| Creamcups |
| Platystemon californicus |
| Family: Papaveraceae (Poppy) |
| Flowers — color: white, size: 1/2", type: 6 petals |
Three white petals sit inside three slightly larger sepals and have a bright yellow dot at their bases, about 1/2" diameter. A dozen yellow stamens with paddle-like anther [basis of the genus name] surround three white stigma atop a yellow style. A single flower grows at the end of each stem.
I had some difficulty appreciating the stamen display because my first photos were shot at 4 PM when the flowers were starting to close for the night.
Creamcups flower petals show great variability with the colors white and yellow, and highlighting at base or ends. So the color scheme here represents the colony here at BMER. I must mention that all Creamcups flowers on the Web have white stamens and anthers in contrast to my observations.
Habit:
Creamcups is an annual herb. One or more stems, six inches long and distinctly hairy, rise from its base. Narrow grassy leaves, about an inch long, attach in opposition, primarily at the base.
Observations:
Hillside along Burton Mesa Rd. along with whitedaisy tidytips.