August24_2010

Botanical Glossary - Home - References Cited

Photos - L-R - After passing the bad section of Mission Creek Greenway upper trail, I got to a fence that blocks hikers from entering the bad section of the trail that are traveling from the east going west. Of course the gate is open because the locals know the trail very well. At this point I continued my hike along a well groomed gravel/dirt path to the east, further into Gallaghers Canyon.

Trifolium Pratense (Red Clover) with brightly colored flower heads beside the trail. Red Clover is an introduced European species now widely established at low to mid elevations. This Plant is commonly found at roadsides, open fields and disturbed sites. In some farm areas, these plants have been planted to help erosion control or to increase soil fertility.

A section of swamp in a low land area to the south of Mission Creek. A great place to see dragon flies and mosquitos.

Photos - L-R - These clumps of pink blossoms belong to Spirea Pyramidata (Pyramid Spirea) a deciduous shrub that likes to reside in low to middle elevations in moist to wet climates, wet spruce forest an wetland edges and clearings like this spot near Mission Creek. It has oval to oblong leaves which are coarsely toothed above the middle and the flowers are a pretty rose-pink and vary slightly from shrub to shrub and can have an odd-white color in some. The flower clusters are pyramid in shape. The Nlaka'pmx made a tea by boiling stems, leaves and flowers to make a tonic and soothing beverage.

Resting on a stick above a damp patch of mud is a Phyciodes Tharos (Pearly Crescentspot) butterfly. The male had wide open orange areas above with wide black margins. Below wing is colored orange with black patches on the forewing, and several cream colored spots. The hindwing underneath has yellow to cream colors with fine brown lines and a purple brown patch containing a lighter colored crescent on the margin. The grow about an inch and a half in length and can have several broods from April to November depending on the weather, with the last, late fall brood over wintering in the half grown stage. They like stream sides, open spaces, moist meadows and are commonly seen at roadsides from the Yukon to Southern Mexico from coast to coast.

A sump with filter to pick up water from the creek, possibly for irrigation, possibly to be further filtered for potable water.

Photos - Frames left and right: Cool looking rock formations in the entrance of Gallaghers Canyon.

Center frame: A rushing white water section of Mission Creek.

Click here for more photos of The Mission Creek Greenway for this day.