These little flowers are called "Slink Pods" I don't know the newcomer name for them, but I'm sure I'm wrong on the "Correct" name. I sometimes call them "rain flowers" because most of the time that they are blooming, it is raining. They wither rapidly when the weather clears.
If you have never seen one, you've never taken a walk in the Redwoods in February. Either that or you were to busy looking up at the Redwoods while you were standing on these, I think some people call them adders tongues? Is that right?
Anyway I put this here because Kym, the Redheaded Black-belt didn't know what I was talking about when I told her about this cute little February flower. When they first open they are black and white, then they fade to black and purple before they wither.
I wish I knew how to post a picture directly into a comment box without having to link to it. What's up with that?
P.S. I stole these photo’s off the net. I think it was okay though, I didn’t see any threatening messages.
Right-o Ernie, "slink pods" and "adder's tongue" are both common names for this unique lily. After some googling I found this information from the Marin chapter of the Native Plant Society which says that it's latin name is Scoliopus bigelovii.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you call it, it's an easily missed California beauty. Thanks Ernie!
My first winter here a friend of mine took me out to the redwoods to see what she called the fetid adder's tongues. I was amazed at them: a whole new flower to me, in such a new environment.
ReplyDeleteAs to newcomer lingo; hey, I had a good friend (another one) who was, like me, a newcomer (here maybe a year before I was) who persisted in naming flowers "those blue ones" and "the fuzzy yellow ones" and "the bright red ones over there".
Worked just as well as any Latin name for me. But I tried to learn the botanical names--only to find, about 20 years later, that a lot of my flowers had been reclassified based on genetic information.
Now I'm back to "fuzzy yellow ones".
I can go with the "bright blue ones" and the "fuzzy yellow ones"
ReplyDeleteIt's about communicatin', ain't it Ernie.
A piss ant is a piss ant in my book.
Look for the spotted leaves. The flowers are small and flop over onto the ground. Really beautiful and great pictures, Ernie. Should be trilliums before long. I see catkins on the Alders along the river and my narcissus have been blooming for weeks. Right through the snow. My Acacia is covered with buds and a big rank smelling bush Marigold is blooming. A great sunny day today after all that gloom.
ReplyDeleteErnie, Those are beautiful!! I have never seen them before. I guess I haven't been in the Redwoods this time of year before.
ReplyDeleteKaivalya, I love the info you included.
Nice post Ernie!
I have seen adders tongues blooming. Soon to follow will be trillium and wild irises. Our daffodils have not started blooming, but some are just ready to open.
ReplyDeleteSpring is coming I tell you!
ReplyDeleteHey Richard, you mean Winter can't last forever?
ReplyDelete-boy