VASQUEZ ROCKS NATURAL AREA
APRIL 2010
PART TWO PAGE ONE
Photographs by Michael Charters


There has been so much to photograph at Vasquez Rocks that I have decided to break this gallery into two parts. The plethora of informal trails in addition to the main PCT, geology trail, history trail, and foot and equestrian trails affords one access into many little intimate and individual areas of the park and allows the feeling that you are far away from civilization (that is if you can tune out the drone of automobile sounds from the Antelope Freeway). There is still a small amount of water that is flowing in some of the seasonal creeks with many moisture-loving species crowding in for their measure of liquid sustenance. Many species are not currently in bloom. An asterisk (*) next to the common name indicates a non-native taxon, and a tilde (~) indicates an identification about which there is still some uncertainty. An upside-down V next to the common name indicates a taxon that was new to me when I photographed it on this field trip.

   
Wishbone bush
Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia
Nyctaginaceae
 
Western poison oak
Toxicodendron diversilobum
Anacardiaceae
 
Hoary nettle, Stinging nettle
Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea
Urticaceae


 
Cobweb thistle
Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale
Asteraceae



 
Turkish rugging
Chorizanthe staticoides
Polygonaceae
   
Nevada cryptantha
Cryptantha nevadensis var. rigida
Boraginaceae
     


 
Silver puffs
Uropappus lindleyi
Asteraceae
[Named for John Lindley (1799-1865]
 
Chaparral yucca, Our Lord's Candle
Hesperoyucca whipplei
Agavaceae
[Named for Amiel Weeks Whipple, 1817-1863]
 


   
Rattlesnakeweed
Chamaesyce albomarginata
Euphorbiaceae

 
California filago
Logfia filaginoides
Asteraceae


 
Purple owl's clover
Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta
Scrophulariaceae

[Named for Domingo Castillejo Muñoz, 1744?-1793]
 
Coffee fern
Pellaea andromedifolia
Pteridaceae
 


 
 
Chickweed *
Stellaria media
Caryophyllaceae
 
 
California fuchsia
Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium
Onagraceae
Tadpoles
 
Bush poppy
Dendromecon rigida
Papaveraceae
Baby blue eyes
Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii
Boraginaceae

[Red mites, possibly genus Balaustium]


 
 
 
Common groundsel *
Senecio vulgaris
Asteraceae



   
Annual bedstraw
Galium aparine
Rubiaceae


 
Bristly pectocarya
Pectocarya setosa
Boraginaceae


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

Copyright © 2010 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]gmail.com.