Folded downingia at the Jepson Prairie Preserve, south of Dixon, CA

Folded downingia (Downingia ornatissima) is a flower in the bluebell family that grows in vernal pools in the Great Central Valley of California.  This specimen was blooming in the Jepson Prairie Preserve south of Dixon, California.  The wildflower gets its common name of "folded" from the appearance of the two upper petals.

We've been fascinated by the special flowers that grow in California's vernal pools ever since we were first introduced to them on field trips in college in the late 1970s.  Vernal pools are a highly threatened form of seasonal wetlands.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story.

Tricolor Monkeyflower from the Vina Plains Preserve near Chico, CA

This tricolor monkeyflower (Mimulus tricolor) grows in seasonal wetlands called vernal pools.  This particular specimen was blooming in a vernal pool in the Vina Plains Preserve of the Nature Conservancy near Chico, California in the northern Sacramento Valley.  We were introduced to vernal pools while we were in college and have had a keen interest in them ever since.  They are unique to California and have been greatly impacted by agricultural and urban development.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story.