Menzies' fiddleneck
Amsinckia menziesii is a plant of Borage (Boraginaceae) family that right now is blooming in the oak grove where I sometimes go for a walk. They are all over the meadows. Fiddlenecks have small but bright yellow flowers with reddish spots on each petal.
Close up of the fiddleneck flowers
When the plant matures, the upper part of the stem curves, hence the name fiddleneck. The plant starts as a rosette but then grows into erect stem with alternate leaves. Both stem and leaves are covered with coarse hairs, which is typical for borage family.
Fiddleneck inflorescence
Fiddlenecks were one of the first flowers to appear in the meadows and it still doing well. The genus Amsinckia have several species but they are hard to tell apart. Some native Americans used this plant for medicinal purposes.
