 - Robert's botantical adventures in Northern California

[Robert]

I was out at "The Site" today with two USFS botanists. We were looking for Botrychium species. So far, no luck finding them, however we did spot three common Orchids, Corallorhiza maculata, Platanthera dilatata var. leuchostachys, and a Piperia species (all past there prime). The area is drying quickly.

Another objective for the day was to find Phacelia stebbinsii. Needless to say from the photograph we were successful. Phacelia stebbinsii is a local endemic species. We found both dry and semi-dry specimens making positive identification easy.

The remaining part of the day was spent down-loading data from HOBO data loggers and making the initial placement of another set of data loggers.

Now I can get on with writing my last segment on "The Site" (The Lost World).

[Hoy]

Always something of interest, Robert!

Some of the butterflies look similar to butterflies here but they are other species. However, butterflies are getting rarer and rarer. This summer I have not seen many at all. Maybe it is due to the dry conditions we have now. June has been the third month in row with very little rain and rather high temperatures. The flowering plants suffer of course and many have wilted completely.

[Robert]

Before I continue on with the posting of the “Lost World” outing, I want to get caught up with my present activities.

I visit Peavine Ridge, 5,146 feet (1,569 meters) frequently. This photograph was taken on 30 June. There has been no rainfall since May and conditions are very dry. Daytime temperatures are running in the low 90’s F to upper 80’s F (29 to 33 C). This is quite typical for this part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains this time of year. It does not look like much would be blooming however species such as the yellow flowering Calycadenia truncata, and the lavender flowering Lessingia leptoclada can be found easily this time of year.



Species like Penstemon roezlii and Eriophyllum lanatum var. grandiflorum are still putting on a good show.



The rocky andesite slopes dry extremely quickly.



However there are even bright spots of color in these locations. Monardella odoratissima ssp. pallida generally flowers with white to extremely pale lavender flowers. Lavender flowering forms, such as this one, are not uncommon. I did examine this plant very closely to confirm its identity. There are other lavender flowering Morardella species in this part of California. It is too easy to make mistakes with a casual glance.



I spent some time poking around looking at the flowering species in the area before moving on.

On this day, I traveled to an area near the base of Pyramid Peak. Pyramid Peak is the most southern peak of the Crystal Range, and can be seen easily as the last high peak to the right in this photograph.

[Robert]

It did not take long to arrive at my destination, however the summit of Pyramid Peak is still a good hike away.



Lyons Creek flows through one of the basins in this area. It still has a good flow of water in it.



It is still “spring” at this elevation, plus or minus 7,000 feet (2,134 meters). In dry, sunny terrain the annual Navarretia leptalea ssp. leptalea is in full bloom.



In the moist meadows Penstemon rydbergii var. oreocharis is blooming, often creating great sheets of color.



In more shaded locations Delphinium nuttallianum is blooming with its intense deep purple-blue flowers.

[Robert]

Many of the Hackelia species are very showy. This is Hackelia velutina. This species tends to enjoy drier habitats.



In the same area where the Hackelias were growing, I found a good stand of Ipomopsis aggregata ssp. aggregata in bloom. They were a bit past their prime, however I was very pleased to see them, as they are not very common in this specific area.



The butterflies were out. This is a fairly good photograph of a Greenish Blue, Plebejus saepiolus. I frequently see this species in this area.

I had a fair amount of work to get done on this day, but was very pleased to get some photographs taken. I will be returning frequently. Hopefully there will be more opportunities for photography.

[Hoy]

Looks good, Robert!

What is the main pollinator of the Ipomopsis? Birds? Such red flowers are very rare here.

[Robert]

Hi Trond,

I was up in the same area today,....and yes I have some photographs too.

Some of our Hummingbird species migrate to the high country of the Sierra Nevada. I have never seen them on Ipomopsis, however it seems reasonable that they could be one of there pollinators. One of these days I would like to try Ipomopsis in our Sacramento garden too. It seems possible that it might grow reasonable well down here in the flat lands.

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, an interesting report, as usual. I am wondering about the chance of meeting wildlife in the remote areas. Are bears present?

[Maggi Young]

Oh yes, they are!


 Robert's bear from last summer !

[Robert]

Robert, an interesting report, as usual. I am wondering about the chance of meeting wildlife in the remote areas. Are bears present?

Hi Ian,

Yes there are bears, as you can see from the photograph taken last year (Thank you Maggi!       ).

When I was on this outing I encountered a black bear eating insects in an old dead snag. The bear dropped out of the snag and ran away before I could get my camera ready for a photograph. Bears can be extremely fast. This bear most likely lives in this basin as I see its tracks on the ground frequently. Fortunately it leaves most of my instrumentation alone, however at one site I have some plastic instruments to measure precipitation (rainfall and snowfall). The bear ran off with the top to one of the rain gauges and now I will have to order some extra parts to replace it. I needed to order some stuff anyway, so it is not a big deal. A this point the behavior of the bear is amusing. Some of the data logged are much more expensive. If the bear decides to play with them, well, this will not be amusing any more. Once the data loggers are set up, I can down load the data using blue-tooth from a distance without touching the data loggers. Without my scent, I think that the bear will leave them alone.

This week I set up another batch of data loggers in another area far away. This site, too, has a good sized bear population. Unfortunately, I will have to handle the data loggers one last time to get them set perfectly. Maybe, I should use new disposable medical plastic gloves? Hopefully the bears in this area will leave things alone.

So, yes there are bears, however they can get into things. I guess they are just being bears. 

[Diane Whitehead]

Robert,

Are there two Peavine Ridges?

The one I can find on my map is in Curry County, Oregon, about 4 miles east of Winchuck.

[Robert]

Hi Diane,

I do not know how many Peavine Ridges there might be.

My reference is to Peavine Ridge in Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado County, California. Peavine Ridge extends from the confluence of Silver Creek and the South Fork of the American River and extends along an east/west axis to a point above, plus or minus, Strawberry on the South Fork of the American River. I break Peavine Ridge into 4 general life zones based on elevation and the plant communities found within each zone. The lower zones extend from Silver Fork, along the South Fork of the American River to the lower canyon of Silver Creek. The upper zones extends along the crest from Windmiller's Ravine/Granite Springs to the lower end of the Lyons Creek Basin. The lower zone is along the crest in the vicinity of Jaybird Canyon. The central portion is in between Jaybird and Windmiller's Ravine. A Google map will most likely be useful, however a hard copy map of the area can be purchased over the internet or from the USFS Fresh Pond Ranger Station. I know many of the folks that work out of this station. The Kelly who works behind the desk is very nice and helpful if you order a map over the telephone or are visiting the area.

[Diane Whitehead]

Ah!  Much closer to your home than the Oregon one.  I wonder which peavine gave its name to both places?

I use the DeLorme map books. Their topographic maps are covered with sticky notes - every time I read about
a plant that interests me, I add a note.  The six notes on that page are mostly about lilies - L parvum hallidayi,
L humboldtii, L washingtonianum, L pardalinum.  I haven't yet visited that area.

[Robert]

Hi Diane,

The old Johnson Cutoff was a major east-west route over the Sierra Nevada to Sacramento from the 1850’s until the transcontinental railroad was completed over Donner Summit to the north (completed in 1869). Lathyrus nevadensis and L. suphureus are two native “Pea” species seen frequently on Peavine Ridge. Most likely this is the origin of the name Peavine Ridge. Vicia americana ssp. americana is also native to the ridge and could be mistaken as a pea, i.e. Lathyrus. Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia is also pea-like and is extremely common on Peavine Ridge.

I have found the native Lathyrus lanszwertii var. aridus on Peavine Ridge. Last fall/winter the stand of this species on Peavine Ridge was destroyed by ‘brush clearing’. I rarely see this species in this area and now one more stand is gone. Bummer! This species is very ornamental – perhaps suitable for cultivation. Now they’re fewer plants to work with.

Lathyrus latifolia also grows on Peavine Ridge. It is an invasive species and a fairly recent new comer to the ridge.

Lilium washingtonianum ssp. washingtonianum is blooming on Peavine Ridge at this time. Lilium parvum is blooming in the high country right now too (such as the upper portions of Peavine Ridge).

[Robert]

Lilium washingtonianum ssp. washingtonianum as seen today, 4 July, on Peavine Ridge.



It was relatively cool on the Ridge today, 5,146 feet (1,569 meters). The high temperature was 79 F (26.1 C), low 51 F (10.6 C). Warmer weather is forecast to arrive in the next few days.



Brodiaea elegans ssp. elegans blooming on Peavine Ridge. It is extremely unusual to find this species at this elevation.



The Crystal Range today, 4 July. A tiny amount of moisture is trickling into the area (i.e. some convective cloudiness). In the Lyons Creek Basin, 6,690 feet (2,039 meters) it was 71 F (21.7 C), low 40 F (4.4 C) with a relative humidity of 41% @ 3:00 p.m. This is still dry, however much more moisture than the usual 20% relative humidity @ 3:00 p.m. The first subtropical moisture of the summer season is forecast to arrive in the area in the next few days. The weather could get interesting with thunderstorm activity in our part of the Sierra Nevada.