Notes from a presentation by the Cougar Conservancy, part of our continuing education as docents at Malibu Creek State Park.
lion talk
Tag: malibu creek state park
Lactarius deliciosus
Some quick sketches done while tagging along on a hike with the latest docent class at Malibu Creek State Park.
We have saffron milkcaps galore! Are they edible? Yes, but … it’s complicated. Our local ones may or may not be delicious. Please don’t eat foraged mushrooms unless you‘ve received expert instruction!
Backbone #6
Easy section this time, in one of my favourite parts of Malibu Creek State Park. It was fun to see thousands of acorns sprouting on the forest floor, even knowing that only the slimmest fraction of them will grow into trees.
Schizophyllum
The widespread Schizophyllum genus contains six wood-rotting species. Schizophyllum mycelium only needs to generate one set of fruiting bodies per year. Unlike some mushroom species, split gill fungi have the ability to dry out and rehydrate, allowing them to open and close numerous times throughout a growing season. This is an excellent adaptation for climates with sporadic rainfall, and surely contributes to their success.
you old fossil
Did you hear about the fossil they just found in South America?
It’s like a Brazilian years old.
mott adobe
Back in 1910, John G. Mott, a Los Angeles lawyer and member of Crags Country Club, built an adobe hacienda near Malibu Creek in what is now State Park. Mott was buddies with President Herbert Hoover, who reportedly liked to visit his friend and get away from the pressures of national leadership.
Fast forward to 1969, when heavy rains caused serious damage to the hacienda. The following year, a wildfire swept through. Now, all that remains of the Mott Adobe is the stone fireplace. But I like to imagine Johnny and Herb sitting in armchairs in front of the fire, swirling brandy, smoking cigars, and discussing the fish they caught that day.
phantom trail
We hiked a new-to-us trail in Malibu Creek State Park, steep and almost overgrown in parts. It’s unclear why it’s called Phantom, except perhaps that hardly anyone goes there? We didn’t encounter any ghosts, but we did see some out-of-season wildflowers in the wetter areas to the north of the ridge.
Scleroderma verrucosum?
Found this chewed fungus in the middle of a track at the Park; left by whom, I wonder? I think it’s an earth ball, Scleroderma verrucosum, but I am no mycologist.
Quercus lobata
I have many beloved trees at Malibu Creek State Park; this young-ish valley oak near the amphitheater is definitely one of them. It’s been a while since I sketched it.
more plants of MCSP
Some more additions for our Park-specific field guide to use on school walks.
hashiworks 