round-lobed hepatica
Anemone americana
(formerly Hepatica nobilis var obtusa)
Ranunculaceae

Yesterday was so lovely, I had to take a break from writing about Death Valley wildflowers and go hike the Billy Goat B trail. It’s the season for ephemerals, the delicate-leaved, dainty-flowered, low-growing plants that will completely disappear for the year in two months (or less).

Seen on Thursday, March 24:

• spring beauties are going strong, but nowhere close to full bloom yet
• harbinger-of-spring is hanging in there
• cutleaf toothworts are starting to bloom
• one small patch of wild blue phlox was already blooming – way early!
• two golden ragworts (there are very few on Billy Goat B; Billy Goat C is the place to see these en masse)
• a few each trout lilies, early saxifrage, and star chickweed are open
• pawpaws are budding up
• a single short-spurred corydalis
• Dutchman’s breeches just starting
• Virginia bluebells are about to burst – give it two more days, maybe three
• rue anemone
• round-lobed hepatica (not an ephemeral, though)
• bloodroot seem to be at their peak already
• spicebush is still blooming, but starting to fade
• leatherwood is just opening

And five turtles on a log in the canal

This should be the first great weekend for wildflower viewing in the gorge.