One of these days, I’ll find another flower like the Mount Hood Pussypaws that stumps everybody until a rousing victory at the end. I doubt this will be that flower. But it’s quite lovely, and I’d like to know what it is, so here we are.
These were growing out of the grass atop Rosario Head. I can’t tell you much more about them, except they were in full, vigorous bloom at the end of July.
They were a bit shy, peeking out from amidst other flora. Here, they provide a bit of background color for a nice bloom of what I believe is Queen Anne’s Lace, if I remember rightly:*
One thing among many I adore about the Pacific Northwest: flowers everywhere, from early spring until nearly winter. You just don’t get this kind of abundance in Arizona. Even after the novelty of rain and green growing things wears off, you’re still delighted to discover blooms peeking out at you everywhere, or practically shouting, “Hey, look at me! Here I am! This is me, beautifying your view!”
Good thing I’m not allergic to the bastards…
*I am teh suck at botany. Reader RP identifies the white flower as yarrow. From now on, all flowers are mystery flowers. It’s a good thing I have you, my darlings!
That’s actually not Queen Anne’s Lace (which is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daucus_carota) but yarrow (Achillea millefolium – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achillea_millefolium), also known as the nosebleed plant. Can be drunk in tea, although I’m not convinced that it’s particularly palatable. The wikipedia page actually gives a nice summary of all its historically accepted healing powers. :)
Still out on the purple one.
The other flower commonly known as Queen Anne’s Lace: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammi_majus
Reader RQ. :)
The closest I can get to the purple ones is Brodiaea californica (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brodiaea_californica), which doesn’t quite sit right, but might be correct, if the flowers in your photos aren’t completely in bloom yet (showing only three petals, where there would be six more visible in full bloom).
The purple one looks like an Allium (onion)species. I’ll try and track it down.
Dana,
If you keep this Mystery flower going I think I will have to buy an Oregon Flora.
I think I’ve got it.
Allium acuminatum, Hooker’s Onion or Tapertip.
Although I may be wrong.
I spent a lot of time looking through onions but didn’t come across that one. Looks pretty close to me, especially with the three outer petals and the inner structure. A better match than the Brodiaea, in any case!
Yes rq,
Yarrow, a common plant here in the UK.
I think Adrian has got it. I thought onion right away when I saw it. A. acuminatum does look that way when the flowers are not quite fully open, and it’s a umbel. Yarrow fools lots of people.
You’ll have to hide your blog posts from everyone who has a clue about plants. :D
Thanks for the information. One of my friends has attended your earlier workshops and he was praising it a lot.