4th of July hike 2007

I got a call fromRyan saying that the Rooster Rock meadow in the Table Rock Wilderness was in full bloom. I met Ryan, Danielle, and Todd around 7:30am and we headed up the river. Ryan had been up to the meadow the week before and wanted to get back for some better pictures of some of the interesting plant life in the area.

I find it amazing, the things you find that you never new existed, things that you have walked by hundreds of times. As soon as someone points them out, you start to notice them more. The plants that Ryan pointed out are plants that survive without chlorophyll. If you remember back in school, chlorophyll is what makes plants green and is needed by plants to absorb what they need from the sun. These interesting plants instead, bond to a fungi that in turn coat the rootlets of a host trees that provide the energy from the sun. Enough about the science lessen and on with some more pics


Pinedrops
Pterospora andromedea - Heath Family
This was the first one Ryan pointed out

Next Ryan pointed out one of the most interesting plants I have ever seen


Candystick
Allotropa vigata
Can you guess how it got its name?....

We also seen lots of 'Western Coralroot' and 'Spotted Coralroot'

Coral Root, Western


Coral Root, Spotted
Corallarhiza maculata - Orchid Family

The four plants above all grow with out producing their own chlorophyll. I find this very interesting. I have most likely hiked past and trampled over these plants 100's of times and never knew they where even there. Now that they’ve have been pointed out to me. I notice them along the trails more and more.




Beargrass
Xerophyllum tenax - Lily Family


Gilia, Bluefield
Gilia capitata - Phlox Family


Inside-out Flower
Vancouveria hexandra - Barberry Family


Larkspur
Delphinium menziesii - Buttercup Family


Lily, Cascade Mariposa
Calochortus subalpinus - Lily Family


Lupine, Kinkaid's
Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii - Pea Family


Polemonium, Royal
Polemonium carneum - Phlox Family


Queen's Cup
Clintonia uniflora - Lily Family


Rose, Nootka
Rosa nutkana - Rose Family


Yarrow
Archillea millefolium - Sunflower Family

I hope I got the names right for the flowers. Finding the names of flowers is not easy. There are so many different varieties and many of them only have a slight difference in color or shape. Anyway I gave it a shot with a bit of info I got from Ryanand browsing for info fromCascadeRamblings.com. I Finally just got tired of trying to identify them all, so here are some more pics without names.








Mt. Jefferson

This was a nice hike to start the 4th of July off with. All the flowers in bloom in the meadow, it was like natures fireworks all around you. Once again another great hike!!

For other details of this adventure and others visit Ryan's blog 'Testing The Waters'
Thanks to CascadeRamblings.com and Ryan for names of some the flowers.