Three items from our Saturday morning walk that I continue to think about. Top photo is a new friend in a huge Ponderosa that Rex Burress introduced me to. Says he's been around for at least 15 years. Let's hope for many more. From now on, I'll greet him every time I walk by. Second photo is another item introduced to me by Rex, Black Knob Fungus. It's notorious for infecting fruit trees, but here it's on a wild cherry and is itself host to some attractive lichens.
Then come my obsessions: the milkweeds, and milkweed-like plants. Photo number three is Spreading Dogbane, Family Apocynaceae. The bottom photo is the Showy Milkweed, formerly Family Asclepiadaceae, but more recently combined with the dogbane family. Both have many interesting features: attractive and fragrant flowers, attract a wide variety of beautiful insects, and have useful fibers. Hopefully, I'll soon be seeing the Red Milkweed Beetle. I can never get enough photos of that beauty.
I continue to enjoy your wildflower postings and would like to plan an trip to Plumas, possibly next wildflower season Is there any book, website or list that describes the recent locations and trails you have been posting about:Spanish creek, Oakland camp, Cascades trail, Mt. Hough, etc. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSandy Steinman
http://naturalhistorywanderings.com/