The picture above shows a magnification of pollen collected from the Matilija Poppy from Caltech’s campus. The sample was obtained in front of Earle M. Jorgensen Laboratory (across from the Hameetman Student Center) off of St. Pasqual Street at 7:05 pm May 9, 2019 (pictures that show the sample’s location are shown below). The sample was obtained by using a cotton swab tip to scrape off the flower’s pollen from its anthers onto a glass slide, and then it was prepared for examination using tape and a cover slide.

The Matilija poppy belongs to the genus Romneya, which has two species: Romneya trichocalyx and Romneya coulteri. Romneya trichocalyx is distinguished from Romneya coulteri by the presence of hairy sepals.Sepals are the part of a flower that protect it while it is budding, and this particular flower exhibited hairy sepals. Thus, this flower is the species Romneya trichocalyx.

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