When chicory first emerges, it is not noticed, unobvious with the surge of spring growth, and unremarkable in early stages. It is only when the flowers appear that we stop to notice the weedy-looking plant. In tight clusters chicory can … Continue reading →
Hatcher’s leafy wort (Barbilophozia hatcheri) is a common leafy liverwort in British Columbia. It is similar to common leafy liverwort (Barbilophozia lycopodioides) and both are often found growing together. Both species have large four-lobed leaves arranged in two rows along … Continue reading →
We hiked across the Tranquille Hills toward Battle Bluff to get to known fossil beds on shale slopes. It is about a 2 km hike to the best spots. Many shale fragments lie on downslopes, washed down by erosion, … Continue reading →
Shrubby penstemon is one of the finest flowering shrubs of our area, a welcome sight in late spring and summer. Penstemon fruticosas is a low-growing evergreen shrub (or subshrub) that grows on open, rocky hillsides in our area. Many branches … Continue reading →
We hiked from Lac du Bois to the top of Wheeler Mountain passing from the upper grasslands in to the Douglas fir forests. Witch’s hair lichens hung from branches on the way up. The sun shone through the lichens and … Continue reading →
Finger-leaf liverwort is a very unusual looking liverwort. Most liverworts either consist of a thallus, a flat green layer of tissue that lacks stems and leaves, or leafy liverworts, in which the single leaves, usually entire or with lobed margins, … Continue reading →
The Napier Lake Ranch Conservancy is located just off Highway 5A near Napier Lake. A short dirt side road climbs the hill to a parking area. Visitors on foot can explore the grassland bench by going through a person gate … Continue reading →
Common leafy liverwort is a large common liverwort found in higher elevation forests. It frequently occurs on a variety of substrates including coarse woody debris, the base of trees, and shaded rocks and boulders. Like most leafy liverworts, the leaves … Continue reading →
Moneses uniflora or one flowered wintergreen is a perennial that grows from rhizomes to a woody base and a stalk of up to 10 cm. Evergreen oval thin veined basal leaves cover the base. Flowers form on leafless, nodding … Continue reading →
In late spring, larkspur grows rapidly on open slopes, providing blue and purple blossoms to complement the yellows and whites of spring. Delphinium nutallianum is a perennial that grows from a tuberous, branched fleshy root system. A single stalk grows … Continue reading →
We hiked across Red Plateau in the second half of October. There was a thin coat of ice on the ponds as we went through forest to the rim of the south-aspect Escarpment. A few plants were untouched by frost … Continue reading →
As the colder weather sets in, bunchgrass, thread-and-needle grass, and rough fescue have grown to their full height and the wildfflowers of spring are long past. I hiked for 6.4 km through the middle grasslands enjoying this unique ecosystem. … Continue reading →
