Natural History Wanderings

Two Marin County Wildflower Bloom Updates  from Charlie Russell of California Wildflower Hikes

Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve (article on this at http://wildflowers.russellramblings.com/2012/03/ring-mountain-wildflowers-and-views/) – Wonderful views, not a lot of flowers but they were there to find. Fremont’s star Lily, Oakland Mariposa Lily, Douglas’ Iris, Shooting Star, California Buttercup, Milk Maids, Checkerbloom. You climb up the mountain, see flowers by the trailside, enjoy the view and then hike back down. This is pretty dry and exposed.

King Mountain Open Space Preserve (article next week, just couldn’t get it all done at once) is a fun hike and a lot of it is in the shade. We just missed the Fetid Adder’s Tongue (saw the plants, no blossoms), but we did find Fremont’s Star Lily, Hounds Tongue (lots of that!), Milk Maids, Chickweed, Scarlet Pimpernel, Blue Dicks, Bush Monkey Flower, Douglas’ Iris, Miner’s Lettuce, Sun Cup, California Buttercup and Pacific Trillium. Not a lot of any one particular flower, but a nice variety and a very nice hike. Check http://wildflowers.russellramblings.com next week for a more detailed report on this hike.