Dirca occidentalis...

... colloquially known as western leatherwood. A humble, gangly shrub, its sunny yellow fuchsia-shaped blossoms might just catch your eye on the slope next to the trail this time of year, when lowly milkmaids are the only other thing in bloom. Dirca is a rare plant, according to CNPS, but a reliable winter bloomer in a few places in Palo Alto's Foothills Park. Mind you, at 70 degrees, it sure didn't feel like winter today.