The last time I was on these trails was in 2009, and before that 2003, so I thought this was a good time to see what our less than plentiful El Niño spring rains might have produced. I'm certainly glad I did because I spent a lovely day in a floristically diverse area along a trail lined with wildflowers, some just in modest numbers and some in great abundance. These trails are in the 600-acre Triunfo Creek Park in the rural Agoura-Westlake area at the end of Lindero Canyon Road south of the 101 freeway. The Pentachaeta Trail is named for the Lyon's pentachaeta which is a federally listed 1B.1 rare plant and which grows in large numbers in this area. I was also glad to see three species of Calochortus (my favorite group of plants) blooming in this area. An asterisk next to the common name denotes a non-native taxon. Thanks to Dave Stith and Dick Swinney for alerting me to my mis-identification of the snake. An asterisk next to the common name denotes a non-native taxon.

Purple clarkia
Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera
Onagraceae
[Named for William Clark, 1770-1838]

Purple nightshade
Solanum xanti
Solanaceae
[Named for János Xántus, 1825-1894]