Lady Caterpillar in Malva Crispa

This is a better picture of the lady. It could be a painted lady or a west coast lady. It looks big, just about ready to pupate, so I think even though most of the food plant is gone, it will be okay. I bet when I check on it next time, it will not be there. Time to wander and pupate!

Hoita macrostachya--Leather Root--Fabaceae

Leather Root, also known as Psoralea macrostachya) is now blooming at the UC Botanical Garden. The lavender flowers are quite pretty draped over the steps just downhill from the conference center. It is near the creek, which is a normal habitat for this plant. It looks great now, but it is deciduous, so I don't know how it looks in winter. Indians used the fiber of the roots to make rope. I guess that is why it is called "Leather Root."

Butterfly Class at the Bot Garden

On Friday, Andy and I taught two butterfly classes at the UC Bot Garden. The kids were from Cathedral School in San Francisco. All Boys! They mostly sat through the 15 minute video and were pretty good with the live specimens. There was a bit of a concern about the homosexual butterflies. I might have to narrate live next time. Then yesterday (Saturday) I did a walk for Audubon. The people who came liked seeing the live specimens. But the parking lot got crowded and not all who drove up were able to attend. I hope they are able to come to my last butterfly walk of the season, 26 October, 2010 at 3 pm.

Cleyera japonica var Grandiflora

This tree in the UC Botanical Garden is labeled Cleyera japonica. When I walked under it on those recent hot days, the fragrance was so strong and heady! It must be at least 30' high, I can't even reach the lowest branches. But when I look the that name up on the internet, it is described as a bush about 15' tall, and in some descriptions the flowers have no fragrance. I think maybe it is labeled wrong. My friend, however, insists that it is just a shrub that has grown extra large and has extra nice flowers. In any case, this tree has many beautiful flowers and now is the right time to find it. If anyone can solve this mystery, you know where to reach me!

Dichondra argentea--Silver Falls Dichondra--Convolvulaceae

This pot near the entrance of the UC Botanical Garden is so charming! The cactus are nice, but I love the Silver Falls Dichondra; it drapes over the contain so gracefully! It will take heat and drought, but not foot traffic. Too bad, I guess I won't have a silver lawn.

Capparis spinosa--Common Caper-A Plant of the Bible

You may know capers as the tiny pickles in tartar sauce made from the flower buds of Capparis spinosa, which are picked by hand. They were also used during Biblical times, apparently as an aphrodisiac. One phrase from Ecclesiastes can be translated as "when the caper has lost its tang" or as "when a man has lost his desire." They are also mentioned in a book from 3,000 BC, Gilgamesh.

The plant is apparently easy to grow, needing little fertilizer or water. I like the way it drapes over the rocks at the UC Botanical Garden. And I love the big petals and fluffy lavender stamens of the flower. Very decorative!

(Sacred Plant)

Malva crispa--Curled Mallow and Ladies

Butterfly walk today at the UC Botanical Garden. We saw mostly Mylitta crescents. But then I noticed some lady damage on this mallow in the herb garden. THEN, I saw the lady caterpillars. Could be West Coast Ladies, could be painted. Either way, there were at least five larvae on the plant, with very little fresh foliage left. I hope they do okay.

Curled Mallow was domesticated in Asia over 2,000 years ago. Like other mallows, it is eatable and has been used for human food. It can be cooked or eaten fresh, like in a salad. It is good for relieving constipation. It is also used to treat gastritis and coughs. Topical treatments can be used to soften skin or reduce the irritation of insect bites.

The leaves on this plant have mostly gone to support the insect population, but in the pictures I found online, the leaves are super curled and super cute. Maybe I'll try to find some seeds to grow this in my garden.