Natural History Wanderings

Submitted by Charlie Russell of  Wildflower Hikes

The bloom Jepson Prairie Preserve is underway, with more early season flowers showing every day. The following were seen this weekend in the public access area:

• Fragrant fritillary (Prairie bells), Fritillaria liliacea
• Butter & Eggs, Triphysaria eriantha
• Brass buttons, Cotula coronopifolia (not native)
• Purple sanicle, Sanicula bipinnatifida
• Miniature lupine, Lupinus bicolor
• Rosy douglas’ meadowfoam, Limnanthes douglasii ssp. Rosea
• Padre’s shooting star (Prairie pointers), Primula clevelandii var. patula
• Caraway leaved lomatium, Lomatium caruifolium
• Long beaked filaree, Erodium botrys (not native)
• Muilla, Muilla maritima
• Yellow carpet, Blennosperma nanum
• Bearded clover, Trifolium barbigerum
• Blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum
• Vernal pool popcornflower, Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus (could be Plagiobothrys hystriculus)
• Dwarf popcornflower, Plagiobothrys humistratus
• Vernal pool goldfields, Lasthenia fremontii

Docent led tours will be held every Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 am through May 14.=