Friday, November 11, 2011

The Illusion of Spring in the Fall



I'd never visited the Butterfly Valley botanical area in the fall until today.  I was quite surprised to see the fresh green look of the Pitcher Plants, AKA Cobra Lily (not really a lily), Darlingtonia californica.  I expected the leaves to be brown and mostly smashed into the muck of the meadow.  I have often visited this area in late spring when the flower stalks are also plentiful, and there are literally hundreds of other species of wildflowers in the area, including several species of Sundew.  Since I only live about 6 miles from this spot, I plan to pay much more attention to the Pitcher Plant next spring and summer.  I'd love to discover what pollinates the flowers.  Might need to bring my mosquito repellant and camp out.

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