New Flower Species Discovered at Reserve
Hundreds of 2-inch-wide flowers bloom across the Santa Rosa Ecological Plateau Reserve, bringing a vibrant splash of hues of lilac in late spring. For years, people have hiked and bicycled by the plants, in the hills west of Murrieta, without a second glance.
That will all change — thanks to three volunteers who discovered the flowers are a new species, native only to the lava fields of the reserve. Docents at the Santa Rosa Ecological Plateau Reserve discovered a new flower they have called The Santa Rosa Basalt Brodiaea.
- What it is: A blue-purple lily-like flower that is 2 inches across. It fades away in the dry months.
- Where it is found: The flower only grows on basalt scattered throughout the reserve.
- When it blooms: In late May or early June if enough rain has fallen.
- How old: 5 million years old but discoverers expect it will disappear in the next 100,000 years.
- Source: Discoverers of the plant — Tom Chester, Wayne Armstrong and Kay Madore.
Read More on this discovry at the Press Enterprise