In the soft, warm, and fading light of
the fall season the fall flora displays are a pleasant completion
to an always great floristic season. Many of the species of the
Compositae family (in reference to the "flower"
actually being a composite of flowers) are late bloomers. 
The
Aster (Greek for star)
is a genus noted for it’s late season flowers and consists
of approximately 300 species. Asters closely resemble the genus Erigeron
(Greek for early old age) in appearance, however the erigerons or
fleabane daisies bloom earlier in the year, as the scientific
name aptly implies. Along the Pacific Northwest coast a frequent
wayside aster is the common California aster (Aster
chilensis). This species has a delicate
pyramidal arrangement of lavender daisy-like flowers, and is
native to the Channel Islands and central and north western
California on up to British Columbia. Another composite with
pyramidal arranged flowers is Canada goldenrod (Solidago
canadensis ssp. elongata).
This showy native of the Cascade Ranges, Sierra Nevada, central
and north western California on up to British Columbia is
reportedly one of the most difficult taxonomic problems in North
America. The inflorescence is a majestic plume of countless tiny
golden flowers that apparently was carried into battle during the
Crusades, used as substitute for tea during the American
Revolution, and is a source of a very permanent yellow dye. Solidago
(Latin for to make whole) was reputed to be
a medicinal plant, however the curatives of this plant have not
been supported by recent research. Another attractive late
blooming native composite is pearly everlasting
(Anaphalis margaritacea).
The generic name is obscure but some people attribute it to a
Linnaeus anagram of a closely related genus Gnaphalium
(Greek for tuft of wool) commonly referred
to as cudweed. The specific name is Greek for pearly, an effect
created by the whitened tips of the chaffy bracts that closely
surround the tiny yellow flowers. These flowers are commonly
dried for winter ornament, hence the common name everlasting.
Thoreau is reputed to have called this the artificial flower of
the September pastures. The marsh gumplant (Grindelia
stricta) is a conspicuous bright yellow
native composite of the Humboldt Bay marshes. The generic name,
Grindelia, honors David Grindel (1776-1936)
a Russian botanist. The specific name,
stricta, is Latin for drawn together or
tight, probably in reference to the tight flower heads. This
species is fittingly named "gumweed" as the flowers are
surrounded by bracts covered with sticky latex. Hairy cat's-ear
(Hypochaeris radicata)
also has bright yellow flowers that are dandelion-like. This
European weed is a very prevalent component of disturbed sites,
such as any nearby lawn, vacant lots, or roadside and is often
mistaken for dandelion. However unlike a dandelion this species
does not have thin smooth leaves, but has tough radulate leaves
(feeling like a tongue of a cat). This rough feel of leaves has
been appropriately applied to the species name of a common
woodland aster (Aster radulinus)
native to the Pacific Northwest.
Several "umbels" are
prominent in fall, umbel refers to members of the Umbelliferae
family (Apiaceae) as flowers of this family are presented in an
umbrella fashion.
Wild carrot or Queen Anne’s lace
(Daucus carota,
both names being a combination of Greek and
Latin for carrot) is a
widely naturalized plant from the Old World whose selected
strains were developed into the cultivated carrot. This roadside
plant of our area has showy white flat-topped clusters of small
flowers ringed at the base with a lacey arrangement of bracts.
Within this umbel of flowers occurs a single central purplish
flower, which is thought to represent a bull’s-eye on which
insects may zero-in for a landing and from which rose a curious
superstition that this flower was of benefit for mitigating
epilepsy. The Kellogg’s yampah (Perideridia
kelloggii) is another native white flowered
umbel that possesses a caraway scent, and is sometimes referred
to as wild caraway. This slender and graceful species is a lone
green component of the dried coastal grasslands time of year. The
generic name is Greek for around the neck, which refers to the
involucre present (group of bracts subtending the flowers).
Yampah is an Indian name and this plant was well known and used
by the Indians. The roots are very palatable either fresh,
roasted, boiled, or dried and were often pounded into flour. The
Lewis and Clark journals reported it to be "agreeably
favored…not unlike annis seed". Clark in his Wildflowers
of the Pacific States cites this plant as
"the best flavored and most nutritious of native food
plants" and appropriately warns to be correct in your
identification, as it closely resembles a lethal umbel of the
Pacific Northwest. (Cicuta bulbifera)
found north of California.
Lastly two other common components of our fall flora are wild teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris) and naked lady or belladonna lily (Amaryllis belladonna). Teasel is a naturalized European plant of the Dipsacaceae family found in vacant lots and along roadsides that has an odd hard cone-shaped inflorescence of lavender flowers. The generic name is Greek for thirst in reference to the leaf bases, which are cupped around the stem and can hold water. However to bring this prickly thing close to your mouth you would have to be dying of thirst. The specific name is Latin for of the woods, though of vacant lots might be more appropriate. The naked lady is a beautiful and fragrant liliaceous flower that often adorns old Victorian gardens in the Humboldt Bay area. This species has large pinkish trumpet-shaped flowers that arise from the ground without leaves but are soon followed by leaves. The generic name is supposed to have been taken from a famous shepherdess mentioned by Virgil who was distinguished for her beauty and the specific name is, of course, Italian for beautiful lady. A fall flower well worth stopping and smelling amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life.