Lynch Creek Meander

I nearly missed the Fawn Lilies (Erythronium oregonum, upper left), but in so doing, I was able to see all my favourites along this little-known trail. Several of them are species I've never seen anywhere else: Sanicula crassicaulis (Sanicle, center top), and yes, those are its itty-bitty little flowers; Plectritis congesta (Sea-blush, top right), and what it's doing in the middle of the woods with a name like that is anyone's guess; Luzula multiflora (Common Woodrush, lower left), nearing the end of its flowering period, and the second of two Luzula species in my photographic "collection". I've found the remaining two in multiple locations: Veronica regina-nivalis (center bottom), also near the end of its blooming season; and good old Claytonia sibirica (Miner's Lettuce, lower right), just because I needed a sixth image for the montage. It was a short but rewarding hike, possibly the last I'll be able to enjoy for a while because we have a Pacific storm system moving in.

Lynch Creek Fawn Lilies

Day 184: Since I had to go to the library today anyway, I took a little side trip, i.e., a short hike up the Rimrocks trail to see if the Fawn Lilies (Erythronium oregonum ssp. oregonum) were in bloom. The ones in my yard only have leaves showing. Sure enough, they were out, alongside Snow Queens and a few Trilliums, and although I'd hoped the Plectritis on the bald would be in bloom as well, its leaves were only barely beginning to show. I went a bit farther than I'd planned initially, turning around at the point where there used to be a clear view of the Rimrocks. Now the trees are too tall, and block all but the highest outcrop. The trail sees very little traffic because it is in an undeveloped county park, and it has rewarded me with multiple "life list" sightings of plants I've found nowhere else.

Fawn Lily, Erythronium Oregonum

Day 181: In my yard, only the leaves of the Fawn Lilies (Erythronium oregonum) are showing, but on the off chance that they were in bloom at lower elevations, I took a short hike on an obscure trail yesterday. I was delighted to see the usual patch in full bloom, and was even more excited to discover them further along the trail in several places I had not noticed them previously. This raises a question in my mind: why do they not occur in other locations nearby? I have only observed them at this one site, and in a friend's yard where I suspect they were deliberately planted. Even more puzzling is the fact that this particular area has yielded up at least half a dozen plant species I have not observed elsewhere. It is hardly an undisturbed ecology, having been logged at some point in its history. Some combination of soil type, pH, exposure, hydrology and/or other factors make the spot unique. In fact, I stumbled across another new-to-me species yesterday. More on that in a coming post, and after I've taken better photos of it.

Opening Day

Day 198: The moment for which I have been waiting these last two weeks has finally arrived. The Fawn Lily was not open when I first checked before breakfast, but looked suspiciously close to bursting. At 9 AM, the petals were fully recurved and in full glory. A second bulb has put up a single leaf. I was worried that it might not have survived. Even if it doesn't flower, it will gain strength from that one leaf, and will likely bloom next year. I'm chalking this delicate transplanting operation up as a horticultural success. While we're on that subject, I'm pleased to announce that the last two contorted filbert twigs I soil-layered are also doing well. So is the wild ginger brought over from a neighbouring property. In fact, the latter is spreading with great enthusiasm, a fact which delights me no end.

Erythronium Oregonum Ssp. Oregonum

Day 177: As long as I was out and about day before yesterday, I thought I'd make a side trip to see if the Erythroniums were blooming. If they were, I might be able to determine subspecies. They're not very far from an unmarked, little-known trailhead, but the first tenth of a mile is one of those rises I call "qualifiers." If you get to the top without having to stop to catch your breath, you're good to go. Having already done five miles, I didn't make it. About forty feet from the point at which the trail rolls back a bit, I paused to heave and gasp. As I stood there (less than a minute), my eyes strayed to the woods on my left. Oh, look! More Erythroniums! Further investigation revealed that my "patch" (still ahead) wasn't just twenty square feet; it was about a thousand square feet of moss-rich Fawn-Lily habitat! Most were not even in bud, but the few early bloomers confirmed what I suspected of their subspecies: Erythronium oregonum ssp. oregonum. Fawn Lily is a cousin to the Avalanche Lilies found at higher elevations, and has foliage spotted with a rich chocolate brown.