Natural History Wanderings

Plumas County Bloom Blog has the following new post from Joe Willis, the black oak naturalist

Mostly walked the cleared power line that crosses the road to Snake Lake that leaves Highway 70 about a mile north of town(Quincy). Couldn’t help but be side-tracked by blooming wildflowers and insects, which my usual goal on hikes of this sort. Here are a few of my findings.

There was a large patch of Henderson’s Shooting Star, which are usually purple. However, I found one stalk bearing only white flowers. I’m assuming it was a local mutant rather than a different species, although there are couple of species of white Shooting Stars found at Table Mountain and in the lower canyon.

It was exciting to find my first Death Camas of the season.

The California Buttercups have been blooming for several weeks now, but this one appealed to me because of the bug on it, a reminder that a flower is part of a community and shouldn’t be seen only in isolation from its visitors.

The Oregon Grape is blooming in many places around town where it is a part of the landscaping, but also in the forests.

The Fleabane, a kind of miniature daisy, is blooming in the courthouse lawn. They grow fast and will come back quickly after each mowing which is what I like best about them. They supposedly keep fleas away if incorporated into pets’ collars. Seems they also keep elephants away. Haven’t seen any around here lately. Elephant Bane?

See all posts at:  Bloom Blog Wildflowers.

Related articles

• Plumas County Wildflower Updates 4/6/13 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
• Plumas County Wildflower Report 4/5/13 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)