05_20_2017_Hwy 178 - from Hwy 14 to Lake Isabella
I saw a stand of tall, showy penstemon plants next to the highway and had to stop. The striking pink color in good morning light was irresistible. The inside of the flower on the left is lit by light coming through the petals. I don't often get to see into a penstemon flower so clearly.
Penstemon_P1110225
Most of the penstemon flowers were pink. This one was at a different stage and in different light.
Penstemon_P1260598
Plenty of insects visiting these flowers.
Acton encelia_Encelia actoni_P1050719
ActonEnceliaactoniP1050719Common NameActon enceliaScientific NameEncelia actoni
We saw more desert calico flowers here.
Desert Calico_Loeseliastrum matthewsii_P1110248
DesertCalicoLoeseliastrummatthewsiiP1110248Common NameDesert CalicoScientific NameLoeseliastrum matthewsii
In two days, we went from being unaware of bladder sage and desert calico to seeing many plants of each species and having images on them firmly embedded in our minds.
Desert Calico_Loeseliastrum matthewsii_P1110238
DesertCalicoLoeseliastrummatthewsiiP1110238Common NameDesert CalicoScientific NameLoeseliastrum matthewsii
Yesterday we saw Dorr's sage plants with no flowers but just a pink-red column. Now we could see what the plants looked like with its flowers at peak.
Dorr's sage_P1110253
I think the blue flowers coming from the magenta base are quite pretty.
Dorr's sage_Salvia dorrii_P1260607
Dorr'ssageSalviadorriiP1260607Common NameDorr's sageScientific NameSalvia dorrii
We now recognize that 5 (short) petal flowers with many stamens and orange color at the base of the petals are Mentzelia (Blazing stars). We are just starting to learn to ID these small mentzelia. I think this is Mentzelia congesta or Mentzelia veatchiana
mentzelia_P1110268
Very small but very beautiful.
gilia_gilia sp _P1110284
We've seen suncups in several places in 2016 and 2017. We've learned to spot the pistil ball. Love the yellow color and the red accents. My best guess is Camissonia kernensis. However, when the eFlora entry says "Cross-pollinated. Related to Camissonia parvula, Camissonia pubens, Camissonia pusilla. Subspecies intergrade extensively. ", I think it's time for me to stop.
suncup_P1110288
A few feet away from the previous flower we found this three petal variant. It doesn't appear to have lost a petal. The 3 way symmetry looks quite natural.
suncup_P1260624
It's always interesting the see the different colors from the bud stage through to the withering flower stage.
suncup_P1110285
It isn't easy to capture the details of individual flowers on small but dense flowers heads. We got some details here and an insect as a bonus.
pincushion flower_Chaenactis sp _P1110274
pincushionflowerChaenactissp.P1110274Common Namepincushion flowerScientific NameChaenactis sp.
The sun cups are four petal flowers normally. In the same area we found these five petal golden linanthus flowers.
Golden linanthus_Leptosiphon aureus_P1110303
GoldenlinanthusLeptosiphonaureusP1110303Common NameGolden linanthusScientific NameLeptosiphon aureus
The color was different enough from that of the suncups to cause us to take a closer look. I'm glad that we did look closely.
Golden linanthus_Leptosiphon aureus_P1260656
GoldenlinanthusLeptosiphonaureusP1260656Common NameGolden linanthusScientific NameLeptosiphon aureus
Lesley has gotten good at recognizing white tidy tips.
whitedaisy tidytips_Layia glandulosa_P1110276
whitedaisytidytipsLayiaglandulosaP1110276Common Namewhitedaisy tidytipsScientific NameLayia glandulosa
We stopped at an area where a fire had scorched joshua trees and cleared the area of brush. Lots of very low growing plants there.
popcorn flower_P1110301
I certainly don't remember seeing this prostrate plant before.
Pringle eriophyllum_Eriophyllum pringlei_P1260631
PringleEriophyllumpringleiP1260631Common NamePringle eriophyllumScientific NameEriophyllum pringlei
We see rattlesnake weed often enough to keep the look in our active memory.
rattlesnake weed_P1110280
Another belly plant that we have learned to recognize.
purple mat_P1110275
