Slatsz Wildflower Walks 2013 #1: June 25, 2013 Erigeron pumilus, shaggy fleabane

6/29/2013 6:23 PM

Out about two hours. 167 photos. 54 keepers.

I had seen Erigeron pumilus, shaggy fleabane in bloom at Urban Farm. The farm is probably three hundred feet lower than the park so I supposed it would be blooming in the park.

I drove to the southeast corner of Drumheller Springs Park where I had seen a plant last year and there it was.

I photographed an inflorescence with partially developed disk flowers and another with the disk flowers fully developed.

It was overcast and evening. The light was poor. There were a few large raindrops, later, I thought would develop into a shower but they didn’t.

I took a specimen of Centaurea cyanus, bachelor button with white ligules. I improved the image of the C. cyanus stigma.

I wrote to Lizzy telling her I would leave my car at the east end of the park so I drove there. But Lizzy didn’t get my message.

I walked toward North Pond. I noticed blow-balls on the Arnica sororia patch and photographed them. They have distinctive black carpels.

I walked down to the pond looking for the unidentified herb that was in bud, there, last walkabout. I hope it would be in full flower. I saw no sign of it. There were many last walk.

And I still find no sign of the very strange unidentified herb I saw there last year.

There seemed to be only one blossoming rose in the patches east of north pond. It was associated with a bud.

I hoped to get a photo clarification of the carpel of the rose. I failed … again. What I thought was a very strange carpel was only the anther of a bent over stamen.

I improved the photos of a Potentilla gracilis, slender cinquefoil leaf.

I didn’t think to photograph the apparently expanding ‘circle’ of P. gracilis. It must be a very aggressive plant, indeed, at least in certain circumstances.

Nearby there were blow-balls of an Asteraceae that I have thought was Agoseris glauca. There is a problem with cauline leaves. I think I have dealt with this elsewhere. I hope so.

I walked down the main-trail to find the scattered patch of Gaillardia aristata, blanket flower but just beyond the tall pine I call ‘junction pine’ for the junction with the sometimes path to the fireplug I saw Asclepias speciosa, showy milkweed in bloom.

I have read about these strange blossoms but I don’t remember what I read. Whatever it was, it was interesting. I have to read up on them again.

I always mention that they are said to be food for the migrating monarch butterflies. I have never seen a monarch butterfly in the park. If you see one, let me know. If you know when they arrive in Spokane, let me know. Hmm. They have a multigenerational migration. Maybe they don’t arrive en masse.

I wanted a photo of Gaillardia aristata, blanket flower with all of the disk flowers developed and I found one.

The photos

Erigeron pumilus, shaggy fleabane - Asteraceae

110-195