Wildflower Report, May 15, 2010
Maxwell Road, Maxwell-Sites Road, Sites-Ladoga Road

Scroll all the way down to see the photos and descriptions:

Maxwell Road

Downingias are vernal pool plants. They grow in very restricted conditions, often in mass. A large population is flowering on the north side of the Maxwell Road just east of the Colusa Basin Drain.

Downigia insignus

Maxwell-Sites Road

Yellow mariposa lilies are widespread on clay soil grasslands of the low hills. They often occur as a few plants here and there. In places they may be locally abundant. There is a large population on the north side of the Maxwell-Sites Road in the rolling hills just east of the quarry.

Yellow mariposa lily, Calochortus luteus

Sites-Lodoga Road

Fringed sidalcea, like the mariposa lily, is widespread, and, like the lily, it flowers as the annual grasses are dying out.  It is growing on the slopes along the Sites Lodoga Road. Navarretias are also late spring plants. At least three are flowering in the hills: Downy navarretia (blue to purple), Tehama navarretia (white to light blue with purple in the throat), and adobe navarretia (yellow). They are small plants with finely shaped leaves. The flowers too are small, but large in relation to the plant.

Fringed sidalcea, Sidalcea diploscypha

Downy navarretia, Navarretia pubescens

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