On a hike through the forests south of Kamloops on a November day, I made a number of observations along the way.

A number of perennials were spotted and identififed by their leaves and their growth habits.    There was bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), old man’s whiskers (Geum triflorum), many rattlesnake plantains (Goodyera oblongifolia), large-leaved avens (Geum macrophyllum), nodding onions (Allium cernuum), matte saxifrage (Saxifrage sp.), and alumroot (Heuchera sp).   Images are shared here in a gallery.    Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption/ID.

geum triflorum

bunchberry

rattlesnake plantain

wintergreen

avens

nodding onion

matte saxifrage

alumroot

On north-facing slopes, in gullies, and in wet spots in the forest were many lichens and an occasional fungus.   I spotted freckled pelt lichen (Peltigera aphthosa), Vulpicada (sp.), orange jelly spot (Dacrymyces chrysospermus), witch’s hair (Alectoria sp.), and various Cladonia (C. sp.).   I am still learning to identify lichens, mosses, liverworts, and fungi so if you can identify a particular species, please comment.

freckled pelt lichen

freckled pelt lichen

vulpicada

orange jelly spot

witch's hair

cladonia

cladonia

Some shrubs were also spotted and photographed, including juniper (Jumiperus communis), twinflower (Linnaea borealis) , Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), shrubby penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus), and kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi).

juniper

kinnikinik

shrubby penstemon

Oregon grape

snowberry

twinflower

The snows fell soon after this hike and now many of the plants of the upper forests are partly buried, but I will continue to watch for interesting plant life throughout a winter of hiking and snowshoeing.