This is somewhat unusual to have a photo gallery limited to a single species. I have done this because this species is fairly uncommon and because it is a beautiful species that I have wanted to see and photograph for quite a long time. Sisar Road is a road up Sisar Canyon the beginning of which is along Highway 150 about halfway between Santa Paula and Ojai. My wife and I first went up there because my friend Jim Adams told me about this species being in bloom recently. It was sprinkling on us lightly as we began to hike. The first location was about 2 miles up the road and we were unable to find it there. The second location was another two miles further up the road. By the time we had gone three miles it was raining heavily and we turned around. I returned to this area a few days later when the weather was better and hiked the four miles to where Jim had said the plants were "everywhere." They were, and it was indeed exciting and very pleasurable to finally make their acquaintance. I have now seen three Fritillary species in two weeks, this one, Fritillaria striata at Tejon Ranch, and Fritillaria biflora at the Santa Rosa Plateau. |