Mountain Misery / Bear Clover (Chamaebatia foliolosa)
Mountain Misery is a low shrub that forms extensive stands in areas it finds to its liking. You'll see lots of it if you hike the Wawona Meadow or Lewis Creek trails. The flowers are smallish - about the size of a quarter, and the same general size as Mountain Strawberry, with which you can sometimes find it intermixed. The Mountain Misery moniker derives from a sticky residue that the leaves exude. A botanist I know thinks this is an unfairly disparaging name for such a pretty and generally innocent plant and would prefer that you call it Bear Clover if you don't find Chamaebatia foliolosa catchy enough to memorize.
Blooms: May - July
Lifespan: Perennial (shrub)
Origins: Endemic to California (see distribution map)
Chamaebatia foliolosa etymology: Chamaebatia derives from the Greek term for a low bramble[1], which is not entirely inappropriate for this member of the genus. Foliolosa evolved from folium, the Latin word for "leaf", and means "small-leaved".[2]
This Photo: Along the Wawona Meadow trail, early June
Other Resources: CalFlora · CalPhotos · USDA · mymotherlode.com
