05_20_2017_Highway 395 to Lone Pine
Seen on the Hwy 395 right-of-way near Little Lake. We saw flowers like these several times in 2016 and 20127 and even IDed them once or twice. We could see that the four petal flowers had a primrose like ball pistil. I hope that we can remember the ID this time.
Booth's sun cup, Booth's primrose_Eremothera boothii_P1110359
Booth'ssuncupprimroseEremotheraboothiiP1110359Common NameBooth's sun cup Booth's primroseScientific NameEremothera boothii
We saw apricot mallow buds and heavily munched flowers yesterday. I was happy to see nice specimens today.
Apricot mallow_Sphaeralcea ambigua_P1110363
ApricotmallowSphaeralceaambiguaP1110363Common NameApricot mallowScientific NameSphaeralcea ambigua
I tried to capture the way they looked at different stages.
Apricot mallow_Sphaeralcea ambigua_P1110364
ApricotmallowSphaeralceaambiguaP1110364Common NameApricot mallowScientific NameSphaeralcea ambigua
One more.
Apricot mallow_Sphaeralcea ambigua_P1260801
ApricotmallowSphaeralceaambiguaP1260801Common NameApricot mallowScientific NameSphaeralcea ambigua
This small pincushion flower head provided our best view of the individual flowers.
pincushion flower_P1260745
Always a pleasure to see these flowers.
Desert dandelion_Malacothrix glabrata_P1110358
DesertdandelionMalacothrixglabrataP1110358Common NameDesert dandelionScientific NameMalacothrix glabrata
We turned onto the gravel Cinder Road and immediately saw these tall milkweed plants.
Desert milkweed_Asclepias erosa_P1110366
DesertmilkweedAsclepiaserosaP1110366Common NameDesert milkweedScientific NameAsclepias erosa
Yep, it's a milkweed and a new species for us.
Desert milkweed_Asclepias erosa_P1260749
DesertmilkweedAsclepiaserosaP1260749Common NameDesert milkweedScientific NameAsclepias erosa
Desert milkweed_Asclepias erosa_P1110367
DesertmilkweedAsclepiaserosaP1110367Common NameDesert milkweedScientific NameAsclepias erosa
Sometimes crab spiders sit motionless waiting for prey and take no notice of us. This one didn't stick around.
Mojave woodyaster_Xyloriza tortifolia_P1260823
MojavewoodyasterXylorizatortifoliaP1260823Common NameMojave woodyasterScientific NameXyloriza tortifolia
Yesterday morning, we had never seen this ariastrum. Now we've seen it in several places and can recognize it.
Desert woollysytar_Eriastrum eremicum_P1110396
DesertwoollysytarEriastrumeremicumP1110396Common NameDesert woollysytarScientific NameEriastrum eremicum
We've seen thistle sage in other parts of the state but seeing it off Hwy 395 was an unexpected treat. Afternoon light gave the flowers a soft color.
Thistle sage_P1260779
Lots of detail in the flowers and on the plant as a whole. A show-off plant.
Thistle sage_P1110408
Lesley captured the contrast between the orange stamens and the soft purple petals.
Thistle sage_P1260781
This insect (beetle?) adds its own contrast.
Thistle sage_P1260820
An indigo bush had some ripening seed pods with blobs of dark red color on them. A lot to love about an indigo bush.
indigo bush_Psorothamnus arborsecens var Munitifolius_P1260763
indigobushPsorothamnusarborsecensvar.MunitifoliusP1260763Common Nameindigo bushScientific NamePsorothamnus arborsecens var. Munitifolius
We've seen desert chicory before and we always like to see it again.
Desert chicory_P1260794
We drove behind the cinder cone and found a nearly bare stretch of red gravel (like the cinder cone material.) P,lants like this milk vetch grew in small clumps 5-10 feet apart from their neighbors.
Fremont's milk vetch_Astragalus lentiginosus var fremontii_P1050777
Fremont'smilkvetchAstragaluslentiginosusvar.fremontiiP1050777Common NameFremont's milk vetchScientific NameAstragalus lentiginosus var. fremontii
Got that astragalus flower shape! Nice late afternoon sun.
Fremont's milk vetch_Astragalus lentiginosus var fremontii_P1110414
Fremont'smilkvetchAstragaluslentiginosusvar.fremontiiP1110414Common NameFremont's milk vetchScientific NameAstragalus lentiginosus var. fremontii
Got those air-bag pods too.
Fremont's milk vetch_Astragalus lentiginosus var fremontii_P1110415
Fremont'smilkvetchAstragaluslentiginosusvar.fremontiiP1110415Common NameFremont's milk vetchScientific NameAstragalus lentiginosus var. fremontii
There were 2-4 foot wide clumps of these purple flowers growing on the red gravel. I think it is in the Nama genus like purple mat but I don't know what species.
purple mat_P1050778
Another plant growing on the red gravel. I found two possibilities for an ID: Holly dandelion or Scale Bud ( Anisocoma acaulis). Light levels had gotten quite low and the flowers weren't open so I didn't have much in the way of tools to resolve the ID further.
Holly dandelion_Glyptopleura marginata_P1260831
HollydandelionGlyptopleuramarginataP1260831Common NameHolly dandelionScientific NameGlyptopleura marginata
