EASTERN SIERRAS
PAGE ONE

Photographs by Michael Charters




This is another departure from my typical pattern, consisting as it does of photos taken on a number of trips to the Eastern Sierras, mostly around the Bridgeport Valley, but including some forays into Yosemite National Park, the Virginia Lakes area and the Alabama Hills. Since this area is outside my comfort zone, and many of the identifications derive from a few limited picture flower guides, the identifications are a lot more suspect, and should be looked at with a critical eye. I have in most cases not even attempted to determine any subspecies or varieties. I welcome any feedback from people who have a greater knowledge of the flora of this area than I have, and that means almost everybody. I will be looking in the future for more trips to the Sierras, and plan on attending a Jepson workshop to King's Canyon which hopefully will be scheduled for next year. The header photo was taken in the Bridgeport Valley, and the photo at the bottom of page five was taken in the Alabama Hills. An asterisk next to the common name indicates a non-native species.


   
Bog mallow
Sidalcea oregana ssp. spicata
Malvaceae
 
Leichtlin's mariposa lily
Calochortus leichtlinii
Liliaceae
 
Alpine shooting star
Dodecatheon alpinum
Primulaceae



 

cf. Alpine aster
Oreostemma alpigenum var. andersonii
Asteraceae

 
American dogwood
Cornus sericea
Cornaceae
 


 
 
Blue violet
Viola adunca ssp. adunca
Violaceae
 
 
 
 
Nuttall's linanthus
Leptosiphon nuttallii ssp. pubescens
Polemoniaceae
Woolly mule's ears
Wyethia mollis
Asteraceae
 
 


   
Dusky horkelia
Horkelia fusca ssp. parviflora
Rosaceae
 
 
Giant hyssop
Agastache urticifolia
Lamiaceae


Pretty face
Triteleia ixioides
Themidaceae
 
 
Pride of the mountains
Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi
Plantaginaceae
 
 
 
Monument plant, Deer's tongue
Swertia radiata var. radiata
Gentianaceae


     
Lemmon's paintbrush
Castilleja lemmonii
Scrophulariaceae
 
Death camas
Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum
Melanthiaceae
 


 

cf. Stickseed
Hackelia velutina
Boraginaceae

Brewer's lupine
Lupinus breweri
Fabaceae
 
 
Club-moss ivesia
Ivesia lycopodioides
Rosaceae
Chicalote
Argemone munita
Papaveraceae
King's sandwort
Eremogone kingii
Caryophyllaceae
 
 
Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Ranunculaceae
cf. Drummond's cinquefoil
Potentilla drummondii
Rosaceae
 


   
Meadow penstemon
Penstemon rydbergii var. oreocharis
Plantaginaceae
 
Bitter cherry
Prunus emarginata
Rosaceae

 
Low phacelia
Phacelia humilis
Boraginaceae


 
Western blue flax
Linum lewisii var. alpicola
Linaceae

 
   
Meadow starwort
Stellaria longipes ssp. longipes
Caryophyllaceae


 
Fivespot
Nemophila maculata
Hydrophyllaceae
 
 
Alpine gold hulsea
Hulsea algida
Asteraceae
 
 
Ithuriel's spear
Triteleia laxa
Themidaceae
 


PHOTO GALLERIES
INDEX
CALFLORA.NET PAGE TWO
OF FIVE
CALIFORNIA PLANT NAMES: LATIN AND GREEK MEANINGS AND DERIVATIONS

Copyright © 2009 by Michael L. Charters.
The photographs contained on these web pages may not be reproduced without the express consent of the author.

Comments and/or questions may be addressed to: mmlcharters[at]calflora.net.