03-11-15 Field Note

03-11-15 Field Note

March 11, 2015

Rebecca Durham's field note shows a nascent yellowbell, low pussytoes budding, and brown crustose lichen.

Last year’s clematis seeds sieve the sun (Clematis ligusticifolia).

This brown crustose lichen looks like shingles on soil (Placidium sp.). Bitterbrush leaves emerge from grey twigs (Purshia tridentata).

Low pussytoes begins budding. This species will complete its reproductive cycle by the end of May (Antennaria dimorpha). In areas rich with soil crust, vascular plants can make up the minority of diversity.

Biological soil crusts stabilize soil, demonstrated here fortifying a burrow entrance on a steep slope. Vascular plants like this woodland star emerge through crust (Lithophragma glabrum).