Field Notes of Annie Alexander and
Louise Kellogg
Annie
Alexander
Edited by Tom Schweich
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Field Notes of Annie Alexander and
Louise Kellogg | 1939 Field Notes (Continued) |
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Annie
Alexander |
 Topics in this Article: April May June | This article
contains the 1939 Field Notes of Annie Alexander and Louise Kellogg. I have attempted to reproduce the field notes as faithfully as possible while taking advantage of opportunities presented by the World Wide Web. For details about the Field Notes, please see About the Field Notes."
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| May
| Locations: Cross Roads.
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| Locations: Colorado River. Cross Roads. Earp.
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Crossroads, 400 ft, 7 mi north of Earp, on the Colorado R., San Bernardino Co., Calif.
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| | Locations: Amboy. Barstow. Cadiz Dry Lake. Chambless. Mojave. Rice.
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Began collecting annuals after leaving Mohave at noon May 2. Made four stops before reaching Barstow and three or four before reaching Amboy for the night. Found some shrubs and several annuals in full bloom. Scattered bushes of Senecio(?) between Barstow and Amboy passing the height of its bloom. From Amboy, May 3, we drive to Chambless and took the road to Rice. 52 miles. A rough road through arid country. Ten miles of which were through Cadiz Dry Lake. Too salty for most plants, even for Atriplex. The flats near Chambless support only Creosote but further along where the road covers rocky ground we found a number of plants in the little gullies. Sand drifts encroach on the east side of Dry Lake but we found the going better here following the railroad.
| | Locations: Cross Roads. Earp. Parker Dam.
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The road from Earp to Parker Dam skirts the Colorado R. Cottonwood, Honey Mesquite, willows and arrowweed (& quail brush) on the river side and palo verde in bloom, mesquite, catclaw, Atriplex, creosote and other shrubs on the dry terraces and hillsides. After getting a cabin at Crossroads and getting settled we drove up the highway to Parker Dam which is an imposing structure. A great force of water was pouring out of the three giant sluice gates …
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| Locations: Copper Basin. Gene Wash.
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… at the base. The dam can be crossed by car and the road continues for a mile further we were told to the mouth of the Williams R. The country on either side of the river is rugged and precipitous – rocks mainly of decomposed granite. Very red. Picked up a number of plants growing near the highway. This morning we returned to the DAM to take some photos. Then took the road up to the first reservoir (Gene Gulch) and went on to the second reservoir in Copper Basin, 3½ mi., altitude 1000 ft. Palo Verde were in full bloom in the gulches and saguaro were around with white blossoms. The road stops where a tongue of the reservoir appears from around some rocks near a narrow defile. Here we added some more plants to our press.
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| | Locations: Cliff Ravines. Copper Basin. Parker Dam.
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Took the road to the Copper Basin reservoir this morning via Parker Dam stopping within a mile of the Basin and walking up to a narrow steep ravine at the base of the cliffs shaded by a high precipitous wall. Here we found a variety of mint, a large shrub that we had not seen below just past its prime in bloom. Crowding the rocky bottom of the ravine in the shade of catclaw and in other protected places was a long stemmed Geranium (?) and small ferns under boulders. The “geranium” turned out to be Teucrium glandulosum, collection #678.
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Other plants were Hyptis, Ephedra, Bebbia juncea (?) Eriogonum species (?) and bunch grass. On the west slopes below were creosote, burro weed, Mamillaria microcarpus (?) (red fruit like a pepper), Echinocactus acanthodes, Opuntia Bigelovii, and Opuntia acanthocarpa after returning to the car we drove to the reservoir and collected a few more plants near the margin. The water had risen several inches since yesterday. Noticed two ocotillo in flower up among the rocks.
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| | Locations: Bowmans Wash. Copper Basin Lake. Monument Peak.
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Drive up Bowman wash, west of Crossroads, four miles, turned up a branch wash, narrow with high rocks on either side which opened up into hilly country, and circles around Monument Peak, until we reached the northwest side of Copper Basin Reservoir Lake where we found a variety of plants growing in scraped off ground and gradually being encroached upon by the rising water. Distance from Crossroads about 10½ mi. and 650 ft. higher. Found a heavy growth of smoke trees in Bowman Wash and some Palo Verde. In the narrow canyon up among the rocks were two? species of yucca.
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Lower slopes of the hilly country were covered with a growth of Opuntia Bigelovii and occasional specimens of Echinocactus
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Drive up road above Gene Wash Lake and called??? Mamillaria microcarpa on a rocky slope where we had seen them May 5. Common cacti on the slope were the Opuntia Bigelovii, some Echinocactus. Down the road a branch road follows the Power Line with good going but we did not pursue it far. Took photos of Palo Verde and Saguaro. In looking up the descriptions of the Palo Verde find there are two species, distinguished by the number and size of pairs of leaves. Both forms are at Crossroads and we added specimens of them to our collections.
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| | Locations: Copper Basin Lake.
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Drive again thru northwest side of Copper Basin L. Day very hot – we did little collecting. Took photos to show the vegetation of the country.
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| | Locations: Lobecks Pass. Needles.
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Pack up, driving to Needles. Ocotillos were in blossom the south side of Lobeck Pass. Swarms of winged ants and were attacking the flowers of some of the plants.
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| Locations: Mojave.
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| 15 miles east Mohave, Kern Co. Calif. alt. 2645 ft. |
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Collector’s No. | |
339 |
Aster tortifolius = Macheranthera tortifolia (Gray) Cronq/ & Keck
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20 miles east Mohave Alt. 2050 ft. Kern Co.
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340 |
Composite Chaenactis xantiana Gray
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341 |
Cryptantha | |
342 |
Gilia | |
343 |
Gilia Oenothera dentata Cav. var. Parishii (Abrams) Munz
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344 |
Oenothera scapoidea or brevipes
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345 |
Euphorbia albomarginata Torr. & Gray
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25 miles east Mohave Alt. 2400 ft. |
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346 |
Salvia carduacea Benth. |
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347 |
Composite | |
348 |
Gilia | |
349 |
Crucifer Erysimum capitatum (Dougl.) Greene
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35 miles east Mohave Alt. 2409 ft. |
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350 |
Crucifer Caulanthus inflatus Wats. |
| Locations: Barstow.
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2 ½ miles east Barstow S. B. Co. |
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351 |
Cassia armata Wats. |
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351.1 |
Cassia armata Wats. |
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352 |
Stillingia paucidentata Wats. |
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14 miles east Barstow 2050 ft. |
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353 |
Sunflower Geraea canescens Torr. & Gray
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354 Composite | |
355 |
Oenothera brevipes |
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356 |
Malacothrix californica D.C. var. glabrata
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Pisgah Alt. 1980 ft. | |
357 |
Sphaeralcea emoryi Torr. ssp. nevadensis Kearn.
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358 |
Baileya multiradiata pleniradiata Harv. & Gray
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359 |
Linanthus Langloisia Matthewsii (Gray) Greene. Loeseliastrum matthewsii (Gray) Timbrook. Timbrook, 1978.
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360 |
Bromus Hilaria rigida (Thurb.) Benth.
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| | Locations: Chambless.
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10 miles southeast Chambless Alt. 880 ft. |
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361 |
Lupine Lupinus sparsiflorus Benth.
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362 |
Navarretia Langloisia setosissima (T. & G.) Greene ssp. punctata (Coville) Timbrook. Timbrook, ’78.
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363 |
Gilia | |
364 |
Oenothera alyssoides var. decorticans O. decorticans Hook. & Arn. var. condensate Munz
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365 |
Composite Stephanomeria pauciflora (Torr.) Nutt.
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366 |
Oenothera brevipes |
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367 |
Eschscholtzia glyptosperma Greene
| | Locations: Rice.
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6 miles northwest Rice, 1000 ft. |
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368 Asclepias erosa Torr. |
| Locations: Cross Roads.
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Colorado River north of Crossroads | 4 miles north Crossroads. |
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369 Oenothera deltoids Torr. & Frem. |
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6½ miles north Crossroads |
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370 Coldenia Palmeri Gray |
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371 Aster | |
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372 Oligomeris linifolia (Vahl.) Macbr.
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373 Sphaeralcea ambigua |
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374 Porophyllum | |
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375 Fagonia californica Benth. |
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376 Oenothera cardiophylla Benth.
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377 Pluchea sericea |
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378 Composite Perityle emoryi Torr.
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page 5 | |
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379 Acacia Greggii Gray |
| Locations: Cross Roads.
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2½ miles north Crossroads |
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380 Sphaeralcea | |
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381 Lupine Lotus tomentellus Greene
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382 Composite Stephanomeria exigua Nutt.
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383 Chaenactis carphoclinia var. attenuata (Gray) Jones
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384 Oenothera filiforme |
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385 Mimilus | |
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386 Eriogonum deflexum Torr. |
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387 Chorizanthe | |
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3½ miles northeast Crossroads |
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388 Phacelia | |
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389 Parkinsonia microphylla |
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390 Mentzelia Eucnide urens Parry
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4 miles northeast Crossroads |
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391 Mentzelia involvucrata Wats. See also May 6.
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6-8/10 miles northeast Crossroads |
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392 Mallow Sphaeralcea ambigua Gray |
| Locations: Copper Basin Lake.
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Copper Basin Lake, Alt. 1,000 ft. | GeneWash Road, Whipple Mts. |
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393 Trixis californicus |
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394 Eschscholtzia minutiflora |
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395 Allionia incarnaea L. var. villosa (Standl.) Munz
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396 Oenothera | |
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397 Galium stellatum Kell. |
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398 Gilia | |
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676 Physalis crassifolia Parietaria floridana Nutt.
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677 | |
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page 6 | |
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| | Locations: Cliff Ravines.
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Cliff Ravine west of Copper Basin |
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Locations: Whipple Mountains.
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Gene Wash Road, 1450 ft., Whipple Mts. |
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678 Geranium Teucrium glandulosum Kell.
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679 Salvia mohavensis Greene |
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680 Nicotiana Mirabilis biglovii Gray var. retrosa (Heller) Munz
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681 Nicotiana | |
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682 Cheilanthes parryi (D. C. Eat.) Domin.
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683 Eriogonum | |
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684 Symphoricarpus Crossosoma Bigelovii Wats.
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685 Penstemon | |
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686 Composite | |
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687 Grass Stipa speciosa Trin. & Rydb.
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688 Astragalus Lotus salsuginosus Greene var. brevivexillus Ortley
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689 Eriogonum Atrichoseris platyphylla Gray
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690 Philibertia | |
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691 Ditaxis lanceolatus (Benth.) Pax & K. Hoffm.
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692 Eriogonum | | Locations: Copper Basin Lake.
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693 Legume Dalea parryi Torr. & Gray
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694 Oenothera contorta Dougl. var. flexuosa (A. Nels.) Munz
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695 Sphaeralcea rotundifolia = Malvastrum
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696 Legume Dalea mollisima (Rydb.) Munz
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697 Encelia | |
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698 Linanthus Langloisia setosissima (Torr. & Gray) Greene ssp. setosissima Timbrook 1978
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391 Mentzelia involvucrata Wats. See also May 4.
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699 Asclepias subulata |
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700 Eschscholtzia minutiflora Wats.
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701 Rafinesquia | |
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702 Mentzelia | |
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703 Composite | |
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704 Gilia | |
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705 Physalis crassifolia |
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706 Lupine | |
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707 Gilia | |
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708 Oenothera | |
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709 Grass Bouteloua aristeides Benth.
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710 Grass Aristida adscensionis L.
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711 Mimulus | | Locations: Cross Roads.
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| Crossroads Highway near Parker Dam |
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712 Cercidium Torreyanum | |
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713 Parkinsonia microphylla |
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701 Rafinesquia | | Locations: Copper Basin Lake.
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714 Mentzelia | |
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715 Phacelia Cryptantha angustifolia (Torr.) Greene
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716 Salvia | |
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717 Grass Hilaria rigida (Thurb.) Benth.
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695 Physalis | | Locations: Mohave Mountains.
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| Mohave Mts. 26 miles south Needles |
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399 Fouquieria splendens |
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Locations: Clark Mountain Station. New York Mountains.
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Had an interesting trip from Needles across the New York Mountains to Clark Mountain Station on the Barstow – Las Vegas highway – 92 miles. The first plant to attract my attention was …
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Locations: New York Mountains.
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Locations: Barnwell. Ivanpah Dry Lake.
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… the Desert Willow, Chilopsis linearis, a larger specimen growing in the bottom of a wash next to road. Further along in sandy soil was the Curcurbita palmata with its deep yellow flowers and two Datura with its cream white blossoms. The ascent of the New York Mountains is very gradual to the pass of close to 5000 ft. Yucca brevifolia cover the upper mesa-like slopes in an extensive forest and extend to the summit of the pass where they are joined by junipers and Piñon pines. We stopped for an hour one mile north of Barnshale Barnwell where Cliff Rose?, Ephedra, Purple Sage Salvia carnosa and other shrubs make a strong growth. There were Desert Willow in the washes as we ascended the summit going north but they were not in blossom and looked more somewhat withered. Our road followed the north side of Ivanpah Dry Lake and looking across we could see a yellowish green tinge to the south slope of some form of plant.
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Locations: Clark Mountain Station.
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| May 12
| Locations: Dorr Cave. Mormon Canyon.
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Drove south from here up Mormon Canyon, 2½ miles and walking ½?¾ miles up canyon to Dorr Cave in limestone rock.
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Limestone formation throughout Canyon over 36 species of plants in bloom were collected all associated with Joshua trees, junipers, and Pinyon Pines. Most striking plants in bloom because of their profusion were …
| | Locations: Mormon Canyon.
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Locations: Clark Mountain Station.
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… Sphaeralcea ambigua? Penstemon Palmeri, Cowania mexicana, Castelllija angustifolia, and Cereus mohavensis. The two one yuccas in bloom, Yucca baccata. Yucca mohavensis in bloom at Clark Mountain Station. The agave in bloom was deserti. Agave utahensis var. nevadensis was just starting to be in bloom. Mrs. Dorr told us that the Indians cooked them to get sugar out of them by digging a hole to bedrock filling in with the agave and building a fire over the pile, the juices running down and being caught in the hard rock. The profuse bloom in the canyon, Dorr told us was due to unusually heavy rains this past season. ______ were _______ the bloom of Thamnosma montana. One old gopher workings in the rocky ground were noted. One fresh working seen.
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| | Locations: Coliseum Mine.
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Today drove to Coliseum Mine on the north side of Clark Mountain, 23 miles from Clark Mountain Station. Five miles down the highway west, then across to the Power Line Road, turning off on the Coliseum Road. The continuous shrub and when we began to climb was Psilostrophe cooperi. In the alkali flats Larrea predominated. The Coliseum Road was lined with Salvia just past its full bloom. We followed up a wash _____ ___ a number …
| | Locations: Coliseum Mine.
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… of Chilopsis linearis not in flower, leaves looked young. Had a fine view of the north-facing slope of Clark Mountain with its ragged precipitous summit and some species of tall pine trees hugging the bases of the cliffs and filling the amphitheater-like basins. Could see the glitter of snow at several spots. We collected along the road, in the wash and on the limestone talus slope south of the wash at an altitude just above 5000 ft. Had a light thunderstorm and a few sprinkles.
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| | Locations: Clark Mountain. Mountain Pass.
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Today a Mr. and Mrs LaMott, mining near Clark Mountain Station took us on an old road used when mining a zinc mine some twenty years ago on the south side of Clark Mountain. Highest point on Clark Mountain, LaMott told us was 7994 ft. We drove about five miles from Mountain Pass up the mouth of a canyon where the LaMotts left us to climb to a cave while we continued up the wash. Gravel terraces or benches on _____ side covered with Juniper and Pinyon pine and various hardy shrubs. Turning up a branch canyon we found a large ______ and wild currant in bloom. We climbed the shady slope to the bases of upturned edges of limestone striking diagonally up the mountains, to look for ferns …
| | Locations: Mescal Spring.
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… but found only the common variety (Cheilanthes feeii) in cracks in the rocks. Thick mats of Spirea caespitosa climbing to the surfaces of the rocks in places. From where we stood we scanned the summit of Clark Mt to see if there were any other pine besides the Pinyon but could discover _____ __ ____ __________. The slopes become very steep and rocky above 6000 ft with only a foothold here and there for pine and juniper.
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Locations: Mescal Spring Canyon.
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Attempted to go up Mescal Spring Canyon today, 1 ½ mi. S. E. of Mountain Pass. -- ____ is the Mescal Spring – but thunder storms and rain turned us back. The spring is walled in with cement. A short pipe leads _____ it making a marshy spot a few yards below where water cress and mint are growing – near an unoccupied house. Two mesquite trees were coming into leaf. In the wash below a Baccharis _______ was growing.
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Locations: Mescal Spring Canyon.
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Collected up in Mescal Spring Canyon again this morning. The canyon can hardly be called such. Several ravines come down from rocky heights above. The commonest shrubs covering the slopes of the hills are the Coleogyne ramosissima, giving a dark green aspect to the landscape. Another common plant on southern exposures is Opuntia acanthocarpa, and over …
| | Locations: Mescal Spring.
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… rocky surfaces, Opuntia chlorotica. Another Opuntia that seems to take possession of the ground in certain places is mojavensis(?).
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We are shipping a box of cacti (the 2nd) from here tomorrow, specimens taken from Mormon Canyon, Mescal Spring, and on the road to Coliseum Mine, north slope of Clark Mountain to the U. C. Herbarium.
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| | Locations: Charleston Mountains. Charleston Park Resort. |
| Charleston Park Resort. 7500 ft. Charleston Mts., Nevada | Locations: Kyle Canyon. Las Vegas.
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Drove here today from Las Vegas, Nev., 35 mi., -- 10 mi. on the Tonopah highway and 15 to this place, grade gradual all the way – open country at first than a wash with walls on either side of cemented gravel, open country again which brought us to the mouth of Kyle Canyon with the first sight of yellow pine, white fir and aspen. Kyle Canyon is a wide cut in the mountain side paralleling the main, ivory crest of the range. It seemed as if we must drop down to enter it but still the grade continued up hill.
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Made three stops after leaving the Tonopah Highway to collect – at 4500 ft., 6050, and at 7000.
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Walked up to Camp nos. 1 & 2. 7700 ft. … |
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|  Location of Cathedral Rock Locations: Cathedral Rock. Charleston Peak. Little Falls.
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… a bench below Cathedral Rocks watered by two small streams. One from a spring above the road. Found plants growing under pine and mountain mahogany, among pine needles and dead leaves. Found gopher workings – plugs and mounds. L. K. sets traps in P.M. Paved road ends about ¼ mi. beyond. From its upper side three trails start. The first to Little Falls. The second to Cathedral Rock Creek. The third to Charleston Peak. Found the bitter Cherry in bloom on the lower side of the Road. Mountain mahogany has just about passed its bloom at this altitude.
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| | Locations: Deer Creek. Kyle Canyon.
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Walked up Deer Cr. Trail this morning for a distance of about ¾ mi. The trail starts in Kyle Canyon as the paved road turns to go to the various camp sites. The precipitous rock wall of the canyon on one side extends to the main crest of the range, banks of snow reaching across our northern exploration. The slope of the east wall is far less steep and is more or less covered with chaparral and appears to be composed of cemented rock in conglomerate.
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We found the bed of the creek dry except for a spring which gushes out of the east bank and runs for a few hundred yards. Later on the snow starts to melt on Charleston Peak, we were told a stream runs the length of the canyon past the resort. There is little plant life as yet under the trees. Some wild currant and manzanita in bloom. Saw some fine examples of yellow pine and white fir. Groves of aspen here and there.
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Drive down road 3 7/10 mi., alt 6700 ft. to flat burned over in 1923. Plants associated were Ceanothus, Ephedra, Eriodictyon, Amelanchier, Lycium andersonii, and Yucca baccata. Fierce wind blowing.
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| | Locations: Lee Canyon.
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Walked up the Little Falls Trail from the paved road above Charleston Park Resort, 8000 ft. Ravine below falls scoured by a snow slide that took place several years ago, uprooting and breaking larger pines and laying _____ …
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… flat. A snow bank covered the trail at the break in the cliffs back of which is the waterfall and the ground below the bank of the ravine was strewn with debris. W. H. Burt, in his paper “The Mammals of Southern Nevada” published in 1934 mentions only the yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa scopulorum) and fir (Abies concolor) of the Canadian – Transmontane zone of the Charleston Mts. so that we were interested to find among these trees Pinus flexilis and Pinus aristata. The slope on which they occur is north facing and at the base of Cathedral Rock. Just below the snow bank mentioned found catkins on the aspens while here at the resort the aspens are in full leaf. While in the woods Acer glabrum was in flower and leafing out.
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Drove over to Lee Canyon today, 16 mi. The road crosses the middle slope of the range through pinyon pine and juniper with an occasional foxtail, yellow pine and cedar. Deer Creek which we crossed is the only stream in these mountains which runs the year ‘round. Lee Canyon is a broader canyon than Kyle …
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… and has a good stand of yellow pine. There is the remains of an old saw mill there. There are some open flats that could hardly be called meadows, covered with small plants not yet in bloom – no grasses to speak of. A “transient camp” under the W. P. A. is located in the canyon, the only one left in the country we were told by a forest ranger. Limestone cliffs on the south side of the rise abruptly but pines in considerable numbers seem to find a foothold in the rocks up to nearly the summit of the range as seen from below. On the road back two deer crossed in front of the car. We are told they stay in the brushy country.
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| | Locations: Kyle Canyon.
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| Kyle Canyon Rd.
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Took flowering plants at three different altitudes today: at 69oo ft., at lower end of yellow pine. Artemisia tridentata on gravelly flat. Scrub oak on slopes beginning to leaf out and giving a green tinge to hillsides.
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At 6700 ft. on the burnt over mesa found plants more advanced in bloom, especially Senecio. Collected grasses.
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6000 ft., down in wash, … | |
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… between walls of cemented gravel. Here was found the Joshua tree, Spanish dagger, Chollas and Atriplex. Mammalaria (deserti ?) quite common. Large beds of Sphaeralcea in bloom.
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… between walls of cemented gravel. Here we found Joshua trees, Spanish Dagger, Chollas and Atriplex.
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| Deer Cr. Trail
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Climbed Deer Cr. Trail to altitude of 8500 ft., a rocky floor, little vegetation. Found a fresh gopher working at 8300 ft. Two withered thistle plants showed the direction of its tunnel. At one point on the trail there had evidently been a snow avalanche as aspens had been laid flat. Saw our first foxtail tree at about 8400 ft. The spring mentioned under date of May 20 had less water and runs for a shorter distance.
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| | Locations: Charleston Park Resort. |
On side hill above road on north of Charleston Park Resort 7500.
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Collected on steep side hill, soil loose with some gravel. Several seeps. Pines, Juniper, Pinyons, Manzanita, Ceanothus and Garrya.
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| | Locations: Cold Creek.
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Took a long drive today, 100 mi. and return, to Cold Creek on the north side of the Charleston Range …
| | Locations: Cold Creek.
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| Locations: Cold Creek Ranch.
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… making five stops for plants. Down the Charleston Park Rd. in the arroyo at 6000 ft. for flowering specimens of Eriodictyon, within two miles of the main highway at 3450 ft. for fruited specimens of Parosela and Krameria, Eriogonum and other things; at six miles east of Indian Springs where we were attracted to stop by Navarretia which was so abundant as to give a bluish tinge to the surface of the ground; from four to six miles south of Indian Springs where the road follows ancient limestone formations weathering in layers and blocks of stone where the barrel cactus is dominant. Here we found Mimulus and other small plants; and finally within the Cold Creek Ranch area 6300 ft. It was a slow climb to the ranch. Scraggly Joshua trees, Spanish bayonet, Cowania and Fallugia the common plants. Juniper and Pinyon pine mingling higher up. The mountains south rise gently, ______, timbered on the lower slopes. After passing through two gates we drove west, parking our car on the edge of the ravine of Cold Creek. The stream rises from a spring ½ mile further up we are told. Water is brought by an irrigation ditch from above and crosses the flat on which we are parked to a pasture where horses were grazing. We found it lined with water loving plants …
| | Locations: Cold Creek.
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… and grasses. Further up were willows, oaks and gooseberry bushes. On the side hill were several Berberis fremontii in full bloom and mountain mahogany along the creek. We did not go to the source of the creek. What interested us in the flat was the number of the parasite Orobanche that appeared to get their nourishment from the roots of Artemisia tridentata. There too was a tall Streptanthus with white flowers quite local in distribution as far as we could tell.
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On the return trip coming up the Charleston Park grade we were surprised to see a number of puff balls close to the edge of the paved road on either side that apparently had pushed up during the day. Mrs. Hall wondered if the asphaltum had had something to do with stimulating them for we saw none away from the margin of the road. The few we collect go in a box (the 3rd, no. 1 & 2 containing cacti) with pine cones and branch ends to the Herbarium at U. C.
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I sometimes post interesting questions in my FAQ, but I never disclose your full name or address.
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| Date and time this article was prepared: 12/24/2004 11:52:52 AM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||