05_19_2017_Hwy 18

As we headed uphill into the mountains, we saw 5-6 feet tall plants with yellow plumes. A new species for us. We pulled off the highway onto a side road near an electrical substation and a cement plant. Of course, we started photographing the plumed plant.

Prince's plume_Stanleya pinnata_P1100977

Prince'splumeStanleyapinnataP1100977Common NamePrince's plumeScientific NameStanleya pinnata

The flowers on the Prince's plume were quite showy and on that day, they had attracted lots of insects. The large beetle (a shield bug sort of insect?) is quite a contrast to the small insects. Those small insects were present in large numbers and were busy increasing their numbers. More photos of insects on the prince's plumes in a separate insect gallery.

Prince's plume_Stanleya pinnata_P1260327

Prince'splumeStanleyapinnataP1260327Common NamePrince's plumeScientific NameStanleya pinnata

A few feet away, we found another new discovery: a tiny eriastrum.

Desert woollysytar_Eriastrum eremicum_P1100995

DesertwoollysytarEriastrumeremicumP1100995Common NameDesert woollysytarScientific NameEriastrum eremicum

We saw quite few of these sages with a column of unstructured red material. We found more of this sage at a different stage later in the trip.

Dorr's sage_Salvia dorrii_P1260451

Dorr'ssageSalviadorriiP1260451Common NameDorr's sageScientific NameSalvia dorrii

We saw a variety of phacelias on the trip. I couldn't ID many of them down to the species level.

phacelia_Phacelia sp _P1110034

Phaceliasp.P1110034Common NamephaceliaScientific NamePhacelia sp.

We saw this brilliant pink cactus flower as we drove onward and stopped.

Beavertail cactus_Opuntia basilaris var basilaris_P1260390

BeavertailcactusOpuntiabasilarisvar.P1260390Common NameBeavertail cactusScientific NameOpuntia basilaris var. basilaris

A bit farther along we stopped for some vivid red penstemon flowers.

Eaton firecracker_Penstemon eatonii_P1110021

EatonfirecrackerPenstemoneatoniiP1110021Common NameEaton firecrackerScientific NamePenstemon eatonii

There seemed two likely possibilities: scarlet bugler which we are very familiar with and Eaton firecracker which we had not seen before. After consulting our usuall resources including the Facebook CNPS group, I'm still not sure but I think it is Eaton firecracker.

Eaton firecracker_Penstemon eatonii_penstemon, red_P1110022

EatonfirecrackerpenstemoneatoniiredP1110022Common NameEaton firecrackerScientific NamePenstemon eatonii

At one of these stops, we spotted a clump of pink flowers up the bank. Too far to see them in detail. Then I found one close enough for a good photo. A very elegant plant and another new discovery for us.

Wishbone bush, California four o'clock_Mirabilis laevis var crassifolia (or maybe Mirabilis albida)_P1110018

WishbonebushCaliforniafouro'clockMirabilislaevisvar.crassifoliamaybealbidaP1110018Common NameWishbone bush California four o'clockScientific NameMirabilis laevis var. crassifolia or maybe Mirabilis albida

We saw these asters in a number of places along the trip.

Mojave woodyaster_Xyloriza tortifolia_P1110011

MojavewoodyasterXylorizatortifoliaP1110011Common NameMojave woodyasterScientific NameXyloriza tortifolia

We were beginning to wonder whether we missed the gravel Cactus Flat Road where we hoped to see Desert Mariposa Lilies. Finally, we got there and parked a hundred yards down the side road. We didn't see the Mariposas right away but we found another discovery.

Beautiful rockcress_Boechera pulchra_P1260412

BeautifulrockcressBoecherapulchraP1260412Common NameBeautiful rockcressScientific NameBoechera pulchra

I can't remember whether we've seen this flower before but it was certainly a pleasure to see it on this trip.

Twocolor phacelia or Fremont's phacelia_Phacelia bicolor or Fremontii_P1260404

TwocolorPhaceliaFremont'sbicolorFremontiiP1260404Common NameTwocolor phacelia or Fremont's phaceliaScientific NamePhacelia bicolor or Fremontii

We were wondering whether we missed the bloom period but a couple of hundred yards farther along, we saw lots of Desert Mariposa lilies. I can appreciate small pastel flowers but these large flowers with intense, saturated color are hard to beat. More pictures in a separate Calochortus gallery.

Desert Mariposa lily_Calochortus kennedyi_calochortus kennedyi_P1110098

DesertMariposalilycalochortuskennedyiP1110098Common NameDesert Mariposa lilyScientific NameCalochortus kennedyi

Another eriastrum species and another new discovery for us.

Woolystar - probably sapphire eriastrum_eriastrum sapphirinum_P1260426

WoolystarprobablysapphireeriastrumsapphirinumP1260426Common NameWoolystar probably sapphire eriastrumScientific Nameeriastrum sapphirinum

A couple of clumps of Indian paintbrush provided a different red color.

indian paintbrush_Castilleja sp _P1110058

indianpaintbrushCastillejasp.P1110058Common Nameindian paintbrushScientific NameCastilleja sp.

After a bathroom break at Big Bear, we turned around and came back down Highway 18. We spotted a Fremontodendron bush next to the road and stopped. It was hard to get a good picture of a flower for various reasons: hard to isolate a single flower, flowers facing downward and flowers in deep shade. Lesley got a good picture of a flower here and got a ladybug as a bonus.

Flannelbush_Fremontodendron californicum_P1260495

FlannelbushFremontodendroncalifornicumP1260495Common NameFlannelbushScientific NameFremontodendron californicum

This flower reminded me of desert five spots for the shape and the five features with contrasting color inside.

Flannelbush_Fremontodendron californicum_P1110133

FlannelbushFremontodendroncalifornicumP1110133Common NameFlannelbushScientific NameFremontodendron californicum

We saw Delphiniums of several species on most days.

Parish's larkspur_Delphinium parishii_P1260506

Parish'slarkspurDelphiniumparishiiP1260506Common NameParish's larkspurScientific NameDelphinium parishii

We saw this strange flowering bush once and didn't understand it at all. Later that day at a different location, we saw more plants at different stages and understood more about the way the plant blooms and goes to seed.

Bladder sage, Paper-bag bush_Scutellaria mexicana_P1100983

BladdersagePaperbagbushScutellariamexicanaP1100983Common NameBladder sage Paperbag bushScientific NameScutellaria mexicana

Another discovery for us.

Phlox, Southern mountain_Phlox austromontana_P1110082

PhloxSouthernmountainaustromontanaP1110082Common NamePhlox Southern mountainScientific NamePhlox austromontana

Lesley was fascinated by the native bee on this onion plant and worked to get a good photo.

onion with native bee_Allium_P1260444

onionwithnativebeeAlliumP1260444Common Nameonion with native beeScientific NameAllium

I'm not sure whether this species of wire lettuce is new to us or not. We saw wire lettuce flowers for years before the name stuck with us until we saw them again. We came for the Mariposa lily and found lots more discoveries. A nice morning's work.

wire lettuce_Stephanomeria pauciflora_P1100988

wirelettuceStephanomeriapaucifloraP1100988Common Namewire lettuceScientific NameStephanomeria pauciflora