Plant Guide to Aspen Grove / Fish Creek Trail, San Bernardino Mountains

MileS#id?Common NameLatin Name#here#all
0.00   Trailhead at parking lot in front of kiosk / display board, elevation 7410 feet (2260 m). Trail is in sun for first 1/4 mile, then mostly in shade. (Coville's fleabane, Erigeron breweri var. covillei, is found in the parking area, but not so far on the trail).
0.00b1 San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrushChrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus20 / 514
0.00r2 hoary-asterMachaeranthera canescens var. canescens+50 / 93
0.00b3 Wright's buckwheatEriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum40 / 611
0.00l4 short-leaved squirreltailElymus elymoides ssp. brevifolius50 / 92
0.00r5 Nevin's bird's beakCordylanthus nevinii30 / 55
0.00l6 yarrowAchillea millefolium20 / 411
0.00b7 Martin's paintbrushCastilleja applegatei ssp. martinii+30 / 414
0.00r  Information board
0.00r8 Davidson's lotusLotus nevadensis var. davidsonii10 / 37
0.00r9 pinewoods rock-cressArabis holboellii var. pinetorum99 / 92
0.00l10 *desert crested wheatgrassAgropyron desertorum3 / 13
0.00l11 matchweedGutierrezia sarothrae20 / 14
0.00r12 spreading fleabaneErigeron divergens+50 / 93
0.00r13 California bromeBromus carinatus var. carinatus10 / 314
0.00l14 *downy bromeBromus tectorum99 / 919
0.00l15 Parish's buckwheatEriogonum parishii20 / 33
0.00l16 groundsmokeGayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum99 / 911
0.00l17 San Gabriel beardtonguePenstemon labrosus30 / 96
0.00r18 California black oakQuercus kelloggii1 / 111
0.00r19 green-leaf manzanitaArctostaphylos patula99 / 910
0.00r20 California-asterLessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia30 / 541
0.00r21 Mojave linanthusLinanthus breviculus50 / 24
0.00l22 sulphur buckwheatEriogonum umbellatum var. munzii30 / 49
0.00r23 plain mariposa lilyCalochortus invenustus2 / 27
0.00r24 curl-leaf mountain-mahoganyCercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus5 / 38
0.00l  Jct. "scramble path" from parking lot.
0.00b25 Fendler's blue grassPoa fendleriana ssp. longiligula99 / 92
0.01l26 golden yarrowEriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum30 / 546
0.01l27 dense false-giliaAllophyllum gilioides ssp. violaceum10 / 11
0.01l28 Johnston's knotweedPolygonum douglasii ssp. johnstonii10 / 11
0.01l29 needle & thread grassHesperostipa comata ssp. comata5 / 11
0.01l30 Ross' sedgeCarex rossii30 / 92
0.01l  Jct. trail from south end of parking lot.
0.01l31 one-sided bluegrassPoa secunda ssp. secunda30 / 521
0.02r32 Brewer's fleabaneErigeron breweri var. breweri30 / 51
0.02r33 purple-root cryptanthaCryptantha micrantha99 / 56
0.02r34 mountain mugwortArtemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta99 / 95
0.02r35 granite prickly phloxLeptodactylon pungens30 / 54
0.03r36 Jeffrey pinePinus jeffreyi50 / 919
0.03r37 forest goosefootChenopodium atrovirens99 / 93
0.04r38 canyon lotusLotus argyraeus var. argyraeus4 / 21
0.04l39 southern mountain-monardellaMonardella australis50 / 96
0.05r40 white firAbies concolor99 / 918
0.05l41 goldenrodSolidago californica50 / 526
 r42 Modoc giliaGilia modocensis5 / 13
0.09l43 canyon live oakQuercus chrysolepis3 / 219
0.09l44 mountain whitethornCeanothus cordulatus40 / 913
0.09l45 western wallflowerErysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum99 / 915
0.11l46 Parry's sunflowerHulsea vestita ssp. parryi40 / 72
0.11r47 wild tarragonArtemisia dracunculus50 / 521
0.11l48 splendid giliaGilia splendens ssp. splendens50 / 26
0.12r49 purple nightshadeSolanum xanti5 / 112
0.12r  (California false-indigo, Amorpha californica var. californica)
0.12l50 spear-leaved mountain dandelionAgoseris retrorsa5 / 212
0.13r51 Davidson's buckwheatEriogonum davidsonii40 / 216
0.14l52 southern montane grape lupineLupinus excubitus var. austromontanus20 / 23
0.15l53 pine cryptanthaCryptantha simulans5 / 11
0.15b54 southern mountain woolly-starEriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum+20 / 39
0.16l55 Parish's needlegrassAchnatherum parishii+10 / 25
0.16l56 slender everlastingGnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale3 / 12
0.17l57 slender bedstrawGalium angustifolium ssp. gracillimum+1 / 11
0.17l58 Wheeler's common madiaMadia elegans ssp. wheeleri10 / 12
0.17l59 *yellow salsifyTragopogon dubius+10 / 25
0.17l60 incense-cedarCalocedrus decurrens4 / 311
0.22l61 California false-indigoAmorpha californica var. californica2 / 22
0.22b62 smoothleaf yerba santaEriodictyon trichocalyx var. trichocalyx3 / 16
0.22c63 wild pepper-grassLepidium virginicum var. pubescens10 / 35
0.22r64 woodland spurgeEuphorbia palmeri10 / 32
0.27r65 interior roseRosa woodsii var. ultramontana50 / 55
 l  (spineless horsebrush, Tetradymia canescens)
0.30   Trail turns right to cross stream; the rest of the trail is now almost entirely in shade.
0.30r  Sign: "Wilderness permit required before entry". (free; available from Mill Creek Forest Service Office)
0.31l66 mountain pink currantRibes nevadense30 / 56
0.31l67 Richardson's geraniumGeranium richardsonii40 / 53
0.31l68 mountain sweet-cicelyOsmorhiza chilensis3 / 15
0.31l69 arroyo willowSalix lasiolepis30 / 528
0.31l70 hairy wood rushLuzula comosa5 / 21
0.31l71 Kentucky blue grassPoa pratensis ssp. agassizensis5 / 24
0.31l72 slender hairgrassDeschampsia elongata10 / 22
0.31l73 scarlet monkeyflowerMimulus cardinalis3 / 18
0.31l74 western columbineAquilegia formosa20 / 55
0.31b75 willowherbEpilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum30 / 316
0.31l76 winter cressBarbarea orthoceras20 / 26
0.31l77 *perennial mouse-ear chickweedCerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare20 / 22
0.31l78 cow parsnipHeracleum lanatum1 / 12
0.31l79 fragile sheath sedgeCarex fracta5 / 16
0.31l80 Southern California drabaDraba corrugata var. corrugata20 / 32
0.31l81 small white violetViola macloskeyi5 / 11
0.31l82 rigid hedge-nettleStachys ajugoides var. rigida3 / 13
0.31l83 stinging nettleUrtica dioica ssp. holosericea3 / 210
0.31l84 lemon lilyLilium parryi6 / 33
0.31l85 thyme-leaved speedwellVeronica serpyllifolia ssp. humifusa10 / 11
0.31r86 larger mountain monkeyflowerMimulus tilingii30 / 32
0.31r87 swamp sedgeCarex senta99 / 92
0.31r88 field horsetailEquisetum arvense25 / 32
0.31r89 American speedwellVeronica americana10 / 12
0.31r90 Scouler's St. JohnswortHypericum formosum var. scouleri10 / 13
0.31   Cross Fish Creek which has flowing water; elevation ~7280 feet (2220 m), the low point on the trail.
0.32r91 quaking aspenPopulus tremuloides30 / 11
0.33l  Sign: "San Gorgonio Wilderness".
0.34r  Jct. Aspen Grove Trail. Go left on Fish Creek Trail
0.34b92 smooth scouring rushEquisetum laevigatum99 / 93
0.34b93 Parish's snowberrySymphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii99 / 910
0.36l94 *prickly lettuceLactuca serriola1 / 126
0.36r95 wax currantRibes cereum var. cereum5 / 211
0.36l96 alkali western tansy-mustardDescurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum50 / 44
0.36r97 Fendler's meadow-rueThalictrum fendleri var. fendleri10 / 43
0.37r98 creeping wild ryeLeymus triticoides99 / 96
0.39l99 Utah service-berryAmelanchier utahensis2 / 27
0.39   Cross small dry drainage
0.41   Switchback left.
0.42   Trail curves right.
0.43r100 beaked penstemonPenstemon rostriflorus30 / 910
0.43r101 black cottonwoodPopulus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa+99 / 96
0.44l102 Grinnell's beardtonguePenstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii20 / 413
0.45   Trail curves right.
0.46l  Plants here have narrower leaves, almost like those of the former taxon of narrow-leaved black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa var. ingrata.
0.46b103 mountain sprayHolodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus3 / 16
0.48l104 Lemmon's willowSalix lemmonii2 / 22
0.48r105 Anderson's lupineLupinus andersonii+10 / 42
0.55l  Optional excursion to descend creek bank 15 steps to creek, which has the second occurrence of lemon lily, and three species also found later on the trail: horsetail, Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine, variegated clover,Trifolium variegatum phase 2, and cobwebby hedge-nettle, Stachys albens.
0.56r106 pine lousewortPedicularis semibarbata20 / 99
0.57l  Jct. path to water. Stay on trail.
0.60l107 ranger's buttonsSphenosciadium capitellatum10 / 24
0.65r  Giant incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) with huge lightning scar. It is still alive despite having no visible bark!
0.69r108 Parish's bedstrawGalium parishii10 / 54
0.70l109 San Bernardino beardtonguePenstemon caesius10 / 93
0.70l110 Scouler's willowSalix scouleriana5 / 43
0.73b  (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
  111 scattered blazing starMentzelia dispersa10 / 23
0.81l112 fir dwarf-mistletoeArceuthobium abietinum / 2
0.82l113 blue elderberrySambucus mexicana5 / 539
0.82   Cross dry drainage.
0.88b114 Parish's campionSilene parishii20 / 46
0.88r115 perennial rock-cressArabis perennans5 / 12
0.94r116 ragged-leaf bahiaBahia dissecta2 / 11
0.94r  Sign high on tree: "No camping here".
0.99l117 bristly-leaved rock-cressArabis rectissima var. rectissima+5 / 22
1.00   Cross dry drainage.
1.10b118 rosy everlasting, pussytoesAntennaria rosea ssp. confinis20 / 11
1.11r119 sticky cinquefoilPotentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa+20 / 39
1.14r120 horsetailEquisetum hyemale ssp. affine30 / 13
1.16   Cross small seasonally-moist drainage.
1.16b121 giant red paintbrushCastilleja miniata ssp. miniata10 / 25
1.16r122 variegated cloverTrifolium variegatum phase 2+50 / 22
1.16r123 long-anthered rushJuncus macrandrus20 / 12
1.17   Third location of lemon lily.
1.19r124 Parish's lupineLupinus latifolius var. parishii6 / 13
1.19r125 fireweedEpilobium angustifolium ssp. circumvagum10 / 13
1.20r126 Parish's alumrootHeuchera alpestris1 / 12
1.21 127 fir mistletoePhoradendron pauciflorum1 / 19
1.21b128 Idaho bentgrassAgrostis idahoensis10 / 12
1.22l129 meadow starwortStellaria longipes var. longipes3 / 11
1.22r130 *common dandelionTaraxacum officinale25 / 24
1.22r  Gopher tunnel "casts" from gophers making tunnels in snow and then filling them with dirt.
1.23r131 spike bentgrassAgrostis exarata5 / 13
1.26l132 Mexican rushJuncus mexicanus30 / 510
1.28   Cross small drainage and enter Monkey Flower Flat.
1.28b133 fringed bromeBromus ciliatus5 / 13
1.28b134 Letterman's needlegrassAchnatherum lettermanii5 / 13
1.28r135 Big Bear Valley milk-vetchAstragalus lentiginosus var. sierrae5 / 11
1.29b136 Wheeler's cinquefoilPotentilla wheeleri20 / 12
1.29b137 mat muhlyMuhlenbergia richardsonis2 / 12
1.30r  (pussy paws, Calyptridium monospermum)
1.30r138 Parry's sand cressCalyptridium parryi var. parryi20 / 23
1.33b139sspCalifornia evening-primroseOenothera californica+10 / 12
1.33b140 fine-flower giliaGilia leptantha ssp. leptantha20 / 21
1.37b141 spineless horsebrushTetradymia canescens20 / 95
1.48l  Field of young pussypaws, Calyptridium monospermum.
1.48l142 pussy pawsCalyptridium monospermum20 / 24
1.57   Cross Fish Creek.
1.59l  Jct. (old?) trail; continue straight.
1.59l  A mature short black cottonwood, 5 feet high, trunk 5 cm diameter, with lvs ~2 cm in width in 2002; 2.5-4.5 cm in width, most 3.0 cm, in 2003; and 2.0-3.1 cm in width, most 2.7-3.0 cm, in 2004.
1.61   Trail jags left.
1.64l  Field of mature pussypaws, Calyptridium monospermum.
1.66b143 Jepson's blue wildryeElymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii10 / 19
1.66b144 musk monkeyflowerMimulus moschatus10 / 11
1.66r145 cobwebby hedge-nettleStachys albens3 / 14
1.66   Cross small drainage.
1.70b146 spreading dogbaneApocynum androsaemifolium+10 / 13
1.71   Trail jags left.
1.79   Switchback left.
1.80   Switchback right.
1.87l147 clustered fleabaneErigeron aphanactis var. congestus+6 / 21
1.93l  Jct. (old trail to Lower Fish Creek Meadow?)
2.00   End trail at jct. with Upper Fish Creek Trail, elevation 7980 feet (2430 m); see its plant trail guide to continue, or return the way you came.

Aster separation.

Here is a key to separate the five similar Asteraceae on this trail with purple ligules:

1. phyllary tips appressed; lvs reduced upwards or not; annual to per ... Erigeron

2. phyllaries strongly graded; basal lvs 0, cauline gen evenly sized and spaced; infls arising near st tips; per
3. phyllaries glandular .... var. breweri
3'. phyllaries non-glandular ... var. covillei
2'. phyllaries roughly equal; cauline lvs reduced upwards; infls arising near mid-stem; ann to biennial E. divergens

1'. phyllary tips spreading to reflexed; lvs gen reduced upwards; per to subshrub
2. lvs green, linear, often toothed; resembling those of a penstemon in being rigidly spreading; gen per ..... Machaeranthera canescens
2'. lvs gray, "half-tomentose", usually ascending; subshrub ...... Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia
http://tchester.org/sb/plants/guides/fish_creek.html
Updated 13 August 2004.