Day 274: To quote one of my botany partners, "My favourite wildflower is the one in front of me," and although I have a handful which top my personal list, Mountainbells puts up a good argument for the next spot in line. Formerly known as Stenanthium occidentale, Anticlea occidentalis is uncommon in the Park and I am pleased to have been able to document it this year in two locations new to me. Its reddish-purple half-inch bells are striped with green, and each inflorescence may consist of a dozen or more on a foot-high, thin stem. The slightest breeze sets the stalk to swaying, much to the aggravation of a photographer who eschews the use of flash for anything other than portraiture. If the bells make a sound when they are thus rung, only the faeries can hear it, but a human nose may detect a light, tangy fragrance rising from this member of the lily family.
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