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Sierra Nevada Foothill Flora 2024-5

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Robert:
Hi Jeff,

The structures you describe are the fruiting bodies of lichen, ascomata. The type of ascomata associated with the genus Xanthoparmelia are referred to as apothecia. Apothecia are generally disc or cup shaped and sit atop the lichen's surface.

Jeffnz:
Thanks not mycology focused.
Cheers

Robert:


We are experiencing typical “spring-like” weather here in Interior Northern California. Periods of warm sunny weather are followed by periods of cold rainy weather. This back-and-forth, seesaw weather pattern is normal during the transition from winter to summer.

Pictured in a view looking west over the Central Valley from the lower, western edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountain foothills.



The few opportunities I have had this season to do any field botany have been during periods of unsettled weather. On this day, 13 March, the weather was very showery in the Central Valley with low elevation snow in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The snow level was at an elevation of 2,000 feet (610 meters). At this elevation everything was covered with snow. Below this elevation rain/snow mix showers were frequent. It was difficult to accomplish much.



In the open grasslands of the lower foothills and east side of the Central Valley Triphysaria eriantha ssp. eriantha was in bloom. I vividly remember this species blooming in huge expanses in the Central Valley during the 1950’s. Now this species is only seen in small pockets in the Central Valley and lower foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains or in protected nature preserves.



Primula hendersonii has been blooming for many weeks now. This photograph was taken on our El Dorado County farm where it grows wild on the uncultivated parts of our property.



Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum also grows wild on our El Dorado County farm. This xeric species blooms in late spring – early summer.

Robert:


Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis (pictured) is a very common early blooming species in the Sierra Nevada Mountain foothills. Ranunculus californicus var. californicus and Ranunculus canus are two closely related species that are also found in our region at lower elevation in the Sierra Nevada Foothills.  [Jasmin]:  These Ranunculus remain exceedingly difficult to photograph well.  The petals have a beetle-like metallic sheen that reflects all light levels, and they wave around in the least breeze on their elongated stems.  We have yet to figure out a dependable photography method for them.



Sanicula bipinnatifida (pictured) as well as Sanicula bipinnata and S. crassicaulis are commonly found species in the lower parts of the Sierra Nevada Foothills. All these species grow wild on our farm property.

Spring is slowly arriving to the Sierra Nevada Mountain foothills. White-leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida is blooming on our El Dorado County farm. On our farm, the oaks, Blue Oak Quercus douglasii and Interior Live Oak Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni are still dormant (elevation 1,500 feet – 457 meters), however Quercus douglasii is leafing out now in the Central Valley and at the fringe of the Sierra Nevada foothills. California Black Oak, Quercus kelloggii is leafing out too. California Buckeye, Aesculus californica and Poison Oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum, are two early to leaf species that are now in leaf throughout the lower elevations of the foothills. In some locations Toyon, Heteromeles arbitifolia, still has berries. Generally the birds have eaten most of the berries by now.

Spring is arriving. Hopefully, in the near future, I will be able to get out during a period of sunny dry weather to photograph more of our native flora.

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