drenshaw's Identifications
Photos / Sounds
What
Harding Grass (Phalaris aquatica)Observer
rawlingstimbyDescription
Abundant and widespread, 100s individuals and patches, medium to tall perennial (cespitose or from rhizomes); compact, cylindrical infl, diverse in width and length (photo); glume keels winged distally, wings 0.2-0.4 mm wide, usually entire (photo); sterile florets usually solitary, 1.5-2 mm long in these spikelets; bisexual florets hairy, stramineous.
Habitat: Annual and perennial grassland; wildfire-burned area of coastal terrace
"The sterile florets of Phalaris are frequently mistaken for tufts of hair at the base of a solitary functional floret. Close examination will reveal that the hairs are actually growing from linear to narrowly lanceolate pieces of tissue. Developmental studies have shown that these structures are reduced lemmas". FNA online
Wildland weed widely planted for forage in California. Earliest Santa Cruz Mtns CCH2 specimens from 1950s. N.B. Out of focus field photos (like these) may not reliably separate plants from the genera Phleum and Alopecurus.
Photos / Sounds
What
Redray Alpinegold (Hulsea heterochroma)Observer
randomtruthDescription
Still persisting several years after triggered by brush-cut.
Photos / Sounds
What
Confused Canary-Grass (Phalaris brachystachys)Observer
randomtruthDescription
Annual with stubby spikes; broad wings on glumes; 2 short sterile lemmas at base of fertile lemma.
Photos / Sounds
What
American Winter Ant (Prenolepis imparis)Observer
mountainmoonDescription
Enjoying Coyote brush.
Photos / Sounds
What
Palmer's Oak (Quercus palmeri)Observer
randomtruthDescription
Small group of highly confusing oaks. Mature trees to 20 feet tall, but have ridiculously vicious leaf-spines on all the leaves. Characters seem to put them in the Intermediate Oaks, which, for the SC Mtns region, would make it canyon oak, Q. chrysolepis.
But the leaf-spines, which are far more needle-like than any we can find on Q. chrysolepis in the SC Mtns, in combo with the roundish, wavy leaves and warble-edged acorn cups suggest Q. palmeri. Even the branching pattern and bark seem similar to palmeri.
But the nearest occurrences of Q. palmeri are in the East Bay in Sunol. Nor are there any other known Q. chrysolepis on the preserve for a localized comparison.
Oaks!
Photos / Sounds
What
Clasping Twig Gall Wasp (Disholcaspis prehensa)Observer
meravDescription
on Leather Oak
Stats
- 19
