California Buckeye

Wild Flowers of the Northern California Sierra Nevada

The following are species that can be located in Placer and Nevada Counties. Following the list is a section of links that are botany related, and may be of interest. This site is still under construction and will have complete scientific names, common name, and uses.

Plants and Other Botany related sites

Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis)

Golden Brodiaea
Swamp Onion
Wild Onion

Apocynaaceae (Dogbane)

Spreading Dogbane

Boraginaceae (Borage)

Stickseed
Cryptantha Humilis - Alpine Forget-Me-Not - 6,000' to 14,000' on the high alpine ridges, Blooms June-August

Caryophyllaceae (Pink)

King's Sandwort
Campion
Stellaria Longipes (Starwort)

Compositae (Sunflower)

Amica
Aster
Brewer's Golden Aster
Butterweed
Common Wooly Yarrow
Coreopsis
Daisy
Eupatorium
Goldenrod Rogwort Groundsel
Single Stemmed Groundsel
Hawkweed
Helianthella californica (Sunflower)
Mugwort
Mule Ears
Nodding Microseriss
Pearly Everlasting
Pussytoes
Rabbit Brush
Rosy Everlasting
Narrow-leaved Stephanomneria
Tarweed
Anderson's Thistle
Bull Thistle
Taraxacum officinale - Common Dandelion - All parts edible
Wandering Daisy
Wooly Sunflower

Cornaceae (Dogwood)

Cornus nuttallii - Mountain Dogwood - Blooms April-July in woodlands below 6,000' Flowers are actually bracts, and very showy. Grow to tree size proportions.
Cornus stolonifera - California Dogwood

Crassulaceae (Stonecrop)

Stonecrop

Crucifrerae (Mustard)

Mountain Jewel (Strepthanthanthus)
Tansy Mustard
Western Wallflower

Ericaceae (Heath)

Ledum glandulosum - Labrador Tea (Trapper's Tea)- Perennial shrub , borders on wet alpine meadows, with sub species at lower elevations. Blooms June-August
Pine Drop
Pink Pyrolia
Chimaphila menziesii - Little Prince's Pine - Roots used for flavoring drinks

Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf)

Low Phacelia
Phacelia (Waterleaf)
Hydrophyllum capitatum - Wooly Breeches - Edible greens

Labitae (Mint)

Giant Hyssop
Prunella vulgaris - Self-Heal - Tea from leaves
Mountain Pennyroyal

Leguminoseae (Pea or Vetch)

Clover
Deervetch
Lupine
Lathyrus nevadensis - Sierra Pea - Poisonous
Shasta Clover
Torrey's Lotus

Liliaceae (Lily, Star Tulip)

Alpine Lily
Camassia quamash - Blue Camas - Food source for the Native Americans
Veratrum californicum - Corn Lily - Perennial herb found in wet meadows and banks from 4,500' to 8,500'. Blooms July -August. Noted for the chemical qualities of the black root, considered a dangerous medinine for skin disorders in the seventeenth century, used by the Spaniards to tenderise meat. Native American used it to treat snakebite, venereal disease and chewing for a sore throat. Some stock animal have been poisoned by consuming new shoots.
Zigadenus elegans - Alkali Grass or Death Camas - Found in coniferous forests and bloom July-August. Bulb is poisonous.
Erythronium grandiflorum - Fawn Lily - All parts are edible
Smilacina racemosa - False Solomon's Seal - Perennial herb found in shaded woods below 6,000'. Blooms March-May.
Calochortus elegans - Mariposa Lily - Perennial herb blooms May-July in coniferous forests 5,000' to 7,000'. Bulb were dug and eaten as a deliicasy by early settlers and Native Americans. Today with declining numbers, it is not advisable to dig bulbs.
Sierra Star Tulip
Smilacina stellata - Solomon's Seal - Perennial herb found in wet meadows and coniferous forests, Blooms April-June
Trillium ovatum - Western Trillium - Poisonous
Xerophyllum tenax - Bear Grass -Perennial herb blooms May-August. Native Americans fashioned garmet out of the leaves and baskets. The root stalk was utilized for food.

Malvaceae (Mallow, Hollyhock)

Checker Mallow
Morsh Sidalcea
White-Veined Mallow

Onagraceae (Evening Primrose)

Willowherb

Orchidaceae (Orchid)

Green Orchid
Habernaria dilata -Rein Orchid - Perennial herb found in wet bogs and meadows. Blooms June-September
Corallorhiza maculata -Spotted Coral- Root - Saprophytic herb found in coniferous forests below 9,000'. Blooms June-August

Polemoniaceae (Phlox)

Bridge's Gilia
Polemonium pulcherrimum - Jacob's Ladder (Skunkweed)
Plox diffusa- Spreading Phlox - Perennial herb blooms May to August. Prefers dry slopes from 3,300' to 11,500'.
Whiskerbrush

Polygonaceae (Buckwheat)

Bistort
Buckwheat
Nude Buckwheat
Knotweed
Eriogonum umbellatum - Sulphur Buckwheat - Seeds are edible

Portulaceae (Purslane)

Kellogg's Lewisia
Lewisia triphylla - Threeleaf Lewisia - Bulb edible
Montia perfoliata - Miners Lettuce - All parts edible
Pussypaws (Purslane)
Spring Beauty (Purslane)

Primulaceae (Primrose)

Camissonia Tanacetifolia - Tansy-leaved Evening Primrose
Dodecatheon conjugens - Shooting Star - Greens edible
Epilobium angustifolium - Fireweed
Gayophytum
Trientalis latifolia - Northern Starflower

Pyrolaceae (Wintergreen)

One-Sided Wintergreen
Pipsissewa (Little Princess Pine)
White-Veined Pyrola (Wintergreen)

Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)

Columbine
Larkspur
Thalictrum fendleri - Meadow Rue - Perennial herb blooms May- August. Prefers moist shaded situations and meadows.
Monkshood
Ranunculus alismaefolius - Plantain-leaved Buttercup - Poisonous

Rosaceae (Rose)

Amelanchier pallida - Serviceberry - Perennial shrub found on rocky slopes of the high coniferous forests to 11,000'. In late summer the fruit resembles a small apple. Native Americans gathered to make large flat cakes which they added to soups and vegetables. Added to buffalo meat to make pemmican, and early settlers used to make pies, jelly and wine.
California Wild Rose
Chamaebatia folioosa - Mountain Misery - Evergreen shrub in open coniferous forests below 7,000'. Has a pungent odor that will cling to shoes and clothing. Also known as tarweed or Bear Mat.
Cinquefoil
Dusky Horkelia
Graceful Cinquefoil
Fragaria vesca - Wild Strawberry - Fruit is edible and leaves make tea.
Mountain Spiraea
Prunus emarginata - Bitter Cherry - Coniferous forests below 9,000'. Closely related to prunes, cherries and peaches, this species is not edible.
Sticky Cinquefoil
Thimbleberry

Rubiaceae (madder)

Kelloggia
Bed Straw

Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage)

Heuchera rubescens - Alum Root - Perennial herb found in dry rocky places 6,000'-12,000' Blooming may - July. Has astringent qualities and was used by the Native Americans as an antiseptic. They pounded the root and used it as a poltice on sores and as an eyewash. It was also taken internally for digestive upsets.
Mitella breweri - miterwort or Brewer's Bishop Cap - Perennial herb blooms June-August. Found in coniferous forest from 6,000' to 11,500'.
Woodland Star

St. John's Wort