Sunset Nature Hike
In the later part of November we hiked west in Kenna Cartwright Park out to the end of the Sunset Trail and back. The pipeline work is now finished in the area and hydroseeding and restoration has been completed.
Along the way we spotted a few plants and photographed them. Included here are blazing star (Mentzelia laevicaulis), fleabane (Erigeron sp.), dock (Rumex sp.), bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata), silverleaf phacelia (Phacelia hastata) and starmoss (Syntrichia ruralis). Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.
At the viewpoint looking west were a number of crustose lichens on the rocks. Included here are rock-posy (Rhizoplaca melanophthalma), Sunburst lichens (Rusavskia elegans), other Xanthoriae, and some shield lichens (Parmelioideae).
At one spot we counted 16 blazing star plants, so we will be back to see them in bloom in mid-summer.
More Information:
Orange ones likely Caloplaca saxicola with larger, less adnate lobes than Rusavskia (was Xanthoria); Rock posy is Rhizoplaca malanophthalma; Rock-shield Lichen is Xanthoparmelia plittii…nice pics…who needs flowers?🤣
Thanks, Chris. I am slowly learning some of these. Much appreciated. Cheers…