In a message dated 11/24/2004 11:03:05 AM Central Standard Time, Mary Sue wrote: > The Jepson Manual lists all the plants of California includes naturalized > plants in its listings. Hi, Sometimes members of this list provide information that reminds me of my years in California. The Jepson Prairie is 10-15 miles south of Dixon, CA (between Vacaville and Davis). I don't know how many bulb-type plants grow there but do recall seeing Brodiaea coronaria years ago. A species of Fritillaria occurs in the general area. I don't think either of these species actually grows in the pools; probably they grow on the nearby prairie. The preserve holds some of the finest vernal pools left in California; these are shallow basins 8-30 inches deep that fill with water in the cool rainy months. The pools are a unique habitat for plants and animals--and sometimes provide exceptional wildflower displays. The nearby land is level and water does not collect; thus the pools are special and rare. As the pools dry in spring wildflowers grow in the basins--special wildflowers adapted to the seasonal wetland provided by the pools. I'm not sure how the pools originated, but many are gone due to plowing and other efforts to facilitate agriculture. Without the pools a number of species might become much more rare. Conroe Joe