The old tank near the Mitchell Cyn visitor's center. The grass is full and green.

Looking down as I begin to ascend to Mitchell Rock. The ponds are full.

Triteleia laxa (Ithuriel's spear) in the grass. On the whole, flowers are still a bit limited this year. All the usuals are out, but not in profusion. Too much grass?

Allium serra (jeweled onion).

Lithophragma affine (common woodland-star). The identifying feature is the cone-like (obconic) shape of the the receptacle enlargement just below the sepals (hypanthium) on the back flower.

Phacelia imbricata (imbricate scorpionweed). One of the less usual ones. On Mitchell Rock.

Phacelia imbricata (imbricate scorpionweed) on Mitchell Rock.

Amsinckia retrorsa or menziesii (rigid fiddleneck, Menzies' fiddleneck). In a photo, these look a lot like the common fiddleneck, A. intermedia. However, the flowers are much smaller. The corolla is 5-6 mm across. Sepals are not fused.

Wyethia glabra (coast range mule-ears). No question about this one with the huge glabrous (slightly glandular) leaves and huge bracts behind the inflorescence.

With CNPS now. The biggest news of the day: it's one of the best years in recent memory for the Mt. Diablo globe lilies (Calochortus pulchellus).

Dichelostemma congestum (fork-toothed ookow). The flowers just don't look like their near relative, D. capitatum (blue dicks), so I asked one of the knowledgeable group members. I got a run down on the differences. Ookow is taller and later. The perianth tube narrows part way up. 3 stamens instead of 6.

Dichelostemma congestum (fork-toothed ookow). Can't see it here, but the flowers are arranged more-or-less as a raceme on ookow, as an umbel on blue dicks.

Dichelostemma congestum (fork-toothed ookow). The top of the peduncle can show some white or lighter green. The bracts are pale purple to green.

Dipterostemon capitatus (formerly Dichelostemma capitatum, blue dicks) for comparison. Dark peduncle. Bracts dark purple (as here) or at least dark purple striped. (These were still out in the canyon and this was close to the ookow.)

Dipterostemon capitatus (formerly Dichelostemma capitatum, blue dicks) for comparison. Here the bracts are dark purple striped on a lighter background. (Down canyon a ways.)

Aesculus californica (California buckeye) albino sprout.

Rhus aromatica (sourberry, skunkbush). Syn: R. trilobata.

Oemleria cerasiformis (Indian plum, oso berry) in fruit.

Lathyrus vestitus (Pacific pea). The retained brown flowers are characteristic.