Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Cardiff Fork Wildflower walk on June 21 st.

The mystery plant we found up in the shaded duff of old groth Spruce (notice the barbaque potato chips on the ground, and the spruce cone) was Fairy Bells Disporum trachycarpum

Hard to see in the picture so a brief description: Leaves like a veratrum or plantain, 6 white petals and 6 yellow stamens, flowers dangling usually in pairs.

Special thanks to Marianne who graced us with her presence, and thanks to everyone who participated. My highlight, not really plant related...... they sell deep fried mac 'n' cheese at the Brighton store. Thanks for the shout out on the Larry Sagars show too. Next month Saturday July 19th we will be at the south end of the Brighton ski resort parking lot heading towards lake Mary by way of Twin Lakes area.

What we saw and talked about:

Small flowered woodlandstar

edible valerian

Ribes hudsonia

Blue spruce

White fir

Douglas fir

Paxistima

Service Berry

Pipsisiwa

Hornwort

Sawblade saxifrage

American Mountain Ash

Twin Berry

Snowberry

Sheperdia

Lobleaf groundsel

Lambstongue groundsel

Mounding sunflower

Jessies sticktight

Mertensia arizonica

Stoneseed

Starry Solamon Seal

Fritillaria purpurrea

Longtooth sweetpea

Green Gentian, Eldweed

Sweet woodruff

Baneberry

Larkspur

If I've missed anything post to the comments and I'll add it.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Red Butte Natural Area May 17, 08

Great time out. Special thanks to Faye for all the facinating information she brings to a tour of The Natural Area. Its the info about the one bee species the larvae of which can live on bundles of Zigadenus paniculatus pollen/nectar blobs that stands out most to me. When info changes the way I percieve I know I've trully learned, thanks.

I got the Mystery Mustard plant pictured here figured out, its Arabis holboellii or Holboell Rockcress. Many Arabis are being called Bochera's now and this is one of them. I like saying Bochera holboellii so I think I'll adopt the new taxonomy.

I'll list the families then plants we talked about within the group.

Apiaceae

Indian Carrot

Asteraceae

Mountain Dandelion

Arrowleaf and Cutleaf Balsamroot

Erigeron divergens

Senecio integerrimus Columbia Groundsel

Mules's Ear

Bergeridaceae

Oregon Grape

Boraginaceae (the family of the day)

Cryptantah humilis

Hackelia patens

Contra Stoneseed

Mertensia brevistyla

Brassicaceae

Arabis/Bochera holboellii

Dyer's Woad

Lunaria annua Money plant

Fabaceae

Astragalus cibarius

Astragalus utahensis

Lathyrus sp.

Vica americana

Geraniaceae

Erodium cicutarium Fillaree or Stork's bill

Grossulariaceae

Golden Currant

Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia family

ahydrophyllum capitatum

Hydrohyllum occidentale

Lilliaceae

Fritillaria atropurpurea

Fitillaria pudica

Feathery False Lilly of trhe Valley

Onagraceae

Oenotherea ceaespitos Tufted Evening Primrose

Polygonaceae Buckwheat Family

Eriogonum umbellatum

Rananculaceae Buttercup Family

Delphinium nuttallianum Larkspur

Rosaceae

Utah Serviceberry

Antelope Bitterbrush

Cliffrose

Apache plume (in formal garden)

Santalaceae Sandalwood Family

Bastard Toadflas

Scrophulariaceae

Flanel Mullen

Violaceae

Viola beckwithii (ok, we didn't really see this one but we we're honored to be in it's presence)

See ya all at the Cardiff Fork day!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

A windy day at Stansbury Island April 19th.

Great day out everyone. Special thanks to Brad Coleman for his co-teaching the class. What follows is a list of the plants that we talked about. I've ordered them into family groups. For 90 bonus points who remembers which family the above plant was in?
See ya all (and hopefully those who missed Stansbury Island) at Red Butte Garden behind the courtyard fountain. They'll be expecting you at the admissions desk, don't pay to get in, say "I'm with the Follow the Wildflowers class" and proudly walk in.
Apiaceae or Parsley Family:
Lomatium grayii Milfoil biscuit root
Cymopterus purpurascens Purple Spring Parsely
Asteraceae or Sunflower or Aster Family:
Artemisia ludoviciana Foothill sage
Artemisia tridentata Sagebrush
Grindelia squarrosa curlycup gumweed
Tetradymia spinosa spiny horsebrush
gutierrezia sarothrae Broom snakebrush
Boraginaceae or The Fuzzy Little Borage family:
Cryptantha humilis
Chenopodiaceae The Stinky Goosefoot family:
Atriplex confertifolia Shadscale
Sarcobatus vermiculatus Greasewood
Fabaceae or The Fabulous Fabaceae Family or the Pea family:
Astragalus cibarius Browse Milkvetch
Astragalus utahensis Utah milkvetch
Geraniaceae or Geranium family:
Erodium cicutarium Storksbill or Fillaree
Poaceae or Grass family:
Bromus tectorum Cheatgrass
Aristida purpurea Purple three awn
Polemoniaceae or Phlox family:
Phlox longifolia Longleaf phlox
Ranunculaceae or Buttercup family:
Ranunculus andersonii Violet buttercup
Scrophulariaceae or Figwort family:
Castilleja angustifolia
We talked about others like the solitary sunflower stalk and the Princes Plume (Stanleya pinnata) but thats most of it.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Make me an offer.............

Hey everyone, its time for the Follow The Wildflowers and Albion Wildflowers classes. I need help with the classes though, I can’t do it by myself. I need at least one, but with two volunteers it would be comfortable( in case someone has to cancel). I promise to make it fun and I’ll buy you lunch afterward. If you know anyone that might be interested forward this message on to them. Start times are :15 min ahead of class start time for prep stuff.

Follow the Wildflowers ( LLHG 489 ) 8:45 am - 12:00 pm
April 19th - Stansbury Island. Co-taught by Brad Coleman
May 17th - Red Butte Garden Natural Area. Co-taught by Brad Coleman and Faye Rutishauser.
June 21st - Cardiff Fork, Big Cottonwood Canyon. Co-taught by Marianne Zenger
July 19th - Lake Mary Trail, Brighton. Co-taught by Mandy Self.
Aug 16th - Catherin’s Pass, Alta. Co-taught by Faye Rutishauser and Marianne Zenger.
Albion Basin Wildflower Hike ( LLREC 757 ) 8:15 am - 12:30 pm
August 2nd - Catherin’s Pass, Alta. Co-taught by Faye Rutishauser and Marianne Zenger.
And for all the glory (and free plants) whats the plant in the photo?
really, I can't remember, its from Tanners Gulch last summer.