Farallones in Bloom

February 28, 2010

The wildflowers are in full bloom on the Farallones and due to abundant rainfall this year they are particularly prolific. While the native maritime goldfields (Lasthenia maritime) and marsh and sticky sand spurry (Spergularia spp) continuously sported a few flowers throughout this wet winter, in the past couple of weeks the island has truly burst into color. The goldfields are knee-high in some areas of the marine terrace.

One of the rarest and arguably most beautiful native flowers on the South Farallon Islands is the seaside daisy (Erigeron glaucus). This lovely low-growing spreading plant has curled, velvety leaves, bright yellow centers, and lavender petals and grows mostly on rocks on the north side of Little Lighthouse Hill and on the path to the murre blind on Shubrick Point. We found this specimen blooming on the rocks above the new copper Sea Lion Cove blind.