In the San Bernardinos

Two trips this summer to the San Bernardino Mountains have been successful (and great fun). In the southern foothills we found this beauty, Calochortus plummerae, Plummer's Mariposa Lily, rank 1B.2.
Our next excursion was with the US Forest Service surveying near Bluff Lake. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we found 7 different rare plant species. Damsel flies (perhaps some kind of Bluet) were around the lake en masse-lovely!

Here is the rare Sidalcea pedata, Bird foot checkerbloom, rank 1B.1

And just for fun, take a look at the mycoparasitic Snow plant, Sarcodes sanguinea. So unusual.

For more photos of the plants of the area check out this photo gallery by our volunteer, Michael Charters. An amazing photographer! http://www.calflora.net/recentfieldtrips/blufflake11.html