Siskiyou seeds

[Diane Whitehead]

I have just come back from the Siskiyous in Northern California.  I usually
visit throughout the spring, starting in March, so in August, I saw plants
I haven't seen before.  If they were in flower, like Gentiana calycosa, I could
identify most.  Many of the ones in seed have proved difficult for me to figure out.

Here is one about 30 cm tall, with very unusual narrow leaves.  The pods, spaced
about 3 cm apart up about 12 cm of the stem, have five long projections
(sepals?) and a closed-in bit holding the seeds.  The rose and geranium families
have five petals, but the seed pods don't look right.  Any ideas, even as to family?

[Diane Whitehead]

This plant had lovely leaves, and I assume from its seeds it is a member
of the Apiaceae, or an umbellifer as I still think of that family.

The size can be gauged by my fingers.

[basia_k]

This plant had lovely leaves, and I assume from its seeds it is a member
of the Apiaceae, or an umbellifer as I still think of that family.

The size can be gauged by my fingers.

Oenanthe?

Regards, Barbara.

[Afloden]

Hello,
 
 Try Malvaceae on the first. The seed capsule looks right, but it may also be Rosaceae. Maybe a Geum sp.?

 Not sure on the second as to genus, but definitely Apiaceae.

 Aaron Floden
 Knoxville, TN

[Stephenb]

First one: Callirhoe digitata?

[Maggi Young]

Here is a link to a photo of seed head of Callirhoe  digitata
http://www.eiu.edu/~prairie/images/calldigi.f.i.jpg

Here for foliage:
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/fringed_mallow.htm

Not native to California, I see.

[Ed Alverson]

Diane, the first photo ("seedpods") is a Sidalcea (checkermallow, Malvaceae).  Can't say which species from the photo but you might be able to narrow it down on the basis of geography.  If I had to guess, I would look at Sidalcea malvaeflora for a possible match.

The second photo is definitely a species of Apiaceae, possibly a Lomatium - try Lomatium californicum, though again there are a lot of species in that area to consider.

-Ed

[Diane Whitehead]

Thank you all.

Some sidalceas are listed as endangered, but I think the one I photographed
is common - S. virgata or S. malviflora ssp. virgata.

The Lomatium is more of a problem.  There are 57 species in California, and
Calflora lacks photos of many of them.  Most of them have very ferny leaves,
without the zigzag teeth of the Siskiyou plant. The one with the most similar leaves
grows in the Napa Valley, just north of San Francisco, a long way from where
I saw the mystery plant.