Plants of Southern California: Fire-Followers

Plants of Southern California: Fire-Followers

One of the most spectacular displays of wildflowers in chaparral areas in southern California can occur in the first year after a fire. These displays are so beautiful that someone once wrote that "it is a wonder that botanists are not arsonists"! (I can't find where I read that, so if anyone knows where that is from, please let me know. I'm pretty sure it was a quote at the beginning of a section on fire followers.)
Here are two descriptions of the fire-followers:

The chaparral wildflowers that appear in luxuriant displays after fire are largely restricted to the first spring after fire. Of the more than 200 species of short-lived herbaceous plants that grow after fire, only a handful are found at any other time.
Introduction to California Chaparral, R.D. Quinn and S.C Keeley, p. 70.

Slopes that formerly supported dense and impenetrable stands of chaparral shrubs suddenly erupt in a diverse riot of color as dozens of species of annual plants burst into flower in March and early April. Under these conditions, particularly if there have been good fall and winter rains, as many as 50 to 100 or more annual species may be found flowering on a single slope.
Introduction to the Plant Life of Southern California Coast to Foothills, P.W. Rundel and R. Gustafson, p. 116.

The purpose of this page is to collect a list of fire-followers in southern California, and to categorize them. If you know of other fire followers not on this list, please let me know.
The species are divided into tables of different categories:

Strict Fire-Followers, Appearing Only Immediately After a Fire for a Few Years
Species that are always present, but are much more abundant after a fire
Species that are much more visible after a fire
Species that almost entirely bloom only Immediately After a Fire
Species not categorized yet

Each table has a source code, decoded in a table at the end.
Important caveats:

At least some fire followers are also disturbance followers, and may appear after a disturbance in the absence of fire, such as clearing of an area.
At least some fire followers are also drought followers, and may appear in the next good rain year following a severe drought year. I was shocked to see four species at the Santa Rosa Plateau that I had never seen there before, in spring 2007 after the 2005-2006 drought year.
Some chaparral fire followers are normally present in some areas all the time. Perhaps the best example of this is Phacelia distans, which appears every year with sufficient rainfall in the Borrego Desert and the nearby desert transition zone. But in the Santa Rosa Plateau it is only present after a major fire.
Cryptantha sp. and Toxicoscordion (Zigadenus) are other examples. There are many post-burn areas that are dominated by cryptantha after a fire, whereas it is a bit player the rest of the time. But there are also areas that have good displays of cryptanthas year after year. I know of two places where Toxicoscordion blooms reliably year after year as well, a location found by Lee Gordon and the meadow area below Cuyamaca Lake, both non-chaparral areas.
Ted Caragozian has also told me of similar non-fire-following behavior of some fire followers in the Ranchita area.

These caveats by no means invalidate the classification of these species as fire followers, since that is indeed how they behave the vast majority of the time in chaparral habitats.
These tables use the 1993 Jepson Manual First Edition name.

Strict Fire-Followers, Appearing Only Immediately After a Fire for a Few Years
# Family Scientific Name (*)Common Name Source
1 Asteraceae Hulsea californica San Diego sunflower 4
2 Campanulaceae Nemacladus pinnatifidus comb-leaved nemacladus 3
3 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia brachyloba short-lobed phacelia 1
4 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia grandiflora giant-flowered phacelia 1
5 Papaveraceae Dicentra chrysantha golden ear drops 1
6 Papaveraceae Papaver californicum fire poppy 1
7 Papaveraceae Stylomecon heterophylla wind-poppy 1
8 Polemoniaceae Gilia achilleifolia California gilia 3
9 Polemoniaceae Gilia clivorum purple-spot gilia 3
10 Portulacaceae Calandrinia breweri Brewer's calandrinia 3

Species that are always present, but are much more abundant after a fire
# Family Scientific Name (*)Common Name Source
52 Apiaceae Sanicula bipinnatifida purple sanicle 3
53 Asteraceae Acourtia microcephala purple head 5
54 Asteraceae Chaenactis artemisiifolia meally white pincushion 3
55 Asteraceae Chaenactis glabriuscula yellow pincushion 5
56 Asteraceae Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula yellow pincushion 5
57 Asteraceae Ericameria parishii var. parishii Parish's goldenbush 7
58 Asteraceae Eriophyllum confertiflorum golden yarrow 4
59 Asteraceae Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum golden yarrow 4
60 Asteraceae Helianthus gracilentus slender sunflower 4
61 Asteraceae Lasthenia coronaria southern goldfields 3
62 Asteraceae Layia platyglossa common tidy-tips 10
63 Asteraceae Malacothrix clevelandii annual malacothrix 1
64 Asteraceae Rafinesquia californica California chicory 12
65 Asteraceae Senecio californicus California groundsel 1
66 Boraginaceae Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia common fiddleneck 10
67 Boraginaceae Cryptantha intermedia popcorn flower 10
68 Boraginaceae Cryptantha microstachys Tejon cryptantha 1
69 Boraginaceae Cryptantha muricata prickly cryptantha 1
70 Brassicaceae Athysanus pusillus dwarf athysanus 1
71 Brassicaceae Caulanthus heterophyllus slender-pod jewelflower 1
72 Brassicaceae Caulanthus heterophyllus var. pseudosimulans slender-pod jewelflower 1
73 Brassicaceae Caulanthus simulans Payson's wild cabbage 7
74 Brassicaceae Guillenia lasiophylla California mustard 1
75 Brassicaceae Sisymbrium altissimum *tumble-mustard 8
76 Brassicaceae Sisymbrium irio *London rocket 4
77 Campanulaceae Githopsis diffusa San Gabriel bluecup 1
78 Campanulaceae Githopsis diffusa ssp. candida white bluecup 1
79 Campanulaceae Triodanis biflora Venus looking-glass 12
80 Caryophyllaceae Polycarpon depressum California polycarp 1
81 Caryophyllaceae Silene antirrhina snapdragon campion 1
82 Cistaceae Helianthemum scoparium rush-rose 12
83 Crassulaceae Crassula connata pygmy-weed 10
84 Fabaceae Astragalus brauntonii Braunton's milk-vetch 3
85 Fabaceae Astragalus didymocarpus var. dispermus dwarf white milk-vetch 2
86 Fabaceae Astragalus gambelianus Gambel's dwarf milk-vetch 3
87 Fabaceae Lotus hamatus San Diego birdsfoot lotus 3
88 Fabaceae Lotus salsuginosus var. salsuginosus coastal lotus 1
89 Fabaceae Lotus scoparius deerweed 1
90 Fabaceae Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus short-winged deerweed 1
91 Fabaceae Lotus scoparius var. scoparius deerweed 1
92 Fabaceae Lotus strigosus strigose lotus 1
93 Fabaceae Lotus wrangelianus California lotus 1
94 Fabaceae Lupinus bicolor dwarf lupine 9
95 Fabaceae Lupinus hirsutissimus stinging lupine 1
96 Fabaceae Lupinus sparsiflorus Coulter's lupine 11
97 Fabaceae Lupinus truncatus collar lupine 11
98 Fabaceae Trifolium ciliolatum tree clover 3
99 Gentianaceae Centaurium venustum canchalagua 8
100 Hydrophyllaceae Emmenanthe penduliflora whispering bells 1
101 Hydrophyllaceae Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora whispering bells 1
102 Hydrophyllaceae Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia eucrypta 1
103 Hydrophyllaceae Nemophila menziesii baby blue eyes 8
104 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida caterpillar phacelia 8
105 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia davidsonii Davidson's phacelia 8
106 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia distans common phacelia 1
107 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia minor wild canterbury bells 1
108 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia parryi Parry's phacelia 3
109 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia suaveolens sweet-scented phacelia 3
110 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia suaveolens var. keckii Santiago Peak phacelia 3
111 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia viscida sticky phacelia 13
112 Hydrophyllaceae Pholistoma auritum fiesta flower 8
113 Hydrophyllaceae Turricula parryi poodle-dog bush 1
114 Lamiaceae Monardella lanceolata mustang mint 3
115 Lamiaceae Salvia columbariae chia 4
116 Loasaceae Mentzelia dispersa scattered blazing star 1
117 Loasaceae Mentzelia micrantha chaparral blazing star 3
118 Malvaceae Malacothamnus aboriginum Indian Valley bush mallow 7
119 Malvaceae Malacothamnus densiflorus yellow-stem bush mallow 1
120 Malvaceae Malacothamnus fasciculatus chaparral bush mallow 1
121 Onagraceae Camissonia bistorta southern suncup 10
122 Onagraceae Camissonia californica California suncup 4
123 Onagraceae Camissonia hirtella field sun-cup 1
124 Onagraceae Camissonia ignota Jurupa Hills sun-cups 1
125 Onagraceae Camissonia intermedia intermediate sun-cups 1
126 Onagraceae Camissonia strigulosa strigose sun-cup 4
127 Papaveraceae Dendromecon rigida bush poppy 1
128 Papaveraceae Dicentra ochroleuca white eardrops 1
129 Papaveraceae Eschscholzia caespitosa tufted eschscholzia 11
130 Papaveraceae Eschscholzia californica California poppy 3
131 Papaveraceae Papaver somniferum *opium poppy 4
132 Papaveraceae Platystemon californicus cream cups 14
133 Papaveraceae Romneya coulteri matilija poppy 1
134 Papaveraceae Romneya trichocalyx hairy Matilija poppy 4
135 Polemoniaceae Allophyllum divaricatum purple false-gilia 14
136 Polemoniaceae Allophyllum glutinosum sticky false-gilia 1
137 Polemoniaceae Gilia angelensis angel's gilia 4
138 Polemoniaceae Gilia australis southern gilia 7
139 Polemoniaceae Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia globe gilia 3
140 Polemoniaceae Gilia caruifolia caraway-leaved gilia 1
141 Polemoniaceae Gilia diegensis coastal gilia 4
142 Polemoniaceae Gilia splendens ssp. grantii Grant's gilia 11
143 Polemoniaceae Linanthus ciliatus whisker-brush 3
144 Polemoniaceae Linanthus dianthiflorus ground pink 3
145 Polemoniaceae Phlox gracilis annual phlox 3
146 Polygonaceae Chorizanthe fimbriata fringed spineflower 85
147 Polygonaceae Chorizanthe fimbriata var. fimbriata fringed spineflower 85
148 Polygonaceae Chorizanthe leptotheca Peninsular spineflower 8
149 Polygonaceae Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum California buckwheat 11
150 Polygonaceae Oxytheca trilobata three-lobed oxytheca 1
151 Polygonaceae Pterostegia drymarioides threadstem 3
152 Portulacaceae Calandrinia ciliata red maids 1
153 Portulacaceae Calyptridium monandrum sand cress 1
154 Portulacaceae Claytonia perfoliata miner's lettuce 11
155 Portulacaceae Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata miner's lettuce 11
156 Ranunculaceae Delphinium cardinale scarlet larkspur 1
157 Rhamnaceae Ceanothus palmeri Palmer's ceanothus 4
158 Scrophulariaceae Antirrhinum coulterianum Coulter's snapdragon 1
159 Scrophulariaceae Antirrhinum kelloggii twining snapdragon 1
160 Scrophulariaceae Antirrhinum multiflorum chaparral snapdragon 3
161 Scrophulariaceae Antirrhinum nuttallianum purple snapdragon 5
162 Scrophulariaceae Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum purple snapdragon 5
163 Scrophulariaceae Linaria canadensis blue toad-flax 1
164 Scrophulariaceae Linaria canadensis var. texana rough-seeded blue toad-flax 1
165 Scrophulariaceae Mimulus brevipes wide-throated yellow monkeyflower 1
166 Scrophulariaceae Mimulus clevelandii Cleveland's bush monkeyflower 1
167 Scrophulariaceae Penstemon spectabilis showy penstemon 1
168 Scrophulariaceae Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis showy penstemon 1
169 Scrophulariaceae Scrophularia californica ssp. floribunda California bee plant 3
170 Solanaceae Nicotiana quadrivalvis Indian tobacco 3
171 Solanaceae Physalis crassifolia thick-leaved ground cherry 3
172 Valerianaceae Plectritis ciliosa ssp. insignis long-spurred plectritis 6
173 Poaceae Brachypodium distachyon *purple false-brome 4
174 Poaceae Bromus tectorum *downy brome 4

Species that are much more visible after a fire
# Family Scientific Name (*)Common Name Source
11 Dennstaedtiaceae Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens bracken 3
12 Pteridaceae Pellaea mucronata bird's-foot fern 11
13 Pteridaceae Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata bird's-foot fern 11
14 Asteraceae Achillea millefolium yarrow 11
15 Asteraceae Brickellia nevinii Nevin's brickellia 11
16 Cactaceae Ferocactus viridescens San Diego barrel cactus 4
17 Caryophyllaceae Silene laciniata ssp. major southern Indian pink 8
18 Convolvulaceae Calystegia longipes Piute morning-glory 4
19 Convolvulaceae Calystegia macrostegia southern California morning-glory 4
20 Cucurbitaceae Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus wild-cucumber 10
21 Hydrophyllaceae Eriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium thick-leaved yerba santa 12
22 Lamiaceae Scutellaria tuberosa common skullcap 12
23 Paeoniaceae Paeonia californica California peony 11
24 Primulaceae Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii shooting star 10
25 Saxifragaceae Lithophragma affine woodland star 3
26 Scrophulariaceae Pedicularis densiflora Indian warrior 3
27 Liliaceae Allium praecox early onion 10
28 Liliaceae Calochortus albus white fairy lantern 3
29 Liliaceae Calochortus catalinae Catalina mariposa lily 3
30 Liliaceae Calochortus concolor golden-bowl mariposa 7
31 Liliaceae Calochortus splendens splendid mariposa lily 7
32 Liliaceae Calochortus weedii var. intermedius intermediate mariposa lily 3
33 Liliaceae Calochortus weedii var. weedii yellow mariposa lily 3
34 Liliaceae Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum soap plant 1
35 Liliaceae Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum blue dicks 3
36 Liliaceae Yucca whipplei chaparral yucca 11

Species that almost entirely blooms Only Immediately After a Fire
# Family Scientific Name (*)Common Name Source
48 Liliaceae Zigadenus fremontii white star-lily 91

Species not categorized yet
# Family Scientific Name (*)Common Name Source
37 Apiaceae Apiastrum angustifolium wild celery 3
38 Asteraceae Agoseris heterophylla annual agoseris 3
39 Asteraceae Gnaphalium stramineum cotton-batting plant 3
40 Boraginaceae Cryptantha micromeres minute-flowered cryptantha 9
41 Brassicaceae Thysanocarpus laciniatus lace-pod 3
42 Loasaceae Mentzelia lindleyi Lindley's blazing star 1
43 Polemoniaceae Linanthus orcuttii Orcutt's linanthus 8
44 Scrophulariaceae Collinsia parryi Parry's collinsia 3
45 Scrophulariaceae Mimulus floribundus floriferous monkeyflower 12
46 Liliaceae Lilium humboldtii ssp. ocellatum ocellated Humboldt lily 11
47 Poaceae Briza minor *little quaking grass 3

Code in Above Tables Source
1 Western Riverside County Flora
2 Western Riverside County Flora addendum
3 Orange County Flora
4 Lightner, San Diego County Native Plants
5 My observations after the Fallbrook 2002 Fire
6 My observations after the Santa Rosa Plateau 2011 Fire
7 My observations from other places
8 Ken Bowles
9 Rick Halsey
10 Wayne Armstrong
11 Jane Strong, SnGb observations

I thank Ted Caragozian and Lee Gordon for their insight about some fire followers behaving differently in some areas.

Strict Fire-Followers, Appearing Only Immediately After a Fire for a Few Years
#	Family	Scientific Name	(*)Common Name	Source
1	Asteraceae	Hulsea californica	San Diego sunflower	4
2	Campanulaceae	Nemacladus pinnatifidus	comb-leaved nemacladus	3
3	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia brachyloba	short-lobed phacelia	1
4	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia grandiflora	giant-flowered phacelia	1
5	Papaveraceae	Dicentra chrysantha	golden ear drops	1
6	Papaveraceae	Papaver californicum	fire poppy	1
7	Papaveraceae	Stylomecon heterophylla	wind-poppy	1
8	Polemoniaceae	Gilia achilleifolia	California gilia	3
9	Polemoniaceae	Gilia clivorum	purple-spot gilia	3
10	Portulacaceae	Calandrinia breweri	Brewer's calandrinia	3

Species that are always present, but are much more abundant after a fire
#	Family	Scientific Name	(*)Common Name	Source
52	Apiaceae	Sanicula bipinnatifida	purple sanicle	3
53	Asteraceae	Acourtia microcephala	purple head	5
54	Asteraceae	Chaenactis artemisiifolia	meally white pincushion	3
55	Asteraceae	Chaenactis glabriuscula	yellow pincushion	5
56	Asteraceae	Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula	yellow pincushion	5
57	Asteraceae	Ericameria parishii var. parishii	Parish's goldenbush	7
58	Asteraceae	Eriophyllum confertiflorum	golden yarrow	4
59	Asteraceae	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	golden yarrow	4
60	Asteraceae	Helianthus gracilentus	slender sunflower	4
61	Asteraceae	Lasthenia coronaria	southern goldfields	3
62	Asteraceae	Layia platyglossa	common tidy-tips	10
63	Asteraceae	Malacothrix clevelandii	annual malacothrix	1
64	Asteraceae	Rafinesquia californica	California chicory	12
65	Asteraceae	Senecio californicus	California groundsel	1
66	Boraginaceae	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	common fiddleneck	10
67	Boraginaceae	Cryptantha intermedia	popcorn flower	10
68	Boraginaceae	Cryptantha microstachys	Tejon cryptantha	1
69	Boraginaceae	Cryptantha muricata	prickly cryptantha	1
70	Brassicaceae	Athysanus pusillus	dwarf athysanus	1
71	Brassicaceae	Caulanthus heterophyllus	slender-pod jewelflower	1
72	Brassicaceae	Caulanthus heterophyllus var. pseudosimulans	slender-pod jewelflower	1
73	Brassicaceae	Caulanthus simulans	Payson's wild cabbage	7
74	Brassicaceae	Guillenia lasiophylla	California mustard	1
75	Brassicaceae	Sisymbrium altissimum	*tumble-mustard	8
76	Brassicaceae	Sisymbrium irio	*London rocket	4
77	Campanulaceae	Githopsis diffusa	San Gabriel bluecup	1
78	Campanulaceae	Githopsis diffusa ssp. candida	white bluecup	1
79	Campanulaceae	Triodanis biflora	Venus looking-glass	12
80	Caryophyllaceae	Polycarpon depressum	California polycarp	1
81	Caryophyllaceae	Silene antirrhina	snapdragon campion	1
82	Cistaceae	Helianthemum scoparium	rush-rose	12
83	Crassulaceae	Crassula connata	pygmy-weed	10
84	Fabaceae	Astragalus brauntonii	Braunton's milk-vetch	3
85	Fabaceae	Astragalus didymocarpus var. dispermus	dwarf white milk-vetch	2
86	Fabaceae	Astragalus gambelianus	Gambel's dwarf milk-vetch	3
87	Fabaceae	Lotus hamatus	San Diego birdsfoot lotus	3
88	Fabaceae	Lotus salsuginosus var. salsuginosus	coastal lotus	1
89	Fabaceae	Lotus scoparius	deerweed	1
90	Fabaceae	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	short-winged deerweed	1
91	Fabaceae	Lotus scoparius var. scoparius	deerweed	1
92	Fabaceae	Lotus strigosus	strigose lotus	1
93	Fabaceae	Lotus wrangelianus	California lotus	1
94	Fabaceae	Lupinus bicolor	dwarf lupine	9
95	Fabaceae	Lupinus hirsutissimus	stinging lupine	1
96	Fabaceae	Lupinus sparsiflorus	Coulter's lupine	11
97	Fabaceae	Lupinus truncatus	collar lupine	11
98	Fabaceae	Trifolium ciliolatum	tree clover	3
99	Gentianaceae	Centaurium venustum	canchalagua	8
100	Hydrophyllaceae	Emmenanthe penduliflora	whispering bells	1
101	Hydrophyllaceae	Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	whispering bells	1
102	Hydrophyllaceae	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia	eucrypta	1
103	Hydrophyllaceae	Nemophila menziesii	baby blue eyes	8
104	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	caterpillar phacelia	8
105	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia davidsonii	Davidson's phacelia	8
106	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia distans	common phacelia	1
107	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia minor	wild canterbury bells	1
108	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia parryi	Parry's phacelia	3
109	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia suaveolens	sweet-scented phacelia	3
110	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia suaveolens var. keckii	Santiago Peak phacelia	3
111	Hydrophyllaceae	Phacelia viscida	sticky phacelia	13
112	Hydrophyllaceae	Pholistoma auritum	fiesta flower	8
113	Hydrophyllaceae	Turricula parryi	poodle-dog bush	1
114	Lamiaceae	Monardella lanceolata	mustang mint	3
115	Lamiaceae	Salvia columbariae	chia	4
116	Loasaceae	Mentzelia dispersa	scattered blazing star	1
117	Loasaceae	Mentzelia micrantha	chaparral blazing star	3
118	Malvaceae	Malacothamnus aboriginum	Indian Valley bush mallow	7
119	Malvaceae	Malacothamnus densiflorus	yellow-stem bush mallow	1
120	Malvaceae	Malacothamnus fasciculatus	chaparral bush mallow	1
121	Onagraceae	Camissonia bistorta	southern suncup	10
122	Onagraceae	Camissonia californica	California suncup	4
123	Onagraceae	Camissonia hirtella	field sun-cup	1
124	Onagraceae	Camissonia ignota	Jurupa Hills sun-cups	1
125	Onagraceae	Camissonia intermedia	intermediate sun-cups	1
126	Onagraceae	Camissonia strigulosa	strigose sun-cup	4
127	Papaveraceae	Dendromecon rigida	bush poppy	1
128	Papaveraceae	Dicentra ochroleuca	white eardrops	1
129	Papaveraceae	Eschscholzia caespitosa	tufted eschscholzia	11
130	Papaveraceae	Eschscholzia californica	California poppy	3
131	Papaveraceae	Papaver somniferum	*opium poppy	4
132	Papaveraceae	Platystemon californicus	cream cups	14
133	Papaveraceae	Romneya coulteri	matilija poppy	1
134	Papaveraceae	Romneya trichocalyx	hairy Matilija poppy	4
135	Polemoniaceae	Allophyllum divaricatum	purple false-gilia	14
136	Polemoniaceae	Allophyllum glutinosum	sticky false-gilia	1
137	Polemoniaceae	Gilia angelensis	angel's gilia	4
138	Polemoniaceae	Gilia australis	southern gilia	7
139	Polemoniaceae	Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia	globe gilia	3
140	Polemoniaceae	Gilia caruifolia	caraway-leaved gilia	1
141	Polemoniaceae	Gilia diegensis	coastal gilia	4
142	Polemoniaceae	Gilia splendens ssp. grantii	Grant's gilia	11
143	Polemoniaceae	Linanthus ciliatus	whisker-brush	3
144	Polemoniaceae	Linanthus dianthiflorus	ground pink	3
145	Polemoniaceae	Phlox gracilis	annual phlox	3
146	Polygonaceae	Chorizanthe fimbriata	fringed spineflower	85
147	Polygonaceae	Chorizanthe fimbriata var. fimbriata	fringed spineflower	85
148	Polygonaceae	Chorizanthe leptotheca	Peninsular spineflower	8
149	Polygonaceae	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum	California buckwheat	11
150	Polygonaceae	Oxytheca trilobata	three-lobed oxytheca	1
151	Polygonaceae	Pterostegia drymarioides	threadstem	3
152	Portulacaceae	Calandrinia ciliata	red maids	1
153	Portulacaceae	Calyptridium monandrum	sand cress	1
154	Portulacaceae	Claytonia perfoliata	miner's lettuce	11
155	Portulacaceae	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata	miner's lettuce	11
156	Ranunculaceae	Delphinium cardinale	scarlet larkspur	1
157	Rhamnaceae	Ceanothus palmeri	Palmer's ceanothus	4
158	Scrophulariaceae	Antirrhinum coulterianum	Coulter's snapdragon	1
159	Scrophulariaceae	Antirrhinum kelloggii	twining snapdragon	1
160	Scrophulariaceae	Antirrhinum multiflorum	chaparral snapdragon	3
161	Scrophulariaceae	Antirrhinum nuttallianum	purple snapdragon	5
162	Scrophulariaceae	Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum	purple snapdragon	5
163	Scrophulariaceae	Linaria canadensis	blue toad-flax	1
164	Scrophulariaceae	Linaria canadensis var. texana	rough-seeded blue toad-flax	1
165	Scrophulariaceae	Mimulus brevipes	wide-throated yellow monkeyflower	1
166	Scrophulariaceae	Mimulus clevelandii	Cleveland's bush monkeyflower	1
167	Scrophulariaceae	Penstemon spectabilis	showy penstemon	1
168	Scrophulariaceae	Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis	showy penstemon	1
169	Scrophulariaceae	Scrophularia californica ssp. floribunda	California bee plant	3
170	Solanaceae	Nicotiana quadrivalvis	Indian tobacco	3
171	Solanaceae	Physalis crassifolia	thick-leaved ground cherry	3
172	Valerianaceae	Plectritis ciliosa ssp. insignis	long-spurred plectritis	6
173	Poaceae	Brachypodium distachyon	*purple false-brome	4
174	Poaceae	Bromus tectorum	*downy brome	4

Species that are much more visible after a fire
#	Family	Scientific Name	(*)Common Name	Source
11	Dennstaedtiaceae	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	bracken	3
12	Pteridaceae	Pellaea mucronata	bird's-foot fern	11
13	Pteridaceae	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	bird's-foot fern	11
14	Asteraceae	Achillea millefolium	yarrow	11
15	Asteraceae	Brickellia nevinii	Nevin's brickellia	11
16	Cactaceae	Ferocactus viridescens	San Diego barrel cactus	4
17	Caryophyllaceae	Silene laciniata ssp. major	southern Indian pink	8
18	Convolvulaceae	Calystegia longipes	Piute morning-glory	4
19	Convolvulaceae	Calystegia macrostegia	southern California morning-glory	4
20	Cucurbitaceae	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	wild-cucumber	10
21	Hydrophyllaceae	Eriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium	thick-leaved yerba santa	12
22	Lamiaceae	Scutellaria tuberosa	common skullcap	12
23	Paeoniaceae	Paeonia californica	California peony	11
24	Primulaceae	Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii	shooting star	10
25	Saxifragaceae	Lithophragma affine	woodland star	3
26	Scrophulariaceae	Pedicularis densiflora	Indian warrior	3
27	Liliaceae	Allium praecox	early onion	10
28	Liliaceae	Calochortus albus	white fairy lantern	3
29	Liliaceae	Calochortus catalinae	Catalina mariposa lily	3
30	Liliaceae	Calochortus concolor	golden-bowl mariposa	7
31	Liliaceae	Calochortus splendens	splendid mariposa lily	7
32	Liliaceae	Calochortus weedii var. intermedius	intermediate mariposa lily	3
33	Liliaceae	Calochortus weedii var. weedii	yellow mariposa lily	3
34	Liliaceae	Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum	soap plant	1
35	Liliaceae	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	blue dicks	3
36	Liliaceae	Yucca whipplei	chaparral yucca	11

Species that almost entirely blooms Only Immediately After a Fire
#	Family	Scientific Name	(*)Common Name	Source
48	Liliaceae	Zigadenus fremontii	white star-lily	91

Species not categorized yet
#	Family	Scientific Name	(*)Common Name	Source
37	Apiaceae	Apiastrum angustifolium	wild celery	3
38	Asteraceae	Agoseris heterophylla	annual agoseris	3
39	Asteraceae	Gnaphalium stramineum	cotton-batting plant	3
40	Boraginaceae	Cryptantha micromeres	minute-flowered cryptantha	9
41	Brassicaceae	Thysanocarpus laciniatus	lace-pod	3
42	Loasaceae	Mentzelia lindleyi	Lindley's blazing star	1
43	Polemoniaceae	Linanthus orcuttii	Orcutt's linanthus	8
44	Scrophulariaceae	Collinsia parryi	Parry's collinsia	3
45	Scrophulariaceae	Mimulus floribundus	floriferous monkeyflower	12
46	Liliaceae	Lilium humboldtii ssp. ocellatum	ocellated Humboldt lily	11
47	Poaceae	Briza minor	*little quaking grass	3

Code in Above Tables	Source
1	Western Riverside County Flora
2	Western Riverside County Flora addendum
3	Orange County Flora
4	Lightner, San Diego County Native Plants
5	My observations after the Fallbrook 2002 Fire
6	My observations after the Santa Rosa Plateau 2011 Fire
7	My observations from other places
8	Ken Bowles
9	Rick Halsey
10	Wayne Armstrong
11	Jane Strong, SnGb observations

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Native and Introduced Plants of Southern California

Copyright © 2011-2018 by Tom Chester
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to me at this source:
http://tchester.org/plants/analysis/fire/followers.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Last update: 11 August 2018