Wayne's Word Index Noteworthy Plants Trivia Lemnaceae Biology 101 Botany Search A large wild fire in northern San Diego County that burned 57,000 acres of chaparral vegetation.   It started near Valley Center (north of Escondido) on October 26, 2003. During a 10 day rampage, it destroyed 176 residences, 192 outbuildings, 75 vehicles, and killed two civilians.   Several dozen firefighters and civilians were also injured. View looking south from Whisker Bay in Dixon Lake. The chaparral-covered slopes bordering Dixon Lake were burned in the Paradise Fire of October 2003. The eastern border of Daley Ranch was also burned in the Paradise Fire. Daley Ranch is a beautiful wildlife preserve containing 3200 acres of hillsides and valleys north of the City of Escondido in northern San Diego County. See Plants of Daley Ranch by James Dillane Burned chaparral northeast of Dixon Lake. White ash is an indicator of high temperatures from smoldering wood and debris beneath the shrub canopy. A dead, basal leaf rosette and flower stalk of chaparral yucca (Yucca whipplei) at the end of its life cycle. This species takes at least 6 or 7 years to bloom and then it dies. The ashy remains of a yucca plant (Yucca whipplei). During the heat of a smoldering fire, the leaf rosette and caudex has been converted into white ash. See The Yucca & Its Pollinator Moth Burned chamise chaparral four months following the Paradise Fire of October 2003. The red circle contains several adder's tongue ferns (Ophioglossum californicum) sprouting in the ashes. This interesting (and uncommon) member of the division Pterophyta (Order Ophioglossales) is rarely observed in the chaparral of southern California. Photo taken on the eastern slopes of Daley Ranch, north of Escondido. Adder's tongue ferns (Ophioglossum californicum) sprouting in the ashes four months after the Paradise Fire of October 2003. This interesting (and uncommon) member of the division Pterophyta (Order Ophioglossales) is rarely observed in the chaparral of southern California. The upright stalk (spike) bears 2 rows of spore-bearing sporangia. The sprounting shrub (right) is chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum). Photo taken on the eastern slopes of Daley Ranch, north of Escondido. Since they sprout from perennial caudices, the adder's tongue ferns were presumably established in the chamise understory. An adder's tongue fern (Ophioglossum californicum) sprouting in the ashes of recently burned chamise chaparral. This interesting (and uncommon) member of the division Pterophyta (Order Ophioglossales) is rarely observed in the chaparral of southern California. The upright stalk (spike) bears 2 rows of spore-bearing sporangia. According to Judd, et al. (Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach, 2002 page 90), Ophioglossum reticulatum has a chromosome number of 2n=1440, a record for the number of chromosomes per diploid (sporophyte) cell. Compare this number with your diploid number of 46. Photo taken on the eastern slopes of Daley Ranch, north of Escondido. An adder's tongue fern (Ophioglossum californicum) sprouting in the ashes of recently burned chamise chaparral, four months following the Paradise Fire of October 2003. Two individual plants of adder's tongue fern (Ophioglossum californicum) which have sprouted from the same perennial caudex. The caudex was carefully removed from the ashy soil of recently burned chamise chaparral (Adenostoma fasciculatum) in a disturbed area just outside the eastern boundary of Daley Ranch north of Escondido. This area was burned during the Paradise Fire of October 2003. Pteridophyte Images: Vascular Plants Without Seeds See Additional Photos Of The Adder's Tongue Fern A laurel sumac (Malosma laurina) resprouting from a subterranean basal burl (lignotuber) five months after the Paradise Fire of October 2003. A rare rein orchid (Piperia cooperi) along the Caballo Trail of Daley Ranch, five months after the Paradise Fire of October 2003. Rein orchids were formerly placed in the genus Habenaria. Rein orchids typically have a spur at the base of the flower lip. In some species the lip is fringed. A casualty of the Paradise Fire. This unfortunate darkling beetle (Eleodes) presumably tried to escape the flames by crossing a dirt fire road, only to be crushed by a boot or possibly the wheel of a fire truck. Beetles of the genus (Eleodes) have fused wing covers (elytra) and cannot fly. These large, ground-dwelling beetles belong to the family Tenebrionidae and are commonly found wandering in the coastal mountains and deserts of southern California. They are sometimes called "stink beetles" because they emit an odor when handled. See Another Image Of Darkling Beetles (Eleodes) Return To The "Ashes To Wildflowers" Article Return To The WAYNE'S WORD Home Page All text material & images on these pages copyright © W.P. Armstrong