Monday, November 30, 2020

Dodder

California Dodder

One of the sites I referred to when preparing to write about a plant I encountered in my rambles is maintained by the Consortium of California Herbaria  which provides information about California vascular plant specimens that are housed in participant herbaria. One can search on just about any plant and obtain a list of accessions from around the state.

California Dodder (Cuscuta californica), hits close to home as it has records dating from 1897 to 2009 for specimens found in and around Claremont. One was collected from the Bernard Field Station. The other was found along Thompson Creek, where Holly and I often passed by the plant on our walks.

California Dodder: photo by Cliff Hutson
California Dodder: photo by Cliff Hutson

Cuscuta californica, also called Chaparral Dodder, is an annual parasitic herb or vine that is native to California. It is also found outside of California, but is confined to western North America. Dodder is readily identified by its threadlike, hairless, yellow, orange, or red shoots which twine around host plants eventually creating a tangled mat. One notable feature is that it does not usually have roots that reach the ground. Instead, knoblike organs along the shoot (haustoria) penetrate the host stem. Shoots either lack leaves or have very tiny red, yellow, or orange scalelike leaves pressed close to the stem. It tends to bloom from May through October. The white flowers are tiny, only about 3 to 6 millimeters wide. The fruits are even smaller.

Dodder once had its own family, but it is now consigned to CONVOLVULACEAE, the Morning Glory Family. The epithet Cuscuta seemingly comes from Cuscu'ta a name of Arabic derivation meaning "dodder”. The common name, Chaparral Dodder, tips us to one of its habitats. It is also found through out the state in many other plant communities such as forests and grasslands. And, of course, “the City of Trees and PhDs”.

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

National Sardines Day

Sardines


Tin of Sardines: photo by Cliff Hutson
Tin of Sardines: photo by Cliff Hutson


National Sardines Day is observed annually on November 24.


These small fish are said to be named after Sardinia, an island of Italy, because of the abundance that could be found there. However, they has come to refer to many varieties of small, oily fish in the herring family.


Canning is the most common form of processing and storing sardines.. Canned sardines have the oily, fatty flavor of fish. The medium can be water, pure olive or soybean oil, or tomato, chili, or mustard sauce, which cover the sardines to act as a preservation and sometimes enhance the flavor.  Presently, my pantry is stocked with water-packed (see photo), but the ones in oil may be the best.


Sardines are a good source of many vitamins and minerals –

  • B2
  • niacin
  • vitamin B12
  • phosphorus
  • calcium
  • potassium
  • iron
  • selenium
  • omega-3fatty acids
  • vitamin D
  • protein


Another benefit of eating sardines is that since they are low on the ocean food chain, they don't have the high levels of mercury and other toxins that can concentrate in larger fish.


With the rise of farmed fish and overfishing, sustainability of seafood is is problem. Opinions vary, but, sardines can be considered one of the more sustainable fish available. They are still somewhat abundant in the oceans and don’t show the same signs of depletion that many species are experiencing.


So, the decision to consume them may be a difficult call. However, I read somewhere that there are 50 ways to eat sardines. This is one of them.




Tuesday, November 17, 2020

National Take a Hike Day

Take a Hike


Hiking: photo by Cliff Hutson
Hiking: photo by Cliff Hutson

November 17 is National Take a Hike Day in the USA.  It is a good day to reflect that we are creatures of the wild as well as creatures of civilization, and sometimes it does our wild heart good to be taken home again and get out in the wild.  This is a belief that I find even more compelling in these troubled times.

We should at least go for a walk.




Sunday, November 8, 2020

NATIONAL S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M. DAY

 National STEM/STEAM Day


STEM: photo by Cliff Hutson
STEM: photo by Cliff Hutson

November 8 is a day meant to inspire kids to explore and pursue their interests in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.


STEAM: photo by Cliff Hutson
STEAM: photo by Cliff Hutson

Monday, November 2, 2020