A Species a Day

San Francisco

[aspeciesaday]

Baby Blue Eyes

I found this striking little flower on the southern bluff over Tennessee Cove in Marin. The deep blue--almost black--radial spots are quite distinctive. Watching the little guy twitch in the sea breeze was mesmerizing.

Nemophila menziesii takes it's specific epithet from the Scottish surgeon and botanist, Archibald Menzies. Menzies took part in several north Pacific sea voyages, serving as ship's surgeon and discovering new plants in his spare time. Several northern Californian species Menzies discovered are named in his honor, including the Pacific madrone (Artbutus menziesii) and the Douglas-fir (Psuedotsuga menziesii).

Menzies is also known for leading the first successful ascent of Mauna Loa in Hawaii. A longer and more arduous journey than the team expected, when they reached the summit their food rations were nearly exhausted: only three coconuts remained. Menzies reckoned the height of the peak at 13,624 feet, accurate to within 1% of the currently accepted figure. What a bad-ass!

[Nemophila menziesii]

[aspeciesaday]

Miner's Lettuce

Keeping with season, let's talk about another tender edible green. The season for miner's lettuce is quite a bit longer than that of, say, nettles, but I find it particularly tasty around this time of year. Miner's lettuce takes its name from the California Gold Rush miners who ate the vitamin-C-rich leaves to stave off scurvy.

When picked young, the leaves rival any store-bought "baby" green. They are thin and delicate with a nice crunch and not a hint of bitterness. They make for a truly delicious salad. Keep your eye out for them -- they're everywhere.

[Claytonia perfoliata]

[aspeciesaday]

Stinging Nettles

Widely regarded as a weed in the US, albeit one of with a wicked defense mechanism, the lowly stinging nettle is actually a tasty and nutrient-rich edible. In Scandinavia, nettle soup made with the tender buds of early growth is a common dish that marks the beginning of spring. The taste is reminiscent of very young spinach or asparagus but brighter. They're full of vitamins A and C, iron, minerals and rather a lot of protein for a leafy green.

Picking nettles is no picnic, if you're doing it wrong. The fine hairs covering the plant, like so many hypodermic needles, deliver a potent cocktail of histamines which we experience as a painful sting followed by paresthesia ("pins and needles"). Fortunately, a pair of sturdy gardening gloves will protect you while you harvest and a quick blanching renders the hairs inert. From that point you can use them like any other leafy green. Inspired by Hank Shaw's recipe, we made a nettle pesto and it was divine.

[Urtica dioica]

[aspeciesaday]

Japanese Flowering Cherry

The cherries aren't supposed to bloom until April, but we seem to be getting an early treat this year. Though it's not strictly incorrect to call San Francisco's purple leaf plum (P. cerasifera) a "cherry blossom", this tree--P. serrulata--is the tree which Japan's cherry blossom festivals celebrate.

P. serrulata 'Kwanzan' is distinctive for it's double flowers (while Prunus species typically have five petals, this cultivar has two layers of five petals for ten total). If they resemble roses it's not without cause: Prunus is in the rose family.

Taxonomy aside, they're beautiful and they smell amazing. Shake a limb and a do a little dance as the petals float in the breeze.

[Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan']

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Purple Leaf Plum

It never truly feels like winter in San Francisco and the early-blooming purple leaf plum sure helps make February feel like Spring. Maybe that's why Prunus cerasifera is San Francisco's #1 most frequently planted tree.

Though most of the trees planted in the city are sterile, the will to reproduce has endured and some do produce their characteristic cherry-sized plums which ripen in early summer. If you see one, eat it -- they're sweet and delicious.

[Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea']

[aspeciesaday]

Western Wake Robin

This little Trillium, a member of the Lily family, is common in the rich forests of Northern California. You'll often spot the smallish singular flower atop its pedestal of leaves under coast redwoods amongst the sorrel.

Trillium has an interesting mutualism with ants. Ants collect the mature seeds and take them back to their nest to feast on the attached protein-rich elaiosome. The discarded seeds profit, later, when they germinate in the fertile growing medium produced by the ant colony.

[Trillium ovatum]

[aspeciesaday]

New Zealand Spinach

The same hardiness and pest resistance that make New Zealand spinach such an easy garden vegetable contribute to its reputation as an invasive species across North America. In the Bay Area, you'll find dense patches covering the ground wherever moisture meets the salty coastal soil (often along maintained landscaping and grass that gets regular watering). The leaves look a bit like and cook similarly to spinach, though they are thicker and maintain their texture through cooking. Be sure to blanch them for a minute to remove oxalates, ingesting too much of which can cause kidney stones (also found, to a lesser degree, in traditional spinach). They are fantastic sauteed with a bit of garlic or added to a stir-fry or soup.

[Tetragonia tetragonioides]

[aspeciesaday]

Strawberry Tree

Closely related to the Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), the strawberry tree is one of San Francisco's most frequently planted and loveliest street trees. It is also one of the few trees in the city that bears fruit. Since they take a full year to ripen, you'll find ripe fruits from last year co-mingled with this year's flowers. Though the species name "unedo" is derived from the latin unum edo, "I eat only one" (seemingly indicating they are unpalatable), I find the fruits a rare treat: soft and subtly sweet, they do taste just a bit like a strawberry.

[Arbutus unedo]

[aspeciesaday]

Death Cap

The death cap is the number one cause of fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide. Though native to Europe, the death cap has spread its domain and is widespread and common throughout North America, especially along the coast of California.

As with all poisonous fungi, only ingestion is harmful; touching the mushroom is perfectly safe. Most poisonings are attributed to misidentification by those familiar with similar-looking edible mushrooms. Thankfully, this mushroom is very easy to identify. If you are considering hunting for wild edibles, learn to recognize the death cap and know it well.

[Amanita phalloides]

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Redwood Sorrel: All sorrels are edible, but not all of them grow under the majestic redwoods of Muir Woods like the ones in this photo.

Fun fact: When direct sunlight strikes the leaves they fold downwards; when shade returns, the leaves reopen. Taking only a few minutes, this movement is observable to the eye.

[Oxalis oregana]

[aspeciesaday]

Bobcat

I saw this beautiful creature last Saturday in Tennessee Valley.

"The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges, and swampland environments. It persists in much of its original range and populations are healthy."

[Lynx rufus]

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The King Bolete: California's porcini. Though this magnificent mushroom is regarded as common and widespread in Northern California, I have only happened upon them once. This beautiful specimen was found that day, and the pasta dinner that resulted was by the far the finest cookery ever to come from my kitchen. [Boletus edulis var. grandedulis]

[aspeciesaday]

Princess Flower: My favorite ornamental in San Francisco. Velvety, dark green leaves and buds contrast deep purple blossoms. Rub a leaf on your cheek; the princess flower will hug you back. [Tibouchina semidecandra]