Late Bloomers
As many a plain Jane turned prom queen will attest, blooming late can have its rewards. But it's also a challenge for local wildflowers.
Botany
Photosynthesis in Leaves That Aren’t Green
Q: How does photosynthesis occur in plants that are not obviously green, such as ornamental plum trees with deep purple-colored leaves? [Paul, Santa Cruz] A: Photosynthesis (which literally means “light...
Black Coal, Bright Flowers
The peaceful hills of Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve weren't always so: One hundred twenty years ago, you'd have found bustling towns full of miners and their families and, nearby,...
Flower Power
Sepal, stigma, stamen, style; pollen, pistil, petal. Say what?! Like all scientists, botanists have a specialized language for talking about the things they study, in this case, flowers. Next time...
Book Review: California’s Wild Gardens
California’s Wild Gardens: A Guide to Favorite Botanical Sites, edited by Phyllis M. Faber, University of California Press, 2005, 248 pages, $34.95 Recent years have seen the increasing use of...
Book Review: Firescaping
Firescaping: Creating Fire-Resistant Landscapes, Gardens, and Properties in California’s Diverse Environments, by Douglas Kent, Wilderness Press, 2005, 149 pages, $18.95 Given the propensity for California’s wildlands to ignite, Douglas Kent’s...
Caching In
Think of the western scrub jay: screeching, assertive, a bully and glutton at backyard bird feeders. But also, as Judith Larner Lowry has noticed in her West Marin yard, caching...
Book Review: Field Guide to Plant Galls of California and other Western States
Field Guide to Plant Galls of California and Other Western States, by Ron Russo, UC Press, 2007, 400 pages, $24.95 www.ucpress.edu Many authors would be hard-pressed to write a guide...
Book Review: Wildflowers of Northern California’s Wine Country and North Coast Ranges
Wildflowers of Northern California’s Wine Country and North Coast Ranges, by Reny Parker, New Creek Ranch Press, 2007, 282 pages, $24.95 www.renyswildflowers.com Reny Parker is passionate about wildflowers. For 17...
