Hillside walk, 30 March 2013

Newly blooming flowers this week are sticky monkeyflower and morning glory, both on the west hillside.

A highlight is the arrival of caterpillar phacelia flowers in a west hillside canyon, on both the north and south facing slopes. This is where I saw this species years ago. The number of plants would be in the range 20 to 50. The other place I've found this plant is at the bottom of the north hillside (about 3 plants) and upper Lida Street (1 plant).

Much of the north hillside is becoming very dry. Plants that have finished blooming include strigose lotus, scrub oak, and wild cucumber. Mirabilis is represented by a few shrivelled flowers on a single plant on the higher part of the hillside. Popcorn flower and eucrypta are greatly reduced. SUn cups are far fewer in number. Coffee berry continues to bloom although now advanced. Phacelia minor is much reduced in numbers and the flowers are smaller. Bicolor lupine is going to seed although plenty of flowers remain.

On the west hillside, skunkbush (Rhus aromatica) has finished blooming. Mountain mahogany has only isolated flowers in bloom. The peonies are developing large fruit. Skullcaps continue to bloom, and the nettles are flourishing.

Two color everlasting

Miniature lupine

Miniature lupine

California bluebells

California coffeeberry

California coffeeberry

California coffeeberry

Popcorn flower

Cobweb thistle

Cobweb thistle

Black sage

Wild hyacinth

Common eucrypta

Telegraphweed

Wild hyacinth

California liverwort

Skunkbrush

Skunkbrush

Small green things

Danny's skullcap

Western nettle

Danny's skullcap

Birch leaf mountain mahogany

Birch leaf mountain mahogany

Miner's lettuce

Miner's lettuce

Miner's lettuce

California liverwort

California liverwort

Scrub oak

Danny's skullcap

California peony

Lemonade berry

Wild hyacinth

Sticky monkey flower

Fuchsia-flowered gooseberry

Wishbone bush

Caterpillar phacelia

Caterpillar phacelia

Bitter cress

Caterpillar phacelia

Coffee fern

Goldenback fern

Caterpillar phacelia

Poison oak

Holly leaf cherry

Ropevine clematis

Douglas's nightshade

Golden currant

Leafy California buckwheat

Mulefat

Mulefat

Common bedstraw

Wild cucumber

Morning glory

California sun cup

California sun cup

     

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