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Observed at Echo Lake Lodge, Chicago Creek Road, Idaho Springs, Clear Creek County, CO, USA

Edited to add: the silly story that I posted on the forum, which was inspired by this photo set.

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This is not something that I do all of the time, but every once in a while, a photo – or a series thereof – suggests a snippet of dialog, a movie scene, or something of the sort to me. For instance, this photo set reminded me of all of the various “how to survive a horror movie” lists out there. The script goes as follows:

Bird on right: “Did you hear that?”
Bird on left: “I didn’t hear anything.”
BoR: “Come on, you have to have heard that noise!”
BoL: “I didn’t hear anything, and if you’re smart, neither did you.”
BoR: “I’m going to go check it out.”
BoL: (looking up as her companion flies away) “Fine. If you run into a Loggerhead Shrike with a rusty fishhook, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

My brain can be a very strange place, somtimes. :laughing:

Herb, no more than about 1/3 meter tall, growing in a weedy spot in a suburban backyard, Claremont, CA. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Exact location shifted slightly for privacy purposes; you don't need an exact address, you creep..

Shrub, around 2 meters tall, beside a firebreak along the top of Sunset Ridge, San Gabriel Mountains. Photo # 2 taken through a monocular from a distance of maybe 40 paces. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

A population of at least 10 plants, some up to about 2/3 meters tall, most shorter, bushy, growing in the mostly bare soil of the Metro light rail right-of-way, just E of N Dalton Avenue, Azusa, CA. Flowers a relatively vibrant salmon orange color, and herbage markedly light green, with stellate hairs. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

I was on the lookout for this species in the general area aince last, after noticing a population of these guys in the middle of the 210 freeway (posted as an observation by a different user here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107382434). I had actively planned for how I would make a collection from that population, but hadn't gotten to it. Today, while riding the Metro A-Line eastbound, I noticed some of these in the rail right-of-way in Arcadia, just E of 2nd Avenue, and then saw several more patches along the way to my eventual stop in Azusa. In Azusa I was able to get up close to the patch there, and got photos for this observation, as well as making a collection to be pressed.

This species appears to be distributed in patches along a long stretch of the Metro A-Line route, ~15 km (~9 miles) long (see map of locations mentioned above, photo # 10 here) . There are some collection records of this genus in the general area, but they are few in number, and decades old. The genus does not seem to occur naturally in the greater Los Angeles Basin, or at least it hadn't until more recently.

I wonder if the species may have escaped from the LA County Arboretum (which does appear to have some Sphaeralcea in their gardens), reaching the right of way of the A-Line in the middle of the 210 freeway at that location, and later spreading along the right of way to the east. Then again, it seems people are growing Sphaeralcea species in their yards around here, as well, so it may even be multiple escapes to the wild going on. However, it seems possible it may have been introduced via the relatively recent construction of the eastern end of the A-Line route, perhaps by equipment that picked up seed by accident if it had been used in areas where the species typically occurs. Not sure, but my interest is piqued.

A milkweed, no more than about 2/3 meters tall, with very wooly herbage, growing amidst thatch of dead cool season grasses, along Sycamore Flats Motorway, S slopes of Johnstone Peak, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Shrub, at least one meter tall, on a S-exposed slope along Sycamore Flats Motorway, S slopes of Johnstone Peak, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Large individual, around 2 meters tall or so, growing on compacted soil of the large embankment at the parking/staging lot of Marshall Canyon, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Shrub around 1 meter tall, along Gould Mesa Trail (access road), on the slopes above Arroyo Seco, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Prickly herb, about 1 meter tall, growing in cracks of a concrete slab on a long derelict and weedy agricultural plot, Ontario, CA. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Small group of Bison at Blackjack Campground, Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California. Photo is a photo of print photo (originally taken on a disposable camera). Interesting optical aberrations around the margin are part of the original photo, and are perhaps an instance of island magic. Year is certain, but date and time are approximate; I know I was on the island in late summer, and I got into Blackjack in the late afternoon that day.

Herby shrub, around 1 meter tall, growing on the Metro Goldline rail right-of-way, on the S side of the ULV Arts and Communications building, La Verne, CA. A mural of a historic photo of La Verne is visible in the background, and should remind of us of the continual nature of change in the San Gabriel Valley. I am only safe to explore the rail line now because the trains are halted during the conversion to Goldline light rail from the historic BNSF rail line that proceeded it, along which these cities were built up, and by which this very species may have first colonized the valley..

Large spiny herb, growing on compacted and mostly bare soil near the confluence of Live Oak and Marshall flood washes, E end of Bonelli Park, San Jose Hills range. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Lily growing amidst a sea of Avena in the hills at the western end of the S side of Sunset Ridge, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Inner surfaces of tepals white with some purplish color distally, and deep blood red proximally, with overall light pink-purple colored outer surfaces. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Intensely sticky, viscid, glandular, ooey-gooey herb, growing amidst annual grasses, at the side of Miller Lateral Road, Marshall Canyon, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Scattered blue dicks¹ in coastal sage scrub of a S-facing slope along the main route of Colby Trail, S slopes of Glendora Ridge, front range of the San Gabriel Mountains. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

¹Given the recent move of this species from Dichelostemma to Dipterostemon, the current, somewhat unfortunate common name really ought to be changed to "blue² dips".

²Since blue dips are one of many examples of botanical common names of "blue" things that are really more purple, owing to the infrequent use of the word "purple" when English speakers were coming up with common names, maybe it would be better to correct this error if we are revising the common name anyhow. I hereby dub these "purple dips".

An immense population of these tiny, wee, annual, introduced, Aussie succulents, growing in sandy soil, covered with larger stones, besides a suburban house, on Independence Drive, Claremont, CA. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Wee succulents, growing on mostly bare, compacted soil, along the northbound shoulder of San Dimas Canyon Road, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Growing with what looks to be clear Crassula connata (http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106977120).

Small, but dense, population of this wee, annual, introduced, Aussie Crassula, particularly far into relatively undisturbed wildlands, along Colby Trail, which cuts through the chaparral-covered S-facing slopes of Glendora Ridge, San Gabriel Mountains. Plants all over trail margins on a small flat spot along the trail, where a sandy soil layer has accumulated. Individual plants in heavier shade (under the sides of subshrubs about) are noticeably greener, larger, and more multiply branched than individuals in the most exposed portions of this locality/occurrence. I did not see any other occurrences of this species while heading up the trail (most direct route to this location), nor did I see any others while heading back down. I did not continue farther upslope beyond this location, so I do not know whether the species is more abundant, or present at all, higher up along the trail. However, the fire road along the top of Glendora Ridge should be explored for this species soon. Occurrences documented in the upper mount of Azusa Canyon, and this one, suggest some likelihood for more occurrences along the top of the ridge, where soil conditions are right. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart.

Lovely purplish mushrooms under a Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius) along Stephens Ranch Road, near the SE corner of Camp Joseph Paige prison, Marshall Canyon, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Photo # 1 is a composite of two photos, to get full-mushroom focus.

Damn you, you fascist sons of dogs which what's trying to separate me from my beloved laurel sumac. Be damned! I can see, if not closely interact with my laurel, from behind this damn fence. Just as the Norman conquerors besieged the sceptered isle of Britain and beset upon the people therein odd and unwelcome rules and governance, so this fence and property ownership besets upon me a chasm which what separates me from me laurel sumac.

Shrub, around 3 meters tall, on the semi-landscaped, mostly wild and overlooked, slope on the W side of the 57 freeway, beside the Target shopping center, San Dimas, CA.

Locality with many many individuals of this wee annual succulent, growing on sandy, gravelly, low-organic soil, at the SE corner of the intersection of San Dimas Canyon Road and Palomares Avenue, San Dimas, CA. Individual plants with as few as one stem, up to a few, ascending to more or less erect. Photos taken in darkness of night with artificial light from a white-colored LED lamp. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Note (17 Feb 2023): Photos # 5-6 added.

Note (18 Feb 2023): Photos # 7-9 added, this time with actual daylight.

Robust but low herb, no more than about 1/4 meter tall, and very hairy, growing along Poopout Trail, Dalton Ridge, front range of the San Gabriel Mountains. Candy recipe followed:

1. Collect a decent amount of fresh horehound (see photo # 2).
2. Strip leaves off of stems and add to a pot with 2 cups of water.
3. Bring water to boil for a few minutes and let it steep off heat for a while.
4. Decant the liquid into 2 cup measuring cup and take note of the approximate recovered volume.
5. Measure out an equal volume of sugar, or use honey up to about 1/4 of the volume of the liquid from step # 4.
6. Add sugar, honey, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, and a approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the liquid and boil until the liquid comes to 300 F (150 C).
7. Grease a large plate with butter while the candy climbs to temperature.
8. When the candy mixture comes to its final temperature, remove from heat, and pour the candy onto the buttered plate.
9. Allow hot candy to cool for a few minutes.
10. Once cooled enough to handle safely, use a knife or spoon to pull away small pieces of candy, and using hands, roll the candy into balls, canes, or whatever desired shape, and place on a second buttered plate to cool.

Wee annual succulents in sandy, low-organic soil of a roadside verge on the NW corner of S Farber Avenue and W Payson Street, Glendora, CA. Photos taken with added light from a white-colored LED lamp. Photos # 1-2 taken in near total darkness after sunset with only artificial light, for a more dramatic image than the first one I took (photo # 3). Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart.

This, and its twin observation (here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147090117), is a follow-up observation to these ones from the same locality in the previous year:
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109574845
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106206587
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/108460450

Pennisetum setaceum
Bunchgrass, along Sycamore Flats Motorway, on the S slopes of Johnstone Peak, front ranges of the San Gabriel Mountains. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

A lovely, low, but mounded and clearly not prostrate, euphorb, with fuzzy, grayish herbage, growing on compacted soil of Colby Trail, S slopes of Glendora Ridge, San Gabriel Mountains. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Growing down a slope in the Johnson's Pasture area of the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park. I couldn't get close enough to take detailed photos of the leaves and flowers, but I am pretty sure this is Acacia baileyana.

Here is a mystery tree that has puzzled me for quite a while. It's a deciduous tree growing right out of a big clump of Malosma laurina near the entrance to Johnson's Pasture in the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park. Because it's in the middle of the Laurel Sumac on a steep slope, it's very hard to access, but I finally made an attempt and took the first two photos from as close as I could get. The third photo (taken in September 2020 shows an overall view). I have never seen it bloom.

The iNat computer vision suggests it's most similar to Acacia melanoxylon or Acacia longifolia, and I think that's certainly possible. There are other Acacia species in Johnson's Pasture.

Large shrub, several meters tall, growing on a N-facing slope, just below Glendora Ava Access Road, in the South Hills range, Glendora, CA. Sorry, no close-up; didn't feel like slipping and sliding down a steep slope...

The vast majority of the leaves on this oak, growing on Gayle Mountain,were spineless, smooth bordered lanceolate leaves. At the termini of some of the branches, however, lobed leaves with spines typical of Q.berberidifolia were present. Underside of leaf and acorn is also shown.

A wonderfully beautiful moth, chilling all the live-long day, on a wall beside an outdoor lamp, in the Puddingstone Village neighborhood, La Verne, CA. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart. Exact location shifted slightly for privacy purposes; you don't need an exact address, you creep..

Update (28 September 2022): Added photos # 3-6. This guy was still hanging around the next morning. I took some more photos and moved it away. Move along, bud!

Funastrum cynanchoides var. hartwegii under the Jepson Manual treatment.

A slender vine, growing over dead, non-native weeds, on a S-facing slope above Via Verde Drive, towards the eastern end of Bonelli Park, in the San Jose Hills range. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Many oleander aphids (Aphis nerii, Aphididae) found on these plants (see photo # 7), and separate observation: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/136118791.

NOTE: Images not my property, but instead are modified images belonging to another party, being used here for educational purposes.
California buckwheat plants spotted in a scene, filmed on-location, of the Seinfeld episode "The Trip (part 2)", at the 17:20 time mark. Humans (Homo sapiens) in the photos were painted out of the photo, as they are not the focus of the observation.

Location found by comparing image with Google Street View, noting the easy-to-identify house on a hill toward the upper right-hand side of the frame, in photo # 2. The date used here for the date of the observation is approximate. Online sources report the episode as having been filmed on the week of 20-24 July, 1992, so I am placing this at the beginning of that range (https://seinfeldism.com/s04e01-the-trip-part-1.php).

NOTE: Images not my property, but instead are modified images belonging to another party. Being used here for educational purposes.
Laurel sumac spotted at right side of this frame from an on-location shot from Seinfeld episode "The Trip (part 2)", at the 17:20 time mark. Second photo shows a second, rather out-of-focus closer image of the same species. Humans (Homo sapiens) in the photos were painted out of the photo, as they are not the focus of the observation.

Location found by comparing image with Google Street View, noting the easy-to-identify house on a hill toward the upper right-hand side of the frame. The date used here for the date of the observation is approximate. Online sources report the episode as having been filmed on the week of 20-24 July, 1992, so I am placing this at the beginning of that range (https://seinfeldism.com/s04e01-the-trip-part-1.php).

Large shrub, about 3 meters tall and about 4 meters wide. Growing in chaparral on middle slopes of Marshall Canyon, above Camp Joseph Paige county prison, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Bark smooth and red. Possibly multiple individuals, one very large per the dimensions above, and a few smaller individuals, or one very large individual with multiple large branches, partially buried under soil so as to look like multiple plants. They were quite closely clustered, though, so I favor the latter interpretation. Appears there is no basal burl. Stems and foliage glabrous, but pedicels with glandular hairs. In flower, with some older-season nascent inflorescences still around. Leaves isofacial (same on both surfaces), and markedly glaucous-white. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart.

Huzzah! What a fine and beautiful gall! Orange with yellow spots, and a beak, attached to the host plant along the stems. Host plant (http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122438028) is a Quercus dutata var. gabrielensis, growing in chaparral in the Marshall Canyon area, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

A truly massive big berry manzanita found in the Figueroa Mountain area. The human pictured for scale is 1.6 meters tall. Estimated height is approximately 8 meters tall. Growing in relatively open chaparral, intermixed with grassland. This individual and another immediately next to it are of this massive stature. It appears that these individuals are the result of some unusual set of circumstances, that allowed the plants to survive multiple fires. Individuals of the same species in the surrounding area are of a non-remarkable stature, so likely germinated after the most recent fire in the area. Unfortunately, I did not grab a closeup photo of leaf morphology, but the leaves were large, roundish, glabrous, and markedly glaucous-white. Plant was clearly an Arctostaphylos glauca, just huge.

This individual named "Hyperbolon".

Update (2 September 2022): Found some preserved material of this guy, and added some new photos (photos # 2-5). Also, adding note that the plant was in fruit, with typical A. glauca fruits, glandular/viscid, large, spherical, lacking any mesocarp, with a woody, marble-like "stone". Nascent inflorescences also typical of A. glauca, if maybe somewhat unusually fuzzy. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart. Photo # 2 photographed on a black background and manually cleaned up to have a solid black background.

Low herb with fuzzy green-white foliage, growing on mostly bare soil on the generally E-facing, lower slopes of the far eastern end of Double Butte, in the area of Winchester, CA. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Large annual herb, with one primary vertical stem, with several branches with inflorescences along. Growing at the edge of San Dimas Avenue, in San Dimas, CA, and in the San Jose Hills range. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart.

Short, only about 1 to 1.25 meters tall, and about 1.5 meters wide. Lacking any clear, developed basal burl, but with that burlescent bark at the base of the (visible/aboveground) trunk, and many of the uprooted and dead plants at this site had super clear, globe-shaped, craggily-surfaced basal burls. Leaves isofacial (same on both sides), and quite glaucous-white. Stems with "medium length" glandular hairs. Nascent inflorescence bracts leaf-like. Fruits depressed (wider than tall), with glabrous and red surface, with some sweet mesocarp, and partially separable nutlets. Growing at the edge of a mechanically cleared firebreak on Sunset Ridge, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Note that the last photo in this series was taken of the same plant shown in the other photos, but was just taken later in the day around sunset, since everything looked extra beautiful at that moment. See the old man Baldy (Mount San Antonio) in the background of some shots here. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.

Subshrub, no more than about 3/4 meters tall, with tiny reduced, scale-like leaves. Growing on a ridge line, well exposed to the S, on the upper slopes of Marshall Canyon, above Camp Joseph Paige prison, in the San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart.

In 2020, @mlshanahan posted this observation of a red monkeyflower that was identified as Diplacus puniceus growing next to the loop trail in the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park. @grmorrison, @naomibot, and I speculated as to whether it was actually just a red D. longiflorus but were unable to tell from the photo.

I tried to check on it last year but was too late, and the plants were all finished blooming, so I couldn't tell which one it was.

This year, however, I got out there in time, and found it – a lone monkeyflower plant with red flowers growing amidst a whole bunch of other monkeyflowers with the more typical yellow flowers. I did get close-ups of the leaves.

The relevant Jepson couplet that would separate these species is:

1. Leaves abaxially puberulent to densely hairy, generally paler than adaxial surface --> D. longiflorus
   3' Leaves abaxially glabrous, not paler than adaxial surface --> D. puniceus

The undersides of the leaves are definitely hairy and paler than the upper sides, so I think it's pretty clear that this is D. longiflorus. I do note that the Jepson description of this species says, "corolla orange to pale yellow-orange to red".

What do you think @grmorrison, @naomibot, @keirmose?

Tiny reddish succulents, growing on compressed, bare soil, of a trail on the middle slopes of Marshall Canyon, above Camp Joseph Paige county prison, San Gabriel Mountains foothills. Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart.

Follow-up observation of same specimen

Later observation by @elizabeth_lockhart with the specimen in flower

My third look at the same specimen, with closeups of flowers

Burned, but what else? Why so tall?

I found them! Went hunting for these lil' teeny tiny succulents, and pulled off in an open, sandy, pebbly, flattish, slightly S-facing expanse just on the N roadside of Puddingstone Drive, San Dimas, CA, in the San Jose Hills range. There they were! Individuals ranging from green to red in color. Relatively abundant at this locality, at least in patches, but watch out and try not to step on these little guys! Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter. Each line on the edge of the coin is approximately 0.64 mm apart.

A quite mature and large individual, growing at the top of Puddingstone Hill, in the San Jose Hills range, on the San Dimas and La Verne borderline. This tree was almost certainly planted, many decades ago, when this hill was a better known vista point, before the trail overgrew and became cut off by housing development. However, the trees planted here are not being maintained at all now, and are seeding new individuals all around the hilltop (e.g. http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/82433631), so I think it is reasonable to consider it wild. Leaves not glaucous at all, dark like olive leaves above/adaxially, and lighter green below/abaxially. In flower and fruit, with a very thick bed of old fruits on the ground all around it (see photo # 10). Coin used for scale is a US quarter dollar (¢25 piece), 24.26 mm, 0.955 inch in diameter.