Inflorescences of Phacelia cicutaria. The calyx lobes form little baskets around the capsules when mature. The basket breaks off and rolls away like a mini-tumbleweed. Also, the spiky hairs stick efficiently under my skin.

Phacelia cicutaria plant, in rock crevice at Tulloch Mill. Dry dry dry. Type collected April 9th, 1895 and without fruit or seed, so I thought a later date would be better to capture flowering and fruiting. I was wrong! And this is what being wrong looks like. I need to return earlier and repeatedly throughout the spring next year.

Phacelia cicutaria in middle of rock at south side of Tulloch Mill at Knights Ferry. Type locality for Phacelia cicutaria is probably near[er] and along the Stanislaus River ["at Knights Ferry, on the Stanislaus River"], but it was so dry even down at and along the river near Tulloch Mill and the covered bridge that these were the best looking plants I could find. The others were all stripped down skeletons of plants.

The covered bridge at Knights Ferry Rec Area over the Stanislaus River. The General Store in Knights Ferry was closed. Sads. After scouting around the covered bridge and south without finding green plants I didn’t hike further up or down the river. Next year though!