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Copa De Oro

These pieces are contemporary renditions in the classic tradition of
botanical illustration, which communicates, in an artful manner, as much
information as possible about a given plant. They celebrate overlooked,
undervalued, or threatened Northwest native wildflower species in the
hope of increasing awareness and appreciation. Each of the plants
portrayed has a special link with the human history of the region.

Eschsholtzia californica. California Poppy

Here is perhaps the most celebrated West Coast wildflower. Called
Copa de Oro by the earliest Hispanic inhabitants, this golden poppy once
emblazoned such vast fields that its brilliant color was visible from
sailing ships miles offshore – a plausible basis for the early name La
Tierra del Fuego, land of fire. Discouraged by grazing, agriculture, and
development, it now blooms in lesser abundance, May-September, from
Southern California north to the Columbia River, and elsewhere escaped
from garden plantings.

This marvelous perennial arises from a deep taproot and generally
reaches two feet in height. The flowers are two to three inches across
and vary from pale to deep yellow and orange. They are remarkably
responsive to sunlight, closing at nightfall or in overcast weather.
Sepals are united in a conical structure that is thrust off by the
opening petals, much like doffing a little hat. The seed capsule is
linear and tipped by the withering styles. The foliage is grayish-green
and finely divided.

E. Californica owes its introduction to the botanical world to three
explorer naturalists and a coincident Russian. Archibald Menzies,
Scottish botanist and surgeon with Captain George Vancouver, was first
to collect specimens for transport to foreign shores, in Monterey in
December if 1792. But his classification was incorrect, his collection
suffered badly on shipboard, and the plants delivered to Kew Gardens
soon died. Next was Adelbert van Chamisso, French naturalist with the
Russian Romanoff expedition, spending October of 1816 at San Francisco.
Here he collected, described, classified, and named Eschscholtzia
californica after the ship's noble young surgeon, Johann Friedrich
Escholtz. Finally, it came to David Douglas, Scottish botanist and
practical gardener, to convey this vibrant poppy to the world.
Collecting along the Multnomah (Willamette) River in 1825, he first
encountered E. colifornica and sent back to the Horticultural Society of
London the seeds that thrived in English gardens and beyond.