Three months have gone past with startling rapidity, can it be true that I only have two months left here in Grants Pass? It’s enough to make a girl want to cry! (but not really because it’s hot and I need to conserve water)
This past month, Kiki and I embarked on a new adventure– only to return to our old haunts with relative quickness. We were tasked with revisiting Cypripedium fasciculatum (CYFA) sites, especially small sites, as an algorithm projected the species might become extinct at these sites. We visited 15 high elevation (>3400 ft) and 15 low elevation sites that in the past had 10 plants or fewer to see if the algorithm holds true. The plants are inconspicuous in that they are just green leaves, much like the rest of the vegetation in our forests here. But the leaf shape is quite conspicuous, which made our hunt a little easier.
Cute little CYFA leaves. Sometimes they can be pretty small and hidden, so Kiki and I spent a lot of time at every site to make sure we didn’t missing anything~
Most of the plants we found were vegetative, but we did find a few flowering. The blooms are humble and subdued, it’s a very quiet plant.
CYFA in bloom~
As part of the project, Kiki and I also went to a handful of larger CYFA sites that had over 30 plants in the past. At one site we found 313 plants! It was wild and mildly overwhelming to count all those plants.
Our largest site had clumps of CYFA growing together. I thought it looked odd and uncomfortable.
We couldn’t believe how many plants we found! It was a very exciting day.
The CYFA habitat is a lot different from our old FRGE friend. CYFA tends to grow in moist areas with high overstory coverage. Usually there is a stream nearby. Our CYFA sites were mostly beautiful, but sometimes they required some bushwhacking to get through.
Some of our CYFA sites required us to climb through dense shrubbery to look for the little plants. This is Kiki performing that task.
We found no CYFA under these shrubs. Kiki isn’t happy about it.
While hunting for CYFA we stumbled upon two separate occurrences of Cypripedium montanum (CYMO), an orchid that is more rare and also more beautiful than CYFA. It was very exciting!
Bold and beautiful, making a scene, married to the stars– Cypripedium montanum.
Kiki will stop at nothing to get the perfect picture. She was covered in ants after this.
We saw a lot of cool things on our CYFA treks but for some reason did not take too many pictures. I guess we’re too hardened and jaded to record our journey anymore.
Phlox adsurgens, woodland phlox. Very pretty, the most gentle pink plant. A soothing flower to see.
A cool bug. A little jewel.
Our local seeds of success expert, Stephanie, invited us to join her on two separate occasions. We helped her collect Alopecurus geniculatus and Agoseris grandiflora on top of upper Table Rock in the hot hot heat. It was a fun day! On top of Table Rock isn’t a bad place to be. We also helped her to collect Danthonia californica, an oatgrass, in the hot hot heat of French Flat. Another beautiful place!
Kiki and Stephanie collecting on top of Table Rock.
Our crew collecting at French Flat.
Our CYFA task is completed and we’ve gone back to FRGE for the time being. Kiki is getting her Masters (!!) and her project involves FRGE habitat assessment. We’ve been revisiting our FRGE sites to collect in depth data about the vegetation, especially tree cover. This project will be part of a larger vegetation mapping project.
Our mentor, Stacy, joined us in a pretty area to help us with shrub identification! She is a great botanist and patiently helped us as we learned new species.
We saw a harmless little snake trying to stay warm in a sudden cold front. Super cute!
Kiki and I made a trip out to Prairie Creek Redwood State Park and hiked the James Irvine trail to Fern Canyon. It was so beautiful! A lovely hike, I highly recommend it.
Fern canyon! What a place.
We love the Pacific! (Even if I can’t take good selfies in front of it)
Of course, we still make time for scrabble.
and look haggard while we’re at it
Stay cool out there y’all!
Lillie P