Natural History Wanderings

Today we drove across the Yosemite High Country on Tioga Pass road to see the bloom.  Passing through Oakdale on the way there were a lot of Jimson Weed and Sunflowers in bloom.

The highlight of the day was the meadow Crane Flat and another meadow just a little further down the road.  There were good displays of Corn Lily and Cone Flowers. There were Alpine Lily, White Rein Orchard, Western Columbines, Sierra Stickweed, Yellow Monkeyflowers, Jeffrey’s Shooting Star, Pine Violets, Coyote Mint, Horse Mint and many more.   See plant list for all flowers identified today.

There were many flowers all along highway 120.  Most prevalent were Mountain Pride Penstemon, Numerous Lupines, Naked Buckwheat, Scarlet Penstemon, Showy Penstemon, Pussy Paws, Paintbrush, Mariposa Lily, Wall Flowers and Single-stemmed Groundsel.

After going through the Tioga Pass entrance and heading towards Lee Vining there were a number of flowery areas on the north side of the road and Evening Primrose were starting to come out as well.  Of special note were the area across the road from the pullout below Ellery Lake where there were great specimens of the pink Lewis’s Monkeyflower and across the road from the pullout just below Warren Canyon were there was a stream lined with White Rein Orchids.

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Click Read more to see a plant list for the Crane Flat Area

Plant List for Crane Flat and nearby Meadows 7/29/11

California Cone Flower

Corn Lily

Jeffrey’s Shooting Star

Lupines

Arrowhead Groundsel

Meadow Lotus

Bistort

Narrow-leaf Mules Ear

Alpine Lily

Self-Heal

Musk Monkeyflower

Phacelia

Buttercup

Coyote Mint

Sneezeweed

Pussy Paws

Cow Parsnip

Yarrow

Grand Collomia

Meadow Goldenrod

Slender Cinquefoil

Sperry Buckwheat

Richardson’s Geranium

Sierra Stickweed

Pink Stickweed

Pine Violet

Blue-eyed Grass

Mountain Dandelion

Anderson’s Thistle

Checker Bloom

Canchalagua