You really have to get down on your hands and knees to see this tiny wildflower on the island. They seem to like rocky places…often on the edges of trails or other openings. You won’t find them in the Sword Fern mono-understory that defines much of the forest’s on the island. Look for them on rocky outcroppings near the overlook on the Baker Preserve and around the open shoreline in Scenic Estates.
The flowers are often only a quarter inch or so in size and from an elevation of five feet or so, with only average eyesight they can escape being seen by many of us.
There is a Large Flowered version but I have not found it on the island.
Other common names are Collinsia and Rock Violet. They are in the Figwort family and can be found throughout the western States.
Oddly, many native plant reference texts do not mention the plant…perhaps because they are inconspicuous and/or because they have no record of providing any benefit to humans other than being lovely.
This plant was photographed near the overlook on the Baker Preserve on May 15th.
Dal Neitzel