Mather Field Vernal Pools

Transcription

1 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Popcorn-flower scientific Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus family Boraginaceae (fiddleneck) habitat vernal pools size plant 2 to 10 inches tall, flower 3 to 6 mm fun facts Small butterflies like to sip nectar from these tiny white flowers. Carol Witham description Popcorn-flower is a member of the fiddleneck family. Flower buds are held in a tight coil (spiral) at the top of the plant. The flowers open starting from the bottom of the plant moving toward the top. This causes the stem to uncoil. The seeds are produced in fours and many species have small hooked spines with which they hitchhike on fur or socks. Many species of Popcorn-flower occur at Mather Field. This species is the most common one found in vernal pools. The other species are either upland plants or have a more sprawling growth form. life cycle ecology Popcorn-flower is an annual. This species germinates while underwater. The young plants produce long floating leaves in order to get air and sunlight and to hold the plant upright. It blooms from April to May and is often the dominant plant in patches in a vernal pool. Nectar from the Popcorn-flower is a favorite of small butterflies in the Lycaenidae family. These small blue, gray, or copper (as in the color of a penny) butterflies can sometimes be quite abundant on the flowers.

2 investigate Another member of the borage family at Mather Field is the Fiddleneck. Can you see how they are similar?

3 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Soap Plant or Soaproot scientific Chlorogalum pomeridianum family Liliaceae (lily) habitat grassland size cluster of leaves 1 foot or more across, flower 1.5 to 2.5 cm Carol Witham fun facts Native Americans used the root of this plant as a soap and to stun fish. It contains chemicals which make it slippery like soap. These same chemicals paralyze the gills of fish. Beatrice F. Howitt, California Academy of Sciences description Member of the lily family. The flowers have three petals and three sepals which are similarly colored and appear to be six petals. The flowers are white or pale pink. The leaves are in a bunch at the base of the plant (a basal rosette) and have wavy edges. life cycle ecology Soap Plant is a bulb-forming perennial. For most of the year, the plant consists of a cluster of leaves about a foot in diameter. In May, the plant sends up a tall stalk with many branches and delicate flowers. Flowers are pollinated by night flying moths and open just as the sun goes down. They are very fragrant in order to attract their pollinators which are

4 flying around in the dark of night. Try visiting at sunset to see and smell the Soap Plant flowers. investigate Caterpillars of the moth that pollinates the Soap Plant eat the flowers and seeds of the plant. They usually feed very early in the morning and crawl to the bottom of the plant during the heat of the day. Can you find evidence of their feeding?

5 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Spokepod scientific Thysanocarpus radicans family Brassicaceae (mustard) habitat grassland size plants up to 15 inches tall; flower 1 to 2 mm, pod 0.5 to 1.0 cm Ken Davis fun facts The common comes from the spoke-like pattern of veins on the seed pod. description Member of the mustard family. The tiny flowers have four petals and are white. The seed pods are flat disks hanging from delicate stems along the stalk. The pods are cream colored with green and sometimes pink lines. Lacepod (Thysanocarpus curvipes) is similar to Spokepod, but the pods have perforations (holes) like a doily along the edges between the spoke-like pattern of veins. life cycle ecology Spokepod is a an annual. It blooms in early March. Most people do not notice the flowers because they are so tiny. The seed pods begin to grow in late March. Members of the mustard family usually have a bitter flavor caused by mustard oils. This helps to protect the plant from some herbivores. Some insects and mammals eat the mustard plants anyway. Broccoli is also a member of the mustard family.

6 investigate The seed pods of Spokepod split in half and drop the single seed which is in the center of the pod. Can you find pods that have already dropped their seeds? Can you find any flowers?

7 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Valley Tassels or Narrow Owl's-clover scientific Castilleja attenuata family Scrophulariaceae (figwort) habitat damp grassland size plant 4 to 12 inches tall, flower 4 to 6 mm across Ken Davis fun facts Most Castilleja are hemiparasitic (partially parasitic) on other plants. description Member of the figwort family. The flowers are long tubes with three inflated (balloon-like) sacks near the top. In Valley Tassels, the inflated sacks have a series of pink, yellow and black spots which resemble tiny faces. Note that the multi-lobed bract of Valley Tassels is white tipped. The other owl's-clovers at Mather Field have purple multi-lobed bracts or simple, green, leaf-like bracts. life cycle ecology Valley Tassels is an annual. It germinates in the late fall or early winter. As the weather begins to warm in the early spring, the plants grow very quickly and bolt up through the grasses to bloom. Valley Tassels bloom in April. Valley Tassels is a hemi-parasite on annual plants. The tips of its roots tap into the root system of the other plant and rob nutrients. Unlike the Vernal Pool Dodder (Cuscuta howelliana) which is a true parasite, the Castilleja can only steal a portion of the nutrients it needs and has to make the rest through photosynthesis.

8 Most owl's-clovers require very specific environmental conditions for successful germination and growth. Some years there will be very few plants or even none, while other years there might be millions! Very little is know about how the owl's-clovers are pollinated.

9 Mather Field Vernal Pools common White Meadowfoam scientific Limnanthes alba family Limnanthaceae (meadowfoam) habitat wet grassland, seeps, pools size plant up to 12 inches tall; flower about 2.5 cm across Brother Alfred Brousseau, St. Mary's College fun facts This plant may save the whales because its seeds produce an oil which can be used to lubricate (make slippery with oil) machinery. description Member of the meadowfoam family. The lower stems and leaves have long silky hairs. The outer sepals are also hairy. Note the distinctive venations (arrangements of veins) on the petals which serve as nectar guides for pollinators. There are no other species of large white flowers at Mather Field which could be confused with White Meadowfoam. Meadowfoam is not common in the Mather Field vernal pools and grassland. life cycle ecology White Meadowfoam is an annual. It germinates in wet areas soon after the rains begin in the fall. Its oily seeds float and in particularly wet years the plant can occupy vast areas. White Meadowfoam can bloom as early as March, often while its roots and leaves are still under water. Meadowfoam is pollinated by solitary bees. The bees gather pollen and nectar to feed their offspring and, in so doing, pollinate the plant. Their large, oily seeds may be highly nutritious to some insects, birds and rodents.

10 How can Meadowfoam save whales? Whale oil, made from the blubber of sperm whales, can lubricate fine machinery, even under conditions of high heat and friction. As a result it is used to lubricate fine machinery. Many, many whales are killed every year to supply this need. Meadowfoam seeds contain an oil which is very similar to the whale oil. Commercially grown meadowfoam oil may someday replace whale oil and eliminate the need to kill these magnificent creatures for their fat.

11 Mather Field Vernal Pools common White Navarretia scientific Navarretia leucocephala family Polemonaceae (phlox) habitat vernal pools size plant 4 to 6 inches tall, each flower 3 to 5 mm, flower cluster 2 cm or more across Carol Witham fun facts White Navarretia is a good nectar source for migrating Painted Lady butterflies. description Member of the phlox family. Each small white flower is a long tube with five lobes or petals. The flowers are arranged in heads that have spiny-looking bracts. Bracts are small leaves just below the flowers. White Navarretia is white flowered and appears to sprawl along the ground. The similar Spiny Navarretia (Navarretia intertexta) is also white flowered but the plants are more tall and slender. life cycle ecology White Navarretia is an annual plant. It germinates under water and grows very slowly until the water warms and the pool begins to evaporate. It blooms when all of the water has dried up in May. White Navarretia produces large amounts of nectar and is attractive to the domestic Honey Bee as well as native insects such as butterflies. Because it is so good at attracting pollinators, the parasitic Vernal Pool Dodder (Cuscuta howelliana) often puts its flowers within the clusters of White Navarretia flowers.

12 investigate Investigate how White Navarretia and Vernal Pool Dodder co-exist. Team up with the Vernal Pool Dodder specialist in your class. Find them growing together in the field.

13 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Lomatium or Biscuit Root scientific Lomatium caruifolium family Apiaceae (carrot) habitat wet grassland size plant up to 1 foot tall, flowers in clusters 1 to 2 cm across Carol Witham fun facts description The common Biscuit Root comes from the fact that Native Americans made a type of flour from the large taproot. Member of the carrot family. The tiny (1-2 mm across) flowers have five petals. They are arranged in clusters called umbels. The leaves have delicate fern-like divisions. The plant is generally long-lived and grows each year from a carrotlike taproot which stores energy. Lomatium is the only yellow flowered member of the carrot family at Mather Field. It prefers locations in between the wet vernal pools and the dry mima mound tops. life cycle ecology Lomatium is a perennial. The leaves generally die each year and new ones grow as soon as it rains in the fall. Biscuit Root blooms in March and early April. Biscuit Root is eaten by a number of animals. The roots are tasty and moisturefilled and are eaten by rodents during the summer. The leaves are eaten by rabbits. The large and oily seeds are a favorite food of some birds. Early settlers to California also used this plant as a herb for flavoring food.

14 investigate Lomatium is closely related to a number of the herbs and spices used to flavor foods. Rub the leaves or seeds and then smell your fingers. Does it remind you of something you have tasted in spicy foods?

15 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Butter-and-eggs or Common Owl's-clover scientific Triphysaria eriantha family Scrophulariaceae (figwort) habitat grassland (damp) size plant 4 inches tall, flower 0.8 to 1.3 cm long Carol Witham fun facts This plant is a hemi-parasite because it taps into the roots of other plants to steal nutrients. description Member of the figwort family. The flowers are long tubes with three inflated (balloon-like) sacks near the top. In Butter-and-eggs, the sacks are bright yellow. Note that the multi-lobed bracts of Butter-and-eggs are purple. The other owl'sclovers at Mather Field have white tipped bracts or solid green bracts. life cycle ecology Butter-and-eggs is an annual. It germinates in the middle of the winter, but does not grow very much until the weather begins to warm. Butter-and-eggs blooms in March and April. Butter-and-eggs is a hemi-parasite on annual plants. The tips of its roots tap into the root system of the other plant to rob nutrients. Unlike the Vernal Pool Dodder (Cuscuta howelliana) which is a true parasite, the Triphysaria can only steal a portion of the nutrients it needs and has to make the rest through photosynthesis. Most Owl's-clovers require very specific environmental conditions for successful germination and growth. Some years there will be only a few plants

16 and other years there might be millions! Very little is known about how Owl'sclovers are pollinated. investigate From the shape and coloration of the flower, Butter-and-eggs is probably insect pollinated. Can you figure out which insect pollinates it? Be sure to look at tiny crawling insects as well as flying ones!

17 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Fiddleneck scientific Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia family Boraginaceae (borage) habitat grassland (often disturbed) size plant up to 3 feet tall; flower 4 to 10 mm across fun facts The plants can be harmful to cattle if eaten and the bristly hairs can irritate human skin. Carol Witham description Member of the borage family. Flowers are tubular (shaped like a tube) with five petals. Flower buds are held in tight coils (spirals) at the top of the plant. The flowers open from the bottom of the plant to the top causing the stem to uncoil. The seeds are produced in fours and have small hooked spines used to hitchhike on fur or socks. Fiddleneck is the only yellow-orange flowered member of the borage family at Mather Field. The coil of yellow-orange tubular flowers is quite distinctive. life cycle ecology Fiddleneck is an annual plant. It germinates in the fall and blooms during the first warm days of March. It may continue to bloom into May in favorable locations. Fiddleneck readily colonizes disturbed areas such as roadsides, plowed fire breaks and orchards. It is a very common plant in the Central Valley and foothills of California. Plants from different areas may have different leaf shapes or flower color, but are the same species.

18 investigate Another member of the borage family at Mather Field is Popcorn-flower. Can you see how they are similar?

19 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Field Owl's-clover scientific Castilleja campestris family Scrophulariaceae (figwort) habitat vernal pools size plant 4 to 7 inches tall, flower 6 to 8 mm across Ken Davis fun facts Field Owl's Clover often supports the parasitic plant Vernal Pool Dodder (Cuscuta howelliana) which is the yellowish string-like plant in this photo. description Member of the figwort family. The flowers are long tubes with three inflated (balloon-like) lobes near the top. In Field Owl's-clover the inflated sacks are bright yellow. The other owl's-clovers all have colorful, multi-lobed bracts. Only Field Owl'sclover has simple, green, leaf-like bracts. life cycle ecology Field Owl's-clover is an annual. It usually germinates after the water in the pools has become very shallow and warm. It blooms from April to May and can be one of the dominant species in a pool. Most owl's-clovers require very specific environmental conditions for successful germination and growth. Some years there will be very few plants or even none, while other years there might be millions! Very little is know about how the owl's-clovers are pollinated.

20 investigate Try watching a Field Owl's-clover for a while to find out if any insects visit it. Be sure to look for small crawling insects as well as the flying ones. Do you think Field Owl's-clover is pollinated by insects?

21 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Fremont's Tidy-tips scientific Layia fremontii family Asteraceae (sunflower) habitat grassland size plant 4 to 10 inches tall, flower up to 5 cm across Carol Witham fun facts Tidy-tips are insect pollinated. The white circle with a yellow center is like a bull's-eye or target marking the nectar to guide the pollinators. description Member of the sunflower family. Each flowerhead is actually made up of individual flowers. The outer ray flowers look like petals while the inner disk flowers are tiny and tubular (tube-shaped). In Fremont's Tidy-tips, the ray flowers are bright yellow at the base and pure white at the tips. They have a delicate fragrance. life cycle ecology Fremont's Tidy-tips are annuals. They germinate after the first fall rains. As soon as the weather warms, they grow quickly and can bloom in late March or early April. As with the California Goldfields (Lasthenia californica) with which they grow, the Tidy-tips produce large quantities of nutritious seeds. Native Americans may have collected the seeds for food. Many rodents and insects such as ants depend on these seeds for food as well.

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23 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Narrow-leaf Mule's Ear scientific Wyethia angustifolia family Asteraceae (sunflower) habitat grassland size plant up to 3 feet tall; flower 5 to 8 cm across Kent Valentine fun facts Narrow-leaf Mule's Ears are particularly tasty to cattle and cannot survive in areas which are heavily grazed. description Member of the sunflower family. Each flowerhead is actually made up of individual flowers. The outer ray flowers look like petals while the inner disk flowers are tiny and tubular (tube-shaped). Narrow-leaf Mule's Ears is a very distinctive plant with large golden sunflowers. No other species at Mather Field has flowers quite this big. life cycle ecology Narrow-leaf Mule's Ears are perennial plants. They live for many years. Each year the above-ground foliage may die back. The large taproot stores energy for the next year's growth. Narrow-leaf Mule's Ears bloom in late April and May. This plant is very uncommon in the Central Valley because of year-round cattle grazing. Every time a plant puts up a new leaf, it gets eaten. The plants are never allowed to get big enough to bloom and make seeds. Eventually the taproot uses all of its stored energy and the plant dies. Narrow-leaf Mule's Ears does well at Mather Field because this land has not been used as cattle pasture.

24 Wyethia make large, highly nutritious seeds which are used by burrowing rodents and insects such as ants. If you break apart a seed head, you will see that the seeds resemble and smell like sunflower seeds but are much smaller.

25 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Vernal Pool Goldfields scientific Lasthenia fremontii family Asteraceae (sunflower) habitat vernal pools size plant 3 to 6 inches tall, flower up to 1.5 cm across Carol Witham fun facts Goldfields are pollinated by solitary bees. The bees collect pollen to feed their offspring. description Member of the sunflower family. Each flowerhead is actually made up of individual yellow flowers. The outer ray flowers look like petals while the inner disk flowers are tiny and tubular (shaped like a tube). Vernal Pool Goldfields occur in vernal pools. They have numerous ray flowers that give the flowerhead a round appearance. These two features help to distinguish Fremont's Goldfields from the other species of Lasthenia which occur at Mather Field. life cycle ecology Vernal Pool Goldfields are annuals. They germinate as the water gets very shallow and warm in the spring. As soon as the pools begin to dry in April they bloom. Vernal Pool Goldfields are the food source for native, solitary, specialist bees. The bees collect pollen and nectar to feed their offspring and, while doing so, pollinate the plants. In some areas of California there is evidence that Native Americans collected the seeds of Goldfields for food. They used baskets to collect the seeds from the drying plants.

26 investigate The solitary bees that pollinate Vernal Pool Goldfields look like small black or dark gray flies. You can tell that they are bees by the yellow pollen stuck into special baskets on the hind legs. Can you find any of these bees on the flowers?

27 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Yellow Star-thistle scientific Centaurea solstitialis family Asteraceae (sunflower) habitat disturbed areas, grassland Jo-Ann Ordano, California Academy of Sciences size plant up to 2.5 feet tall, flower 5 cm across including spines description Member of the sunflower family. Each flowerhead is actually made up of individual yellow flowers. The spines on the sepals may still be sharp long after the plant is dead. The Yellow Star-thistle plant is silvery-green when young and gray-green later in the season. Yellow Star-thistle is not easily confused with any other species at Mather Field. life cycle ecology Yellow Star-thistle is an annual. It germinates in the late winter. In the beginning, it puts most of its energy into growing a very long taproot. Later, as most of the grassland begins to dry and turn brown, the Yellow Star-thistle grows quickly. The long taproot allows it to find moisture still remaining in the soil below the shallow grass roots. Yellow Star-thistle begins to blooms in May. It can bloom throughout the summer and fall. Yellow Star-thistle is non-native and considered invasive because it competes with native species. It is particularly suited to occupy recently disturbed areas where it quickly becomes the dominant species. Yellow Star-thistle is so successful here because it uses the deep soil moisture which most native plants and non-native annual grasses cannot reach. Yellow Star-thistle is insect pollinated. During the late spring and summer when it is in bloom, there are very few native insects. Yellow Star-thistle is pollinated by domestic Honey Bees. If bee keepers were to remove their hives, few Yellow Star-thistle flowers would be pollinated. With reduced pollination, there would be fewer seeds produced.

28 investigate Observe where Yellow Star-thistle grows at Mather Field. What are some of the reasons why it might grow there?

29 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Vernal Pool Dodder scientific Cuscuta howelliana family Cuscutaceae (dodder) habitat vernal pools size Flowers aren't easily seen; the plant resembles orange string. Carol Witham fun facts Vernal Pool Dodder is a parasite on other plants. description Member of the dodder family. The plant consists of a mass of orange stems which resemble string. If you look closely you may see smaller stems entering the tissue of other plants. Vernal Pool Dodder has no leaves and produces very tiny, hidden flowers. If you find what looks like a bunch of yellowish-to-orange string or something that looks-like a tangle of fishing line or spaghetti, you have probably found Vernal Pool Dodder. life cycle ecology Vernal Pool Dodder is an annual plant. It germinates on the tissue of other plants in February or March. It grows larger as the spring continues. It blooms in late May or early June, often putting its flowers within the flower clusters of other species such as Navarretia or Coyote-thistle. Dodder is parasitic on other plants. It gets its nutrients by stealing them from the host plant. Because it has no need to produce its own nutrients, it does not have to perform photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the method used to convert sunlight to energy. Because Vernal Pool Dodder does not have to photosynthesize, it doesn't require leaves and chlorophyll. Chlorophyll gives most plants their green color. In addition, Vernal Pool Dodder does not produce nectar to attract pollinators. In instead it hides its flowers within the flower

30 clusters of the host plant. There the dodder flower gets pollinated by insects attracted to the host plant's showy flowers. investigate Can you find where the dodder plant is attached to its host plant?

31 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Checkerbloom scientific Sidalcea calycosa family Malvaceae (mallow) habitat vernal pools, wet grassland size plant up to 12 inches tall, flower 1.5 to 2.0 cm across Kent Valentine fun facts The common Checkerbloom comes from the checkered pattern of veins on the petals. description Member of the mallow family. The flowers are made up of five petals and many stamens. The petals are pale pink to white. Leaves are often rounded or maple leaf-shaped at the bottom of the plant and divided into palmate (handshaped) lobes at the top. There may be more than one species of Checkerbloom at Mather Field. This species blooms early in the season along with White-tipped Clover (Trifolium variegatum) on the edges of the vernal pools. The plant that blooms later in the season may be a different species. life cycle ecology Checkerbloom is an annual. It blooms in April and early May at Mather Field. Checkerblooms have large almost nut-like seeds which are highly nutritious. They are an important food source for burrowing rodents and birds. Most vernal pools do not have Checkerbloom. Only a few at Mather Field have Checkerbloom rings.

32 investigate The Checkerbloom and White-tipped Clover grow together, bloom at the same time, and have similar colored flowers. Do you think that they may be pollinated by the same insects? When an insect visits a Checkerbloom, what part of its body would get pollen on it?

33 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Downingia scientific Downingia species family Campanulaceae (bellflower) habitat vernal pools Two-horned Downingia (Downingia bicornuta) Brother Alfred Brousseau, St. Mary's College size Plants are 3 to 10 inches tall; each flower is 7 to 18 mm; Downingia bicornuta usually has larger flowers than the other two species. fun facts Downingia are pollinated by native solitary bees. The bees collect pollen to feed their offspring. Toothed Downingia (Downingia cuspidata) John Game description Member of the bellflower family. Each flower has five corolla lobes or petals. The two upper petals are smaller then the three lower. The flowers are mainly blue with white, yellow or other colors. Two-horned Downingia (top photo) has a pair of purple bumps near the center of the flower and the trigger hairs are long and twisted. Toothed Downingia (middle photo) has no dark spots and fang-like trigger hairs. Folded Downingia (bottom photo) has folded back

34 upper petals with a small horn between them. life cycle Downingia are annual plants. They germinate under water. When the pools dry in May, they bloom. Folded Downingia (Downingia ornatissima) John Game ecology Downingia are endemic to vernal pools. In some pools, their synchronous mass bloom can look like a blue sky reflected off water. Each vernal pool will usually only contain one or two species of Downingia. Downingia must cross-pollinate to produce seeds. To prevent accidental selfpollination, the flower matures in stages: It goes from being a male flower to being a female flower. When the flower is male, the solitary bee rubs against the trigger hairs to release pollen. When the solitary bee visits a female flower, the pollen is rubbed off onto the stigma to pollinate the flower. investigate Can you find examples of flowers in the male stage and the female stage? Clue: the female flowers have no trigger hairs and the stigma tip looks like a small round pillow.

35 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Elegant Brodiaea scientific Brodiaea elegans family Liliaceae (lily) habitat vernal pools, wet grassland size plant up to 1 foot tall; flower 4 to 5 cm across Carol Witham fun facts Brodiaeas are closely related to the "garden" Amaryllas. They have underground bulbs which they use to store energy. description Member of the lily family. Each flower has three petals and three sepals. In Brodiaea the sepals are colored like the petals, so that the flower appears to have six petals and no sepals. Elegant Brodiaea have purple flowers. You can tell Elegant Brodiaea from the similar Crown Brodiaea (Brodiaea coronaria) by the position of the stamenoides (white things similar to the stamens). In Elegant Brodiaea they are pressed up against the petals while in Crown Brodiaea they are pressed against the stamens. Vernal Pool Brodiaea (Brodiaea minor) blooms later in the year with shorter, pale blue flowers. life cycle ecology Elegant Brodiaea is a bulb forming perennial. Plants produce one or two grasslike leaves early in the season. By the time the flowers are ready to bloom, the leaves have dried up and the flowers bloom in umbels (clusters) on a tall leafless stem. Only older plants with well developed bulbs have enough stored energy to produce flowers in May and June. Most plants do not bloom in their first 4-5 years. Brodiaea bulbs are an important food source for burrowing rodents such as Botta's Pocket Gophers. The bulbs have a nutty flavor and Native Americans

36 ate them as well. Ants and California Voles collect the large nutritious seeds of the Elegant Brodiaea. investigate Brodiaea are insect pollinated. Watch to see which insects visit the flowers.

37 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Field Cluster Lily scientific Dichelostemma capitatum family Liliaceae (lily) habitat grasslands, woodlands size plant up to 1 foot tall, flower 8 to 12 mm across in clusters Pamela Kirkbride fun facts Field Cluster Lilies are one of the most common of California's early spring wildflowers. They occur in many habitats. description Member of the lily family. Each flower has three petals and three sepals. In Dichelostemma the sepals are colored like the petals so that the flower appears to have six petals and no sepals. If you examine the Brodiaea species, you'll find three white stamenoides which alternate with the stamens. Dichelostemma also have three white stamenoides, but each of these has a tiny reduced stamen at the tip that you can see with a hand lens. life cycle Field Cluster Lily is a bulb-forming perennial. Plants produce one or two grasslike leaves early in the season. By the time the flowers are ready to bloom, the leaves have dried up and the flowers bloom in heads or tight clusters on a leafless stem. Only older plants with well developed bulbs have enough stored energy to produce flowers in May. It may take three to five years before the bulb is mature and the plant can flower.

38 ecology Field Cluster Lily bulbs are an important food source for burrowing rodents such as Pocket Gophers. The bulbs have a nutty flavor and Native Americans ate them as well.

39 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Filaree or Storksbill scientific Erodium botrys family Geraniaceae (geranium) habitat grassland (often disturbed) size plant 4 to 36 inches tall, flower 1.5 cm across, seed up to 10 cm long Kevin Rice fun facts Filaree is not native to California. Its seeds can be used to show how plant seeds can move around and plant themselves. You can also make scissors out of the seeds. description Member of the geranium family. The flowers have five pink petals. Each flower produces five seeds attached to a long stalk. As the seeds dry, they detach from the stalk and coil. If they get damp again, they uncoil. Several species of Erodium occur at Mather Field. Filaree is the most common and can be found in a variety of habitats. life cycle ecology Filaree is an annual plant. It germinates in the fall and blooms during the first warm days of March. It may continue to bloom into May in favorable locations. Sometimes it germinates in the vernal pools before they fill with water. When the pool fills, the Filaree curls up and dies within a week or so. Filaree can be particularly abundant in the first year or two after a grassland fire. That is because the blackened soil heats up from the sun more than soil with vegetation does. The extra heat tells all the Filaree seeds to germinate. So

40 right after a fire, Filaree is a dominant species. In deeper soils, the Filaree is usually replaced by invasive, non-native annual grasses within a few years.

41 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Sacramento Beardstyle scientific Pogogyne zizyphoroides family Lamiaceae (mint) habitat vernal pools, wet grassland size plant 1 to 4 inches tall, flower 4 to 8 mm long and 2 to 3 mm across Carol Witham fun facts Crush a leaf to make a minty smell on your hands. description Member of the mint family. The stems are square and reddish. The leaves have lots of stiff hairs sticking out from the edges. The very tiny, tubular (shaped like a tube) red-purple to violet-colored flowers are tucked away within the leaves. The flowers of Sacramento Beardstyle are much smaller than the similar Douglas's Beardstyle (Pogogyne douglasii). They also lack the distinct splotch of dark pink on the pale lower lip. life cycle ecology Sacramento Beardstyle is an annual plant. It germinates in the vernal pool bottoms just after the water has dried up. Compared with other vernal pool plants, it grows rather slowly, but even tiny plants can be distinguished by their minty smell. It blooms from May to June, generally after the grasslands are brown. This is the most common Beardstyle on Mather Field. It occurs in most, if not all, of the vernal pools.

42 Investigate Tiny flowers can actually be very intricate and beautiful under magnification. Use a hand lens to peek into these secretive flowers and to view the hairy leaves. Can you figure out who pollinates these tiny pink flowers?

43 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Scarlet Pimpernel scientific Anagallis arvensis family Primulaceae (primrose) habitat wet grassland size plant up to 16 inches tall; flower 7 to 11 mm across Gladys Lucille Smith, California Academy of Sciences fun facts A little weed common in gardens and waste places. The genus (Anagallis) means "amusing" in Greek. description Member of the primrose family. The stems are smooth and square. The plant usually has many branches and is sprawling. Each flower has five sepals, five petals and five stamens. The seeds mature in a round ovary that opens by the top coming off like the lid of a jar. These are the only salmon (yellowish pink) colored flowers to be found at Mather Field. Chaffweed (Centunculus minimus) has very similar stems and leaves, but the flowers are much smaller (1 to 3 mm) and have white petals. life cycle ecology Scarlet Pimpernel is an annual. It can germinate almost any time of the year. Depending upon location and moisture, it blooms from March to September. Scarlet Pimpernel is not native to California. It came from Europe and was probably accidentally brought here by early settlers. The plant is toxic to both humans and animals. The flowers open every day in the sunshine and close again at night.

44 What is a weed? A weed is a plant that easily moves in and colonizes new sites, usually following some type of disturbance. A weed is a plant out of place. The weeds in vernal pool grasslands were brought to California from other parts of the World. The plants and animals which controlled their populations in their homelands do not live here. This allows the weeds to grow out of control and displace plants and animals native to California.

45 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Vasey's Coyote-thistle scientific Eryngium vaseyi family Apiaceae (carrot) habitat vernal pools size plant 8 to 18 inches tall, flower 2 to 3 mm in the summer Carol Witham fun facts Plant has two different forms: when in water the leaves are hollow to carry air to the roots; later the leaves are solid and prickly like a thistle. description Member of the carrot family. The plant has a fleshy taproot like most members of this family. The flowers are tiny and purple and bloom in the early summer. They occur in pale green, prickly heads where the leaves are clustered. This is the only green prickly plant that occurs in vernal pools. Kent Valentine life cycle Coyote-thistles are one of the two vernal pool plants that live for more than a few weeks. They are short lived perennials or biennials (live for two years).

46 They grow from a fleshy taproot while there is water in the vernal pools. As the pools dry, their leaves become prickly. Vasey's Coyote-thistle blooms in June. ecology investigate Vasey's Coyote-thistle has two different leaf forms; one for when it is aquatic (growing in the water) and one for when it is terrestrial (growing on land instead of in the water). Vernal Pool Dodder (Cuscuta howelliana) often grows on Vasey's Coyote-thistle and even puts its flowers in the flower clusters of the coyote-thistle. Can you find an example of both leaf forms on the same plant? Or on two different plants in the same pool?

47 Mather Field Vernal Pools common White-tipped Clover scientific Trifolium variegatum family Fabaceae (pea) habitat vernal pools, wet grassland size plant 8 to 14 inches tall, flower 1.5 to 2.0 cm Kent Valentine fun facts Native clovers are a good source of nectar and attract a variety of native and non-native bees. description Member of the pea family. Each pea flower is made up of five unusually shaped petals. The top petal is the banner petal and often has a contrasting color. The two side petals are alike and are called the wing petals. The lower two petals are joined into a single boat-shaped petal called the keel petal. The flowers are deep purple with white or pale pink tips. White-tipped Clover is the only native perennial clover at Mather Field. It grows in large clumps and each plant has many flowers. White-tipped Clover often occurs with Checkerbloom (Sidalcea calycosa). life cycle ecology White-tipped Clover is a short-lived perennial and generally only lives a few years. The plants die back during the summer and then re-sprout from the complex root system when the rains arrive in the fall. White-tipped Clover begins blooming in April as the pools begin to dry, but may continue to bloom into May. Clover flowers are very high in nectar and attract a variety of bees and other insects. Clover honey is very tasty and highly nutritious.

48 investigate The Checkerbloom and White-tipped Clover grow together, bloom at the same time, and have similar colored flowers. Watch to see if the same pollinators visit both flowers? White-tipped Clover has a delightful perfume. Find a patch and sniff the air for its scent on a warm day.

49 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Winter Vetch scientific Vicia villosa family Fabaceae (pea) habitat grassland (often disturbed) size Plants are long and viney, growing up to a few feet long; each flower is 1 to 1.5 cm long, the clusters have flowers. Carol Witham fun facts description This plant is not native. Ranchers often scatter seeds of this plant in their pastures because it is good forage (feed) for their livestock. It has escaped from pastures to many grasslands. Member of the pea family. Each pea flower is made up of five unusually shaped petals. The top petal is the banner petal. The two side petals are alike and are called the wing petals. The lower two petals are joined together and are called the keel petal. Winter Vetch has large flower clusters, each with about 20 purple flowers. Sometimes the flowers are pink or white. The other vetch species which occur at Mather Field have only one or two flowers in each cluster. life cycle Winter Vetch is an annual. It germinates with the fall rains but does not grow very much until the temperatures warm up in the spring. Then it grows very fast and produces lots of flower clusters. Winter Vetch begins to bloom in March and may continue to grow and bloom into late May.

50 ecology investigate Winter Vetch, like most pea flowers, produces lots of nectar. Bees and other insects visit the flowers. Honey made from Winter Vetch is similar to that made from clover and is nutritious and tasty. Where in the vernal pool grassland do you see vetch growing? What are some reasons it might prefer to grow there?

51 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Itherial's Spear or Wally Basket scientific Triteleia laxa family Liliaceae (lily) habitat grassland size plant 1 to 1.5 feet tall; flower 3 to 4 cm across Brother Alfred Brousseau, St. Mary's College fun facts Flowers have blue pollen which is an unusual color for pollen. description Member of the lily family. Each flower has three petals and three sepals. In Triteleia the sepals are colored like the petals, so that the flower appears to have six petals and no sepals. Wally-basket has blue to dark purple flowers. You use the following characteristics to distinguish Triteleia from the similar Brodiaea and Dichelostemma flowers: Brodiaea have three stamens and three stamenoides. Dichelostemma have three true stamens and three stamenoides which have reduced stamens at their tips. The Triteleia have six true stamens and no stamenoides. life cycle Itherial's Spear is a bulb producing perennial. Early in the season, the plants produce one or a few grass-like leaves. By the time the flowers are ready to bloom, the leaves have dried up and the flowers bloom in umbels (clusters) on a tall leafless stem. Only older plants with well developed bulbs have enough stored energy to produce flowers in April. ecology Triteleia bulbs are an important food source for burrowing rodents such as Botta's Pocket Gophers. The bulbs have a nutty flavor and Native Americans ate them as well.

52 investigate Large and showy flowers are a good indicator that Triteleia are insect pollinated. Observe the insects which visit the flowers.

53 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Miniature Lupine scientific Lupinus bicolor family Fabaceae (pea) habitat grassland (damp) size plant 4 to 16 inches tall; flower up to 5 mm fun facts All Lupines have palmate (hand-shaped) leaves. Carol Witham description Member of the pea family. The plant is most noticeable for its palmate leaves and the large pea pods that hold its seeds. The blue flowers are rather tiny, especially when compared with other lupines. Pea flowers are made up of five unusually shaped petals. The top petal is the banner petal. The two side petals are alike and are called the wing petals. The lower two petals are joined into a single boat-shaped petal called the keel petal. life cycle ecology Miniature Lupine is an annual plant. It germinates following the first rains in the fall and can be ready to bloom by late March. When the seeds are mature, the pod splits violently and flings the seeds out. Lupines are insect pollinated. The insect lands on the wing petals. These sway under the insect's weight and cause the stamens and/or stigma to brush up against the insect's under side. Lupines only make a small amount of nectar for the pollinator. To advertise that the flower is un-pollinated and has nectar, the banner petal is bright white. After the flower is pollinated, the banner petal turns reddish-purple and no longer advertises the flower to insects.

54 The genus Lupinus means wolf. Plants of this genus were once thought to rob the soil of nutrients because they tend to grow in poor soils. We now know that Lupines can occur on the poorest of soils because they collect atmospheric nitrogen and actually make the soil richer in nutrients.

55 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Little Quaking Grass scientific Briza minor family Poaceae (grass) habitat grassland (moist) size plant up to 6 inches tall; floret 3 to 4 mm across T.K. Komura fun facts The florets of this grass resemble the rattles on the tail of a rattlesnake. description Member of the grass family. Each grass flower is made up of a pair of tiny bracts, the stamens and pistil. The flowers are grouped into clusters called florets (a cluster of flowers). Because grasses are wind pollinated, they do not need showy flowers to attract insects. In fact, petals could block the wind and prevent pollination. The rattle-like florets of this plant are distinctive and you are unlikely to confuse it with any other grass. life cycle ecology Little Quaking Grass is an annual. It germinates over the winter. It blooms in April and May. Little Quaking Grass is not native in California. Usually non-native plants are considered weedy and bad for the ecosystem. However, this plant is not an aggressive weed and only occurs sparingly. These kinds of non-aggressive, non-native plants are sometimes called naturalized (meaning that they live here in harmony with the native species).

56 investigate Each floret of Little Quaking Grass is made up of numerous individual flowers. Can you count the bracts and figure out how many flowers make a floret? Is every floret made up of the same number of flowers?

57 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Medusahead scientific Taeniatherum caput-medusae family Poaceae (grass) habitat grassland, disturbed areas size plant 6 to 10 inches tall; floret 5 to 8 cm including awns Carol Witham fun facts Medusahead contains a mineral commonly found in rocks: silica. description Member of the grass family. Grass flowers are smaller versions of regular flowers but without the petals. In Medusahead each floret (cluster of flowers) is made up of several individual flowers. Each seed has a long awn (needle-like end). Medusahead is a gray-green grass found on mounds and outside the vernal pools. A few similar grasses occur at Mather Field, but none of them have really long awns (up to 2 inches) clustered together in a floret. life cycle ecology Medusahead is an annual grass. It germinates during the winter. It grows most quickly in the late spring when the weather warms. Medusahead blooms and sets seed in late May. Medusahead is a non-native plant introduced into California from Europe. It is very aggressive and easily competes with native plants. It is considered invasive in California. Herbivores avoid eating it because of the high silica (rock) content. The fine rock crystals cause extra wear on their teeth.

58 investigate Medusahead's high silica content also prevents the dead plants from decomposing (rotting) easily. In the field, can you find patches of last year's Medusahead? What grows in these patches of dead grass?

59 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Pale Spikerush scientific Eleocharis macrostachya family Cyperaceae (rush) habitat vernal pools, wetlands size Plants are up to 24 inches tall; stem looks like a long green straw with a tiny pine cone-like flower at the tip. Carol Witham fun facts The stems are hollow when the plant is in water and solid when the ground is dry. description Member of the rush family. Rushes are closely related to grasses. Each flower is made up of a tiny bract and the stamens and pistil. The flowers are arranged in a cluster that looks like a tiny (up to 8 mm long) pine cone. Pale Spikerush is the only grass-like plant in the vernal pools with a tiny brown scaly flower at the tip of its straw-like stem. life cycle ecology Pale Spikerush is a perennial plant with long underground roots called rhizomes. It is one of the two vernal pool plants that lives longer than a few weeks. The plant can reproduce using seeds and it can spread by sending out rhizomes that produce more stems. Pale Spikerush blooms in late May. Pale Spikerush prefers the deepest vernal pools where it can often be one of the dominant species. You can tell which parts of a vernal pool hold water the longest by finding the patches of Pale Spikerush. When there is water in the vernal pools, its stems are hollow to transport air down to the roots. When the water is gone, the stems fill in with pith (hard

60 spongy-looking material) to make the stems stronger and harder to bend or break. investigate The cone-like flowers are wind pollinated. The stamens usually hang out of the flower in order to be exposed to the wind. Can you find flowers in which the stamens are hanging out? What is another perennial plant in vernal pools?

61 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Purple Needlegrass scientific Nassella pulchra family Poaceae (grass) habitat grassland size plants up to 2 feet tall Kent Valentine fun facts This grass was once nominated to be the "state grass" of California. description Member of the grass family. Each grass flower is made up of a pair of tiny bracts and the stamens and pistil. Because grasses are wind pollinated, they do not need showy flowers to attract insects. In fact, petals could block the wind and prevent pollination. At Mather Field, Purple Needlegrass is the only bunchgrass (perennial grass which grows in bunches) which has long needle-like awns on the grass seeds. The awn (or long bristle) helps drill the seed into the soil. life cycle ecology Purple Needlegrass is a perennial bunchgrass. It forms dense clumps of leaves up to 1 foot tall. It blooms in May and the flower stalks can be up to 2 feet tall. Purple Needlegrass remains green throughout the year. Both the leaves and the roots are important food sources for native herbivores during the hot, dry summer months. Rabbits eat the leaves and rodents nibble on the roots. It was once common but has been crowded out of most grasslands by invasive, nonnative, annual grasses.

62 investigate Purple Needlegrass only occurs in some locations on Mather Field. Can you figure out the type of habitat it prefers?

63 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Water Starwort scientific Callitriche marginata family Callitrichaceae (water starwort) habitat vernal pools, wet areas size Clusters of floating leaves are 1.0 to 1.5 cm across. Carol Witham fun facts Water Starwort is water pollinated. It also buries its seeds in the drying mud. description Member of the water starwort family. The plants are rooted in the vernal pool bottom and have long, stringy stems which end in a cluster of floating leaves. The flowers are tiny (up to 1 mm across) and are seldom seen. Flowers occur down where the leaf meets the stem. Other species of Callitriche may occur at Mather Field in the wetlands and along drainage channels, but Callitriche marginata is the only species which occurs regularly in vernal pools. life cycle ecology Water Starwort is an annual. It germinates in wet areas soon after the rains begin in the fall. As the vernal pools fill, the stems get very long so that the leaves can float on the surface of the water. As the water evaporates, the floating leaves drift around because their stems are now longer than the distance between the water surface and the soil. Water Starwort flowers shed pollen on the surface of the water where the wind and water's surface tension carry it to other Water Starwort flowers for crosspollination.

64 As soon as the water evaporates, the Water Starwort plants its seeds in the drying mud. To do this the stems below the ovaries grow very quickly and push them into the soil. This guarantees that the next generation will have a suitably wet spot in which to grow.

65 Mather Field Vernal Pools common Woolly Marbles scientific Psilocarphus brevissimus family Asteraceae (sunflower) habitat vernal pools T.K. Komura size fun facts plant up to 4 inches tall, each "marble" 1 to 2 cm across Each fuzzy "marble" contains both leaves and flowers. Carol Witham description Member of the sunflower family. Each flowerhead is made up of 20 or more disk flowers. These are well hidden in the cob-webby fuzz. The plants are pale green. The top photo shows the plants early in the season. The flowerheads are visible in the center of the leaves. The bottom photo is later in the season when the leaves curl up. life cycle ecology Woolly Marbles are annual plants. They germinate as the vernal pool water warms and begins to evaporate in the spring. Once the water is gone, they grow quickly. Woolly Marbles can be seen from late April until the rains begin in the fall. The flowers are well hidden in the fuzz. They bloom in May. Woolly Marbles are endemic to vernal pools. Endemic means they cannot grow in other environments because they are either too dry or too wet. The plants do