habitat ~ 06/02/11 ~ Fort Ord - BLM Creekside

Fort Ord Public Lands - Creekside entrance
June 2, 2011

The grasses are definitely on their way to dried summer yellow. Interesting to note the vernal pool above looks like it has more water than back on January 19, 2011 when we had unseasonably warm and dry weather. It's been such an unusual weather year with our last rain on June 4.

western vervain ~ 06/02/11 ~ Fort Ord

western vervain
Verbena lasiostachys var. lasiostachys
Verbenaceae

I think Andy was tired by this point in his trail run. This vervain is certainly difficult to spot in the grasses.

Parry's larkspur ~ 06/02/11 ~ Fort Ord

best guess Parry's larkspur
best guess Delphinium parryi

Ranunculaceae

This is my best guess of a deep blue-colored larkspur ID. There are 2 subspecies listed for Fort Ord, D. parryi ssp. maritimum and D. parryi ssp. parryi. Goodness knows who can tell the difference between Delphiniums, which readily hybridize.

yellow mariposa lily ~ 06/02/11 ~ Fort Ord

yellow mariposa lily
Calochortus luteus
Liliaceae

dwarf checkerbloom ~ 06/02/11 ~ Fort Ord

dwarf checkerbloom
Sidalcea malviflora ssp. malviflora
Malvaceae

I'm basing this ID mostly on the CNPS plant list for Fort Ord. Many of the Sidalcea found in CA look very similar to me, especially the fringed checkerbloom (S. diploscypha).

And, yes, there are several beetles on the blooms in the second picture, but I'm not in the beetle IDing frame of mind right now. Can you ID the beetles?

Davy's centaury ~ 06/02/11 ~ Fort Ord

Davy's centaury
Zeltnera davyi
Gentianaceae

This is an unexpected burst of low-growing color that I don't think I've ever noticed before. Again, thanks to Andy.

cobweb thistle ~ 06/02/11 ~ Fort Ord

cobweb thistle
Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale
Asteraceae

Finally, some decent pictures of blooming cobweb thistle. Thanks to Andy who went on a solo trail run from the Fort Ord BLM Creekside entrance and took these pictures. He does a much better job than I do at the various shots I like to have for Nature ID: whole plant, close-up, and details.