[Larry]

I went out to the Olympic beaches during the low tides of the 6/14-6/15 weekend. Great weather and great tidepools. Here's a couple of shots of the same tidepool at very low water (-2.8 feet). Also, got to Tronsen yesterday 6/22 via the rough FS road five miles beyond Blewett Pass - actually, the road wasn't all that rough, just enough ruts and rocks to dissuade a whole throng of people from going there. There were three groups of motorcyclists buzzing around, but they don't really bother me, since you can hear them coming and get out of the way. Pretty darn courteous guys, actually, so that was nice. The flowers were just the absolute cream-of-the-crop! Stunning displays, and the red, white, and blue of the paintbrush, lomatium, and lupines nearly overloaded my optic nerves. Many varieties of flowers, crammed into the roughly three miles that I traveled out the ridge, with the species varying depending on slope aspect and elevation. A true botanist's smorgasbord.

Tide Pool Close

Tide Pool Second Beach 2

[Newt]

Was that Larry I seen yesterday. A black Subaru drive by when you were getting ready? Took the north way. Was a lot of up and down with some good views. Scored a few flowers I hadn't seen before so was a worthwhile trip. Lot's of the Lyall's Lilly too. Some new ones to me. If you can ID the "what is" or correct me, please do. NN

Orange agoseris

Western blue flax

Yellow salsify

What is

[marta]

Whatis is Grand Collomia; Collomia grandiflora. Another item that is useful for identifying is the number of petals in the flower. Usually if a flower have 5 very distinct petals, it is a member of the phlox family which includes not only phlox but also scarlet gilia which this looks similar. Collomia are sometimes included with gilias. We have seen it on Ingalls Creek trail in June.

[Newt]

Thanks Marta. I should have said in the flower id topic that I look at color, petals and then leaves. Seems like so many books go by Genus & species that it's hard to sort thru. At least for me right now. Some families seem pretty large too. I'm getting there. NN

[marta]

I thought it might be useful for anybody else new to flower id have listed out some of the items to look for. I'm not as good as my husband so I always start with the Peterson's guide which allows me to look up plants by color. Once I have an idea of what it might be, then I turn to the more technical books. I need those pictures.