Pressing matters

For my XX birthday, Daniel gave me two presses.  The one on the left is a field press for taking on location.  The one on the right is for drying.  The difference is the outer wooden covers.  The field press is solid, the drying press is lattice.  Otherwise the same.   The straps can be cinched very tight.  It helps to sit on the press while tightening so the closure is very secure and the plants flatten nicely. 

I took the press on a recent trip to California.  I was in Oakland and then Palm Springs.  In Oakland I collected a few specimens.  Here is the first I collected.  My first "number" as botanists say.  I sent a photo to Daniel and he wrote back that it looked like rosinweed or Grindella squarossa.  Was it sticky?  Oh yeah like glue.  He then did a little research and found that while common, it hadn't been recorded as a coastal plant or in Alameda County.  So I was happy that my first number is a country record!

Grindella squarossa

Marie's number 1

 In Palm Springs I collected this from my friend's front yard.  I like specimens like this because they have it all going on -- leaves, flowers and fruit, although you can't see the leaves here.  Daniel tells me this is a Caesalpenia.  

Caesalpenia

 Here is my field book.  It's exactly like the ones Daniel has used for years.  In it I will record every specimen I collect including notes on terrain as well as GPS coordinates.

So I am off to a good start as an amateur botanist.  Thanks Daniel.  This was the best gift ever!