Wiki Additions -- Fritillaria, Diuris

Diana Chapman rarebulbs@suddenlink.net
Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:56:41 PDT
Dear John:

Yes, it is protected.  The Nature Conservancy bought about about 30 acres 
where the major display is.  Grazing is still allowed, but the ranchers are 
supposed to remove their cows when the plants are in growth.  I have seen 
them in there, however, with a lot of plants chewed down to the ground soon 
after they finished bloom.  This Fritillaria used to be common, but grazing 
has devastated most populations, also true of other bulbs.  Where grazing is 
intense, both on the eastern and the western sides of the Central Valley, 
there are few bulbs except in areas of scrub where the cows can't get at 
them.  One saving grace for some of these areas is that the only water for 
the cattle is from streams that often dry up before the plants themselves 
have dried and scattered their seed, necessitating the removal of the herds. 
This is probably why Bear Valley, where F. pluriflora grows, still has 
magnificent displays of wild flowers, as does Table Mountain on the east 
side of the Central Valley.

Diana Chapman
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Grimshaw" <j.grimshaw@virgin.net>
To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: [pbs] Wiki Additions -- Fritillaria, Diuris


> The Fritillaria pluriflora diisplay is indeed magnificent. Is this area
> protected in any way?
>
> John Grimshaw
>
>
> Dr John M. Grimshaw
> Sycamore Cottage
> Colesbourne
> Nr Cheltenham
> Gloucestershire GL53 9NP
>
> Tel. 01242 870567
>
>
>
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> pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
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> http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ 


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