bbell's Identifications

Link to sharper photo/obs. showing the more typical bright blue color: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/169494098

Virgate Eriastrum (Eriastrum virgatum) Endemic to Monterey and San Benito counties. A.k.a. Wand Woollystar. Small, native, annual, rare and endangered plant in the Phlox (Polemoniaceae) family that grows in sandy soil, both coastal and inland. Leaves are woolly and thread-like. Stamens are white, 6-11 mm long, and exserted. Flowers are usually bright blue, funnel-shaped with a yellow tube and throat. Petals are sometimes bluish-purple with darker blue or purplish spot at base. Peak bloom time: May-June. The common name, Wand Woollystar comes from Latin, virgate meaning wand-like, and woollystar referring to the woolly bracts in the inflorescence. Conservation Status: Vulnerable (N3) in the United States.

Calflora (includes species distribution map in CA): https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=3068 and sightings in Monterey County: https://www.calflora.org/entry/observ.html?track=m#srch=t&lpcli=t&taxon=Eriastrum+virgatum&chk=t&cch=t&cnabh=t&inat=r&cc=MNT

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=24599

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 246-247.

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 168.

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 8.

Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/polemoniaceae-misc/

Flora of North America http://beta.floranorthamerica.org/Main_Page (search by scientific name) (species not listed as of 4/24/24)

MISC "Eriastrum johnsonii, a new Eriastrum species: https://www.phytoneuron.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20PhytoN-Eriastrumjohnsonii.pdf" per INat dagowen

Leaf Terminology: Simple Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg

Native American Ethnobotany: Traditional Native Plant Uses (U.S. plants for medicines, fibers, tools): http://naeb.brit.org/

Fort Ord A Love Story, Dorothy E. Denning, 2024 (1,000+ color photos)

5-minute video of Fort Ord Flora and Fauna, produced by David Styer: https://fortordcleanup.com/archives/2020/natural-treasures-of-fort-ord-90-amazing-photographs/

TINY Pygmy Linanthus growing in sandy soil. Flowers are about 3mm in diameter

Leptosiphon pygmaeus ssp. continentalis is a native, annual, uncommon plant in the Phlox (Polemoniaceae) family that grows in open areas in sandy soil. A.k.a. Pygmy Linanthus. Flowers are tiny and white with 2 dark red dots at base of each petal. Calflora lists 2 subspecies.

Calflora (with species distribution map in CA): https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=10061

Jepson eFlora:
Leptosiphon pygmaeus https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=80363
Leptosiphon pygmaeus ssp. continentalis https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=80364

Flora of Fort Ord: p. 170

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Plant Resources, in general:

Jepson eFlora (CA native and naturalized plants with botanical illustrations, some videos) https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/

Calflora (CA native plants with species distribution maps, plant communities) https://www.calflora.org/search.html

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell ,2015 (2300+ species)

Monterey County Wildflowers (photographic guide of wildflowers, shrubs and trees) https://montereywildflowers.com/index/

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016 (950+ species with photos)

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California , David Styer, 2019 (includes peak bloom times)

Leaf Terminology: Simple Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg

Native American Ethnobotany: Traditional Native Plant Uses (U.S. plants for medicines, fibers, tools): http://naeb.brit.org/

Flora of North America http://beta.floranorthamerica.org/Main_Page (search by scientific name)

Fort Ord A Love Story, Dorothy E. Denning, 2024 (1,000+ color photos)

5-minute video of Fort Ord Flora and Fauna, produced by David Styer: https://fortordcleanup.com/archives/2020/natural-treasures-of-fort-ord-90-amazing-photographs/