Figueroa Mountain is best known for its Escholzia californica and Lupinus sp. display but also rewards a closer look with some delicate geophytes. Topping at 1381 m elevation, it is one of the peaks in the Los Padres National Forest, in California. Most winters the higher elevations get some snow. All the below photographs were taken on Figueroa Mountain in Santa Barbara County.
Photos below show some of the non geophytes in bloom.
Allium species:
Allium crispum is a species that grows in the coast ranges of California south of San Francisco in clay and serpentine soils. Photo taken by Mary Sue Ittner April 2005.
Allium diabolense (syn. Allium fimbriatum var. diabolense) is a California species found south of San Francisco Bay in the Inner South Coast ranges where it is often found growing in serpentine. It has white flowers with pink midveins and one leaf. Photos 1-2 were taken by Mary Sue Ittner.
Allium haematochiton is found both on dry slopes and ridges from the south coast ranges of California into northern Baja, but also is found in seasonally moist, grassy meadows. It is tolerant of summer water and almost evergreen in those conditions. If dormant it is one of the first to appear in the fall and long blooming. It is also known to grow on serpentine. The pictures listed below were taken in April 2005 by Mary Sue Ittner.
Calochortus species:
Calochortus albus is found in woodlands south of San Francisco Bay, California and through the Sierra Nevada foothills. Photo taken April 2005 by Mary Sue Ittner.
Calochortus catalinae is found in grassy places near the coast from southern California to Baja. The flowers are large, white to lilac, usually with a purple spot at the base of each petal. Petals are naked except for a few slender hairs near the base. This species was seen April 2005 growing in grassy areas along with Lupinus sp., Delphinium parryi and Dichelostemma capitatum. These in situ photos were taken by Mary Sue Ittner.
The below Calochortus sp. photographed by M.Gastil-Buhl along the roadside in April 2005 appear to be the same species.
Chlorogalum species:
Chlorogalum pomeridianum is a bulb found on grassy road banks, open meadows, and slopes in southern Oregon and California. It has basal rosettes of attractive wavy margined leaves that appear late winter and widely branched panicles of fragrant flowers that bloom in summer. Photo of the leaves growing with Lasthenia sp. taken April 2005 by Mary Sue Ittner.
Delphinium species:
Delphinium parryi is a coastal Southern California species that is also found in Baja California. It is found in chaparral and open woodlands and grows from a deep, woody rootstock and has a tall stalk with beautiful large blue flowers and divided leaves. The next pictures show it growing in the wild in grassland near Figueroa Mountain, Santa Barbara County, and a closer version requiring a scramble up the side of a cliff where it was growing in chaparral. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner.
Delphinium patens subsp. hepaticoideum seen on Figueroa Mountain, Santa Barbara county in April 2005 growing along the road. Photo by Mary Sue Ittner.
Dipterostemon species:
Dipterostemon capitatus, syn. Dichelostemma capitatum, is widespread in California, spilling into Oregon and Baja California from the coast to the foothills and even to the deserts. Photo #1 was taken April 2005 by Mary Sue Ittner of a plant growing with Allim crispum. The second photo taken by M.Gastil-Buhl is likely to be this species as well.
Fritillaria species:
Fritillaria biflora is native to the coastal ranges of California where it grows in sunny grassy areas with heavy soils. It has chocolate brown flowers. In spite of its name, it can have 1 to 5 flowers. The photos below were taken April 2005 by Mary Sue Ittner.
The below photos were taken April 2005 by M.Gastil-Buhl in a damp patch of grass.
