Bird’s-eye Gilia and Goldfields
Gilia tricolor — Lasthenia californica
This week we had three gloriously beautiful sunny days, so we decided to explore the foothills! On Wednesday we went to North Table Mountain Ecological Preserve with our friends Rod and Rochelle, and it was covered in wildflowers! It wasn't peak bloom yet, but there were billions of Goldfields, lots of Bitterroots, tons of Meadowfoam, Volcanic Onions, Blue Dicks, Plantains, Bird’s-eye Gilia, Poppies, Violets, Popcorn Flowers, Pink Woodland Stars, and some Lupines!
The sky was filled with solid gray clouds and a strong wind was constantly gusting from the south, which made photographing the flowers a bit difficult!
Bitterroot and Goldfields
Lewisia rediviva — Lasthenia californica
North Table Mountain Ecological Preserve is a butte that is a prairie-like expanse of flowering grassland, interspersed with tiny creeks, valleys, and waterfalls! The top of it is capped by an ancient lava flow. It is one of the few places in California that has never been impacted by agricultural crops. Some cattle are allowed to graze there in the wet months, but apparently cause little impact on the native wildflowers. It became an ecological preserve in 1993, when Francis Carmichael, a local rancher, sold 3,315 acres of it to the State of California, to be managed by the California Department of Fish and Game.
Bitterroot is the largest, showiest wildflower on Table Mountain, and one of my absolute favorites! This year there were lots of them scattered across the rocky, volcanic mounds throughout the preserve. The flowers are up to two inches across, with numerous stamens, and a white style with 7-8 branches! They grow right on the ground, with numerous, thin, succulent leaves.
Prairie Woodland Star — Lithophragma parviflorum var. trifoliatum
To our delight we came across one clump of beautiful, pink Prairie Woodland Stars! At 14" tall, they towered above the other wildflowers! The more commonly seen Woodland Star has tiny white flowers. These flowers were medium sized, about half an inch wide. We were so lucky to see these uncommon flowers!
Right now there are numerous small creeks flowing on the preserve. The water was brackish and warm to the touch, but no newts were present. In years past I have seen California Newts, and their eggs in the streams.
Your questions and comments are appreciated. Please feel free to email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!