After our spectacular outing to the Elizabeth Lake/Munz Ranch Road area, I decided to see what it was like at the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, a locality only a few miles to the north which I had not been to for several years. I had heard that due to the March rains, the Reserve was putting on a show that was the best in years, and I was not disappointed. However, as in other places where there is to be found a mass display of a single species, the diversity of other species at the Reserve is not high, but there were still many beautiful flowers to be seen. The Reserve contains 1,745 acres of low sandy hills situated along West Lancaster Road in an area called Antelope Buttes about 15 miles west of Lancaster. This is high desert and the elevation there is between 2600' and 3000'. The Reserve was dedicated to the State of California in April, 1976.

Dobiepod, Slender keel fruit
Tropidocarpum gracile
Brassicaceae

[The common name dobiepod appears to be related to the word adobe and indicates that this is a plant that grows in clay soils. Two other taxa that use this name, Dobie sanicle (Sanicula maritima) and Dobie spindleroot (Carum or Perideridia kelloggii), probably grow in similar soils.]

Dwarf filago ~
Logfia depressa
Asteraceae

Tansy-leaved phacelia
Phacelia tanacetifolia
Boraginaceae