The Inspiration for Floralore...
"A scientific interest in at least certain features of our natural environment, as for example the trees, shrubs or herbaceous plants, directs one to useful and agreeable intellectual activity. Accurate and detailed knowledge of even a small area lifts the possessor out of the commonplace and enables him directly or indirectly to contribute to the well-being and happiness of his community."
—Willis Jepson, Trees of California, 1921
What does it take to develop a detailed knowledge of the trees, shrubs or herbaceous plants of our small area? First and foremost: Curiosity; then add an ability to really see things (notice details), and then maybe have a book or two to help learn the names of native plants.
Why not learn to recognize some of the main native plant families? Get familiar with the easy ones first, and add to that knowledge as you can. Some of the first flowers you will see practically everywhere will be members of two large families: lupines are in Fabaceae (the bean or pea family) and dandelions, balsam-root and mules-ears are in Asteraceae (the sunflower family). Not to mislead, but these are also two of the largest plant families and are generally pretty challenging to identify to species! All I want is to encourage you to recognize the family characteristics of the ten most identifiable families.
Tip: There are two kinds of links used: yellow-highlighted tidbits are information linkswith pop-up info for quick reading when you roll over them, and standard blue links go to new pages.
It’s too bad that many think learning botanical names is hard to do; they just look intimidating. Common names look friendly but they are more confusing than helpful. I confess that botanical names can be off-putting when you are faced with Sphenosciadium capitellatumRanger Buttons, but then there’s Quercus durataLeather Oak or Agoseris grandifloraMountain Dandelion. Once you get past the initial fear of trying to say the names, it gets easier and easier. Besides, you are more often reading the names rather than saying them.
The Many Environments of El Dorado County
Our local Eldorado National ForestIt's El Dorado
for the county name, but
Eldorado (one word)
for the forest name. recognizes more than 1200 species of plants. And because El Dorado County offers over 10,000 feet in elevation change, we get a really long season: March through September. We have several interesting soil types, from serpentine outcrops like Traverse Creek, gabbro soils of Pine Hill, and a splendid mix of volcanic and granitic soils of the Crystal Range, the Desolation Wilderness, and of course the Sierra Nevada. We have riparian areas, chaparral, the Eldorado National Forest and Grass Lake, and the largest sphagnum bog in California. We have several excellent mountain passes nearby (Echo Summit, Carson, Monitor, Ebbetts, and Sonora) which each offer their own particular environments. In short, we have a wealth of habitats we can explore on most any weekend we choose. And there almost certainly are still some local plants which have not yet been identified! That's intriguing.
Are You Looking for Wheelchair Access to Nature in El Dorado County?
If you have a friend in a wheelchair, or if you yourself use a chair and want to get out for a hike, I am adding some places that have trails (or good dirt roads) that can get you into close encounters with Nature.
Many back roads in the Eldorado Nat’l Forest have been closed to any motorized vehicles, but that does not include motorized wheelchairs. Look at the page about access points and see what you think? Feedback invited.
And Now, Floralore comes with Butterflies!
I added butterflies to my list of things to enjoy when I happened upon an interesting caterpillar, shot a few pictures because it was so colorful, then later that same day I took pictures of a mint plant with two checkered butterflies that added visual interest. The next day I wondered how one goes about identifying butterflies? I Googled for information, stumbled upon Art Shapiro’s Butterfly Site, and that triggered a new interest. Now you can visit my growing collection of photos and maybe you too will be inspired to look for butterflies.
And Let’s Clear This Up: It’s Sierra, not Sierras!
Just for fun, let's look at the name of California's best known mountain range: the Sierra Nevada. The Spanish word sierra has several meanings. In a general way, the word means a saw used to cut, as in sierra de mano, handsaw, or sierra circular, buzz saw. In a geologic sense, sierra means simply a “jagged mountain range”, nevada is a Spanish adjective formed from the word nieve, snow. The name Sierra Nevada simply means “snowy jagged mountain range.” In other words, the name Sierra Nevada should only be used in the singular for this California feature. Check this map of physiographic regions of California.
Disclaimer No. 1:
While I am not a trained botanist, I do consider myself an amateur scientist; the word “amateur” comes from Latin, amar, to love, and “science” is from a Latin root which means to know, to learn; an amateur scientist simply loves to learn. We should all be scientists at some level, and learning about plants (gardening too) and the backgrounds of names, Latin meanings, even the connections of the grocery produce to native beginnings, is fun. Did you know that carrots originated in Afghanistan, and that their native forms were purple or yellow? Apples originated in Kazakstan. Chilies originated in Mexico/Central America and are botanically described as berries!
Disclaimer No. 2:
This site is mostly concerned the plants (and now butterflies) of El Dorado County, California, but it also includes information from around northern California in general (see Places). If you are outside this area, I am hoping that much of the information will still be of interest.
Please E-mail me with any comments,
PS: A word about Calflora...
Most of the botanical name links will take you to a site called Calflora.org. It is an excellent source for plant photos, range maps, and information about California native (and many non-native) plants. As you get more interested in native plants Calflora will prove to be a valuable resource. I personally hope that you will find that the site is deserving of a small donation.
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