Day 157: "I bet they're not up yet," I said as I was packing my pack for an impromptu hike in Rimrock County Park on Wednesday. I had been quite surprised when I stumbled across them (almost literally) two years ago. The colony was the first I'd ever encountered, and they were in full bloom at the time. I had to shift gears mentally from my initial, "What are avalanche lilies doing down here?" The flower is quite similar, like a miniature Easter lily: white, six-petalled and nodding. The leaf is striking, mottled brown and green, and undoubtedly the source of one common name, Trout-lily. It's easier to remember than the alternate for Erythronium oregonum, Giant White Fawn-lily. "Giant" is misleading, although this Erythronium is admittedly somewhat (not much) larger than its alpine cousins. A subspecies is found in western Washington, but I have not determined whether these particular plants belong to it...not yet. It will be a few weeks before that little bud opens to reveal clues to its full taxonomy. Like Schwarzenegger said, "I'll be back."
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