On a recent visit to the northern portion of Manchester State Park, Rick and I found quite a few Yellow Sand Verbenas blooming. But near a lagoon we found a small colony of Pink Sand Verbenas, a rare plant. Its Latin name is Abronia umbellata, subspecies breviflora.
Peter Baye identified this sand-loving plant for me. He also took the close-up photo above.
Fringed Corn Lilies are only found in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. They are rare and special. Growing near water, their huge leaves amaze us in the spring. By the time the flower stalk with white flowers appears, the leaves have been munched on by insects. But the lovely flower rises above the mangy leaves and is a beautiful sight.
John Sperry recently photographed one blooming near Timber Cove.
Actually, the leaves in John's photo don't look very eaten. If you'd like to see some of these endemic flowers,
there are several growing along the pathway to Cooks Beach just north of Gualala.
Thanks to John for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
Here's a link to see the leaves in the springtime: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/04/08/fringed-corn-lily-leaves-a-rare-mendonoma-plant/
I love this little wildflower. Little Prince's Pine, Chimaphila menziesii, has begun to bloom in a sunny spot in Anchor Bay.
It's a perennial herb and a native of California though it is found in other western states. It is growing in sandy soil at the 600 foot elevation. This small pink wildflower is a rare sighting on the Mendonoma Coast.