Claytonia.org

what is a species in this group anyway?

Beginning of the end of Silene verecunda sensu lato

Posted on July 4, 2014 by tstou10

Hey, all — I thought I would share with you that my recent manuscript with colleagues (Diana D. Jolles and Heath A. Bartosh) describing a new species of Silene (Caryophyllaceae) has finally been published! You can access our article here, or the whole issue is here. It is a very special issue for the California Fish and Game Journal, #100, and the first ever all botany issue for the journal — some really GREAT articles in there that are worth reading, including an introduction by Governor Jerry Brown. Neat Stuff!

As always, I am interested to know what you think about this topic — the Silene verecunda problem is VERY complex, but fortunately the taxonomy isn’t.

no luck with Peirson’s rock cress

Posted on August 21, 2013 by tstou10

I went up to San Gorgonio Mountain last weekend with Diana Jolles (all pictures credit D.D. Jolles) to look for Boechera peirsonii at a locality it has not been found. We looked for it a bit south of Charlton Peak near (just below) Dry Lake View, accessed from Dry Lake. This sits on the west end of the bowl that was once a large glacier on the north slope of San Gorgonio Mountain, only a stone’s throw from the type locality for Boechera peirsonii.

We checked out this super sweet habitat, but didn’t find any Boechera peirsonii just below Dry Lake View, at the toe slope of the north face of San Gorgonio Mountain.

Not to say that we didn’t find any Boechera, we just didn’t find the one we were looking for! Looks like what we call Boechera platysperma in southern California needs some work!

Next week, cirque east of San Gorgonio Mountain above Mineshaft Saddle. Fish Creek Trail? Any takers?