This is a new paintbrush species for Nature ID. As the name suggests this differs from the regular flavor Indian paintbrush (C. affinis) by having a fine felt covering of hairs and can be more shrub-like. Both species are found at Pinnacles.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
acorn woodpecker ~ 06/09/11 ~ Pinnacles
female acorn woodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorus
We had a good laugh at how a couple birds were using the drinking fountain to get water. This acorn woodpecker chased the smaller songbirds away.
gray pine ~ 06/09/11 ~ Pinnacles
gray pinePinus sabiniana
Pinaceae
Gray pine cones are much bigger than the Monterey pine cones which I am more familiar with closer to home. I inadvertently discovered this while driving over a gray pine cone during a previous trip to Pinnacles. The very loud crunch, knock, knock, and scrape sounds let me know the bottom of my car did not easily clear the massive cone.
western dwarf mistletoe ~ 06/09/11 ~ Pinnacles
western dwarf mistletoe on gray pineArceuthobium campylopodum on Pinus sabiniana
Santalaceae (formerly Viscaceae) and Pinaceae
The Pinnacles plant list shows foothill pine dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium occidentale), which appears to have been reclassified into A. campylopodum. I still find it amazing this is a mistletoe, primarily because I think of some of the wider-leaved Phoradendron spp. used for Christmas decorations.