This common plant was photographed on May 28, 2006, on the road side of Rocky Ridge,
near the north end. There are a group of about six plants growing together.
This is the Milkweed seedpod, collected by Ted Eyre on a sunny hillside, way below Prune Ridge Hook, August 12, 2007.
The Milkweed seedpod burst open the following week, with the softest, downiest fluff you can imagine, with large, flat brown seeds (below).
There are about 24 species of Milkweed in California. Asclepias californica, a dicot in the family Asclepiadaceae, is a perennial herb that is native to California and is found only slightly beyond California borders. It is characterized by a milky sap, hence its common name. The leaves and stem are covered with soft, fine white hairs, which give the plant an unusual white hue.