Monday, November 29, 2010

Chapter Winner

Phacelia mohavensis, Mojave phacelia, CNPS list 4.3 (Photo by Jane Tirrell)

The San Gabriel Mountain CNPS Chapter in Southern California took our grand prize. Volunteers in this chapter contributed over 400 hours of their time and submitted 52 survey forms! This included 26 separate rare plant species. Wow! So we would like to take this moment and recognize their efforts and tell you about their project. Why don't you join them next year?

Carpet of Phacelia mohavensis. (Photo by Jane Tirrell)

Jane Strong, Field Trips Chair, writes:

This year, our chapter began a new project called the Lily Spring Area Survey. The purpose of the survey was to check on the phenology of about 100 plant species documented in Wayne Sawyer’s paper published in Crossosoma, February 1987 13(1):5-10, entitled “A List of High Elevation Angiosperms and Their Phenology in the San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles County, California”. This project dovetailed perfectly with the objectives of the CNPS Rare Plant Treasure Hunt.

The survey area is between 7,000 and 8,400 feet elevation, bordered on the south by the Pacific Crest Trail, and on the north by Highway 2, Angeles Crest Highway, and includes two moist areas, Little Jimmy and Lily Springs, a wind-swept, rocky ridge and many north-facing, forested slopes. The site was visited at least once a week by one or more of the team members from May when the road was still closed and icy continuing through November until the road is once again closed for winter conditions.

Lilium parryi, Lemon lily, list 1B.2 (Photo by Jane Tirrell)

The project manager is Graham Bothwell who also did the website at www.cnps-sgm.org/lilyspring/lsas_overview.php. Jane Tirrell and Walter Fidler did over 95% of the field work and reporting; Shirley Imsand and Laura Scott Sellers participated one or two days. Tom Chester helped with identification. Jane Strong did a workshop, some field work, identification, and the paperwork necessary for the Rare Plant Treasure Hunt.

Highlights are the discovery of several populations of Viola pinetorum ssp. grisea, gray-leaved violet, CNPS list 1B, the first Los Angeles County collection, and a significant range extension for Mimulus breweri, Brewer's monkeyflower, not previously vouchered in Los Angeles County. There were vast carpets of Phacelia mohavensis, Mojave phacelia, CNPS list 4.3 and Acanthoscyphus (Oxytheca) parishii var. parishii, Parish's oxytheca, CNPS list 4.2.
Viola pinetorum ssp. grisea, gray-leaved violet, CNPS list 1B (Photos by Jane Tirrell)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Prize Winners

Treasure Hunters at Chimineas Ranch, San Luis Obispo County
Here's the short list of the prize winners for the Rare Plant Treasure Hunt. These dedicated volunteers and partner organizations went out searching for rare plants and documented important information on survey forms about their populations. This data included namely location and habitat descriptions along with gps coordinates (usually), a site quality and viability assessment, blooming and fruiting information and population estimates. This isn't as difficult to gather as it sounds, keen observations skills and some good reference materials is all you really need.

Throughout the next few weeks I will be highlighting the project these groups and individuals have done. Stay tuned for that series. But now, without further ado, the winners are...
Individual Winners:
Grand Prize – Duncan Bell, Treasure Hunter Extraordinaire
Most occurrences updated by an individual!

Second Place- Clyde Golden, Intrepid Treasure Hunter
2nd most occurrences updated by an individual!

Third Place – Natalia and Bill Blackburn, Terrific Treasure Hunters
3rd most occurrences updated by an individual(s)!

Chapter Winners:
Grand Chapter Prize- San Gabriel Mountains Chapter
Chapter with the most hours and occurrences updated!

Second Place Chapter Prize-San Diego Chapter
Chapter with the 2nd most occurrences updated and volunteer hours!

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS with the most occurrences:

George Butterworth, Department of Fish and Game-most occurrences updated!

Karen Cotter and volunteers, Santa Clara County Parks-2nd most occurrences updated!

Tanya Chapple and interns from the Mid Klamath Watershed Council

Tarja Sagar and interns, Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area, National Park Service
Michael Chasse and volunteers at the Golden Gate National Recreational Area, National Park Service
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Clyde Golden, Most prompt form submitter-Thank you for getting your forms in so quickly!
Millie Nielson, 4 years old, of Nevada - Youngest Treasure Hunter

Monday, November 22, 2010

Photo Contest Winners!

The decision has been made and the best photo submitted to the Rare Plant Treasure Hunt is....

this photo of the elegant White bear poppy, Arctomecon merriamii, list 2.2 by Lara Hartley, Kern County Chapter! This plant is found in the Eastern Mojave desert. Lara submitted a survey form for this and other rare plants in the desert. Thank you Lara!

Our 2nd place winner is Ben Smith who captured this beautiful rare Mariposa Lily, Calochortus weedii var. intermedius, list 1B.2, in Orange county. He submitted survey forms on not only this plant but on the rare Peninsular beargrass, Nolina cismontana, list 1B.2. Thank you Ben!
Our 3rd place winner is Don Davis, who took this photo of the striking Alkali Mariposa Lily, Calochortus striatus, list 1B.2 near Lancaster, CA. Don is getting us coordinates for this rare plant population as well. Thank you Don!

Monday, November 15, 2010

More Photos

The Carrizo Plain in San Luis Obispo County was remarkably beautiful this year and one of our volunteers spent a lot of time documenting rare plants in the region. Check out some of his photos.

Layia heterotricha, Pale Yellow Tidytips, list 1B.1

Hills covered with Madia radiata, Layia heterotricha and Monolopia lanceolata

A field of Madia radiata, Golden madia, list 1B.1 with Guillenia lemmonii, Lemmon's mustard

All photos by George Butterworth

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Photo Contributions

We had many people all over California finding rare plants this year. Over the next few weeks I'll share their photos. Enjoy!
Calochortus weedii var. intermedius, Weed's Mariposa Lily, List 1B.2

Nolina cismontana, Peninsular Bear Grass, list 1B.2

(Photos by Ben Smith)