Anza-Borrego: Plant Guide To Borrego Palm Canyon Nature Trail

mile	s	#	id	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin trail near northwest end of parking lot; elevation ~835 feet (250 m).
0.00	l			(Desert pupfish pond, California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera)
0.00	r			(honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana)
0.00	l	1		desert lavender	Hyptis emoryi	99 / 9	7
0.00	b	2		California suncup	Camissonia californica	99 / 9	23
0.00	b	3		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	99 / 9	26
0.00	l	4		desert dandelion	Malacothrix glabrata	50 / 7	5
0.00	l	5		California filago	Filago californica	99 / 9	21
0.00	l	6		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9	59
0.00	l	7		pale sun-cup	Camissonia pallida ssp. pallida	50 / 9	4
0.00	l	8		brittlebush	Encelia farinosa	99 / 9	11
0.00	b	9		cheesebush	Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola	99 / 9	8
0.00	b	10		common phacelia	Phacelia distans+	99 / 9	11
0.00	l	11		alkali western tansy-mustard	Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum	99 / 9	5
0.00	b	12		*London rocket	Sisymbrium irio	99 / 9	13
0.00	r	13		desert thornapple	Datura discolor	30 / 9	3
0.00	l	14		creosote bush	Larrea tridentata	99 / 9	8
0.00	l			(gander's cholla, Opuntia ganderi)
0.00	l			Drinking fountain, shaded display board, thermometer.
0.00	r			Women's flush toilet
0.00	r	15		*Asian mustard	Brassica tournefortii	99 / 9	8
0.00	r	16		hairy-podded pepper-grass	Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum	99 / 9	4
0.00	r	17		desert chicory	Rafinesquia neomexicana	50 / 9	4
0.00	l			Sign: "Palm Canyon Trail. [No dogs.]"
0.00	r	18		Fremont pincushion	Chaenactis fremontii	99 / 9	4
0.00	r	19		popcorn flower	Cryptantha intermedia	99 / 9	27
0.00	r	20		Emory's rock-daisy	Perityle emoryi	99 / 9	5
0.00	r			Jct. trail to men's flush toilet (sign in distance)
0.00	r	21		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata+	40 / 2	28
0.01	r	22		indigo bush	Psorothamnus schottii	10 / 9	9
0.01	r	23		[desert] strigose lotus	Lotus strigosus [var. tomentellus]	50 / 9	35
0.01	r	24		wishbone plant	Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa+	30 / 9	5
0.01	r	25		sand cress	Calyptridium monandrum	5 / 2	12
0.01	r	26		purple-root cryptantha	Cryptantha micrantha	/	7
0.01	r			Sign: "Warning: Trail is hot-dry. Carry 1 gallon of water minimum per person." (sign is meant for summer heat!)
0.01	r	27		brown-eyed primrose	Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii	30 / 4	4
0.01	r	28		bearded cryptantha	Cryptantha barbigera	99 / 9	2
0.01	b	29		fivewing spiderling	Boerhavia intermedia	99 / 9	4
0.02	l	30		six-weeks three-awn	Aristida adscensionis	30 / 5	8
0.02	l	31		curvenut combseed	Pectocarya recurvata	99 / 9	1
0.02	l	32		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	20 / 9	31
0.02	l	33		whispering bells	Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	99 / 9	10
0.02	l	34		wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora	4 / 2	11
0.02	l			(big galleta, Pleuraphis rigida)
0.02	l	35		frost mat	Achyronychia cooperi	2 / 2	3
0.02	l			Sign: "Palm Grove 1.5 mi" [box containing brochures removed after 9/10/04 flood took out the signposts]
0.02	r	36		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	50 / 9	18
0.02	l			Sign: "No dogs, no bicycles".
0.02	l	37		San Diego birdsfoot lotus	Lotus hamatus	99 / 9	24
0.02	r	38		small-flowered poppy	Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora	40 / 9	5
0.02	r	39		narrowleaf ditaxis	Ditaxis lanceolata	99 / 9	6
0.03	r	40		gander's cholla	Opuntia ganderi	20 / 9	9
0.03	r	41		Yuma spurge	Chamaesyce setiloba	20 / 2	1
0.03	l	42		rock hibiscus	Hibiscus denudatus	50 / 9	5
0.03	l	43		burroweed	Ambrosia dumosa	50 / 9	10
0.03	r	44		big galleta	Pleuraphis rigida	50 / 9	7
0.03	r	45		California barrel cactus	Ferocactus cylindraceus+	1 / 1	7
0.03	l	46		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	50 / 9	60
0.03	l	47		dwarf filago	Filago depressa	20 / 2	2
0.03	l	48	~	*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus+	2 / 2	42
0.04	l			Sign: "Mountain Lions / Snakes ..."
0.04	l			Signpost "1" at beavertail cactus: "Don't touch! It has dozens of tiny spines that are painful to the touch and difficult to remove".
0.04	l	49		beavertail cactus	Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris	10 / 9	13
0.05	l	50		needle grama	Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides	30 / 9	4
0.05	l	51		desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum+	20 / 9	5
0.06	l	52		California mustard	Guillenia lasiophylla	10 / 1	4
0.06	r	53		chinch-weed	Pectis papposa var. papposa+	20 / 5	4
0.06	r	54		trailing four o'clock	Allionia incarnata	50 / 9	3
0.06	r	55		Pima rhatany	Krameria erecta+	20 / 9	5
0.07	r	56		chuparosa	Justicia californica	99 / 9	7
0.07	l			Signpost "2" at ocotilla: "After a rainfall, leaves burst out within 24 hours. They'll be full grown in only five days! After a month of dry weather, the leaves fall to the ground."
0.07	l	57		ocotillo	Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens	10 / 4	8
0.07	l	58		brittle spineflower	Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu	10 / 3	4
0.09	l	59		thick-leaved ground cherry	Physalis crassifolia	10 / 9	7
0.09	l	60		Mojave ragwort	Senecio mohavensis	99 / 9	5
0.09	r	61		Sonoran spurge	Chamaesyce micromera	3 / 1	2
0.09	r	62		wild canterbury bells	Phacelia minor+	99 / 9	21
0.09	l			(pellitory, Parietaria hespera var. hespera+)
0.09	l	63		star gilia	Gilia stellata+	30 / 9	3
0.09	r	64		silver puffs	Uropappus lindleyi	5 / 5	27
0.09	l			Signpost "3" in 2005: "You are [about to descend into] a desert wash, a great place to look for animal tracks and scat."
0.09	r	65		Nevada ephedra	Ephedra nevadensis	5 / 5	4
0.09	r	66		common fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	99 / 9	18
0.09				Descend to cross drainage from a side canyon
0.10	r	67		narrow-leaved miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora	5 / 2	21
0.10	r	68		*sourclover	Melilotus indicus	30 / 5	25
0.10	b	69		meally white pincushion	Chaenactis artemisiifolia	20 / 9	14
				The following taxa are all off-trail in the wash, in alphabetical order by Latin name. Most are visible from the trail; some are farther away.
				On both sides: Palmer's milk-vetch, Astragalus palmeri; southern California silver-lotus, Lotus argophyllus var. argophyllus; Charlotte's phacelia, Phacelia nashiana; GPS 34
				On left: different sun-cup, Camissonia sp., GPS122; green miner's lettuce, Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis, GPS 32; ann Eriogonum GPS120; Wallace's woolly daisy, Eriophyllum wallacei; Parish's poppy, Eschscholzia parishii; southern gilia, Gilia australis; volcanic gilia, Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis; short-winged deerweed, Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus; bajada lupine, Lupinus concinnus; purple mat, Nama demissum var. demissum; glandular nemacladus, Nemacladus glanduliferus (var. glanduliferus?); limestone phacelia, Phacelia affinis; caterpillar phacelia, Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida; apricot mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua; ~tomcat clover, ~Trifolium willdenovii, GPS123
				On right: Coulter's snapdragon, Antirrhinum coulterianum; strigose sun-cup, Camissonia strigulosa; devil's spineflower, Chorizanthe rigida; desert dicoria, Dicoria canescens; ~prickly lettuce, ~Lactuca serriola; spreading loeflingia, Loeflingia squarrosa var. squarrosa; short-lobed phacelia, Phacelia brachyloba; rabbits-foot grass, Polypogon monspeliensis; unk prostrate plant with 4-ranked leaves - Veronica? GPS119; brome fescue, Vulpia bromoides; hairy six-weeks fescue, Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella
0.10				Cross main channel; elevation 840 feet (255 m).
0.10	b	70		sacred datura	Datura wrightii	10 / 3	20
0.10	l	71		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	20 / 9	14
0.11				The area here has been greatly changed by the 10 September 2004 flash flood. Formerly, this side canyon wash had two braids, with high ground in-between. The two braids have merged, eliminating that high ground along with the old signpost "3" and some of the species.
0.11	l		ssp	(foxtail barley, Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum)
0.11				Former top of high ground between braids; the next two species were gone post 9/04 flood.
0.11	l	72		California fagonia	Fagonia laevis+	20 / 9	6
0.12	l	73		Anderson's desert-thorn	Lycium andersonii	6 / 2	3
0.12	l			Signpost "3" (pre 9/04). Cross former second braid of wash.
0.12	r			(common bedstraw, Galium aparine)
0.13				Ascend out of wash
0.13	r			(prickly poppy, Argemone munita)
0.14				Trail is now shifted left from the pre 9/04 trail, but is still next to the changed main drainage with seasonal water. The sweetbush used to be on the left of the trail; it is now on the right. Note the palm trunks washed down in September 2004.
0.15	r	74		Charlotte's phacelia	Phacelia nashiana	30 / 4	1
0.16	r	75		*nettle-leaved goosefoot	Chenopodium murale	20 / 5	4
0.16	r			Signpost "4" (gone post 9/04): "Hear any birds? These desert willows create a home for birds like the California quail and the Costa's hummingbird."
0.16	r			Former location of (catclaw, Acacia greggii, with desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum growing on it at eye-level; desert-willow, Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata), all now swallowed by the wash.
0.17	r	76		apricot mallow	Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua	10 / 9	3
		77		Bigelow's monkeyflower	Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii	20 / 4	3
0.19	l			(chia, Salvia columbariae)
0.19	l	78		*tumble pigweed	Amaranthus albus+	1 / 1	16
0.19	l	79		prickly poppy	Argemone munita	3 / 3	8
0.19	l	80		southern California silver-lotus	Lotus argophyllus var. argophyllus	1 / 1	4
0.19	l	81		hairy six-weeks fescue	Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella	10 / 2	2
0.20	r			Signpost "5" in 2005: "Follow your nose to the desert lavender bush here. Rub the leaves. The leaves change size and texture depending on soil moisture."
0.20	r	82		baby California fan palm	Washingtonia filifera+	20 / 3	5
0.22	r	83		short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	3 / 3	25
0.23	r	84		fringe-pod	Thysanocarpus curvipes	10 / 2	9
0.25				(catclaw, Acacia greggii, with desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum growing on it at eye-level, present post 9/04 flood)
0.26	l	85		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha+	10 / 2	41
0.26	l	86		red maids	Calandrinia ciliata	1 / 1	22
0.27				The trail and area are greatly changed between mile 0.27 and mile 0.34. The following section of the guide is from the old trail. Presumably, many of these species will return eventually. See below for the guide to the new trail.
0.27				Guide to old trail, which no longer exists
0.27				Trail turns right 90° to cross flowing water.
0.29	r			Signpost "5" (pre 9/04)
0.30	r	87		volcanic gilia	Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis+	5 / 2	2
0.30	r	88		desert tobacco	Nicotiana obtusifolia	2 / 2	3
0.30	r	89		common monkeyflower	Mimulus guttatus	5 / 1	17
0.30	r	90		southern gilia	Gilia australis+	10 / 3	2
0.30	r	91		*celery	Apium graveolens	1 / 1	5
0.30	r	92		*water speedwell	Veronica anagallis-aquatica	5 / 2	4
0.30	r	93		*common cudweed	Gnaphalium luteo-album	2 / 2	18
0.30	r			(lace-fringed spineflower, Chorizanthe fimbriata var. laciniata some distance down wash.)
0.30	l		~	(scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis some distance up wash)
0.30				Cross flowing water in season, stepping on rocks; elevation 885 feet (270 m). Trail then curves left 90°. Watch for bighorn sheep beginning here.
0.30	r	94		*white goosefoot	Chenopodium album	1 / 1	11
0.30	r	95		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	3 / 1	30
0.27				Guide to the new trail between mile 0.27 and mile 0.34, and lists only species not found on the old trail, or found at an earlier location than previously.
0.28	r	96		Newberry's velvet mallow	Horsfordia newberryi	2 / 2	3
0.28	l	97		green miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis	10 / 3	3
0.30	r	98		Payson's wild cabbage	Caulanthus simulans	1 / 1	2
0.30	r	99		chia	Salvia columbariae	30 / 5	25
0.30	r	100		Palmer's milk-vetch	Astragalus palmeri	1 / 1	1
0.31	l		sp	(ann Eriogonum, Eriogonum davidsonii?)11
0.32	l	101		catclaw	Acacia greggii	10 / 3	9
0.32				Trail turns right 90° to cross flowing water.
0.32	l	102		*hairy rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta	5 / 1	20
0.34	l			(fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum; Vasey's sage, Salvia vaseyi)
0.35				Cross channel created in 2004, with seasonal flowing water
				The following species are found off-trail within several tenths of a mile to the right, downstream, in the wet side channel, given in alphabetical order by Latin name:
				(fringed amaranth, Amaranthus fimbriatus; unk annual like Cardamine or Rorippa; ~Hall's caulanthus, ~Caulanthus hallii; San Diego jewelflower, Caulanthus heterophyllus var. heterophyllus; mouse-ear chickweed, Cerastium glomeratum; southern Chinese houses, Collinsia concolor; horseweed, Conyza canadensis; trans-montane gilia, Gilia transmontana at GPS 58; ~cotton-batting plant, ~Gnaphalium stramineum; Mexican rush, Juncus mexicanus; iris-leaved rush, Juncus xiphioides; Lepidium sp.?, with cupped sepals and ovaries like Lepidium; Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus; floriferous monkeyflower, Mimulus floribundus; unk like a narrow-leaf monkeyflower, Mimulus sp.; baby Fremont cottonwood, Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii; tamarisk, Tamarix sp.; white sweetclover, Melilotus albus; unk hairy clover, Trifolium sp.?; unk clumpy annual grass)
0.35				End greatly-changed area; area post-2004 flood is now mostly the same as it was before.
0.35	l	103		snapdragon campion	Silene antirrhina	20 / 3	7
0.35	l	104		Coulter's lupine	Lupinus sparsiflorus	99 / 9	11
0.35	l	105		San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	5 / 5	7
0.35	l	106		white fiesta flower	Pholistoma membranaceum	99 / 9	4
0.35	r			Signpost "6" (gone post 9/04): "Home to Ancient People. Morteros and metates are on boulders near here."
0.35	r	107		muilla	Muilla maritima	10 / 5	9
0.36	r			Check for different Ephedra sp.
0.37	r	108		desert plantain	Plantago ovata	99 / 9	8
0.39	l	109		Parish's poppy	Eschscholzia parishii	40 / 9	3
0.41	r			Signpost "7" (gone post 8/03): "Note the desert varnish on these rocks."
0.42	l	110		desert spike-moss	Selaginella eremophila	50 / 9	4
0.42				Trail is just now in shade from the mountains to the west at 2:50 pm PST on 11/4.
0.43	l	111		arrow-leaf	Pleurocoronis pluriseta	1 / 1	3
0.43	l			Check if this plant is desert tobacco, Nicotiana obtusifolia
0.43	l	112		California trixis	Trixis californica var. californica	3 / 3	7
0.44				Trail turns left 90°
0.44	b	113		Vasey's sage	Salvia vaseyi	10 / 3	5
0.45				Trail turns right 90°
0.46	l			Signpost "8" (gone post 9/04): "Rolling rocks. Flash floods carried these boulders here. Their nooks and crannies harbor wildlife, including pack rats and snakes". Hikers on the "Alternate Trail" can be seen just beyond the far bank of the wash.
0.47	r	114		cattle saltbush	Atriplex polycarpa+	5 / 1	3
0.47	r	115		*fountain grass	Pennisetum setaceum+	5 / 5	12
0.47	l	116		desert-willow	Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata	10 / 2	6
0.47	r	117		*Oriental mustard	Sisymbrium orientale	20 / 2	13
0.48	l	118		honey mesquite	Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana	30 / 3	6
0.53	r	120	?	horseweed?	Conyza canadensis?	1 / 1	43
0.53	r			Signpost "9": "You're probably being watched by desert bighorn sheep."
0.54	l			Trail turns right 90°
0.56				Trail curves left 90°
0.57	l			Signpost "10" in 2005: "On 'holey' ground. Tarantulas, scorpions, lizards, mice and harvest ants make many of the holes in the ground."
0.57	l			(Parish's viguiera, Viguiera parishii)
0.57	r			Check for different Ephedra sp.
0.58				Trail post 9/04 now goes straight up the drainage. Formerly, the trail curved left and crossed the drainage; elevation ~980 feet (300 m).
0.58				This section of the guide is for the old trail, which is still almost completely intact post the 9/04 flood
0.60	r	121		Coulter's snapdragon	Antirrhinum coulterianum	5 / 1	6
0.61	r	122		Wallace's woolly daisy	Eriophyllum wallacei	1 / 1	3
0.61	r	123		prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata	10 / 2	16
0.61	r	124		winged cryptantha	Cryptantha holoptera	1 / 1	1
0.61	l	125		lace-fringed spineflower	Chorizanthe fimbriata var. laciniata	1 / 1	2
0.61	r			(desert nest straw, Stylocline micropoides)
0.62	l	126	~	iris-leaved rush	Juncus xiphioides+	1 / 1	3
0.65				Trail turns right 90° a young smoothleaf yerba santa, Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. trichocalyx, is found just ahead if you don't turn right
0.65	r	127		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum+	5 / 2	6
0.65	l	128		boundary goldenbush	Ericameria brachylepis+	1 / 1	3
0.66	r			San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	/
0.67	l			The pre-2005 signpost "10", still present
0.68	l			(California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera)
0.69				The left side of the trail is mostly gone post the 9/04 flood, so this spot is a bit tricky.
0.69	l	129		desert brickellia	Brickellia desertorum+	1 / 1	2
0.69	l			Trail jags left around boulder, but stays on this side of drainage; 3' waterfall to left
0.75				The trickiest spot post 9/04 flood. Formerly, the trail crossed a dry drainage, then curved right. That dry drainage has become the main channel. You need to cross it, then cross back in in 0.03 miles.
0.76	r	130	sp	blazing star	Mentzelia sp.	/
0.78	l	131		globe gilia	Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia	1 / 1	7
0.80	r	132		Durango root	Datisca glomerata	1 / 1	7
0.80				Cross back over stream, and rejoin old trail.
0.81	l			(prickly sow thistle, Sonchus asper ssp. asper)
0.81	l			(Check for Borrego milk-vetch, Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus)
0.81	r	133		ayenia	Ayenia compacta	2 / 2	2
0.81	l			(deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens)
0.82	l			(mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia)
0.58				This section of the guide is for the post 9/04 trail, as marked on 1/05. This section has not been botanized much.
0.80				Trail leaves wash to left
0.82				Jct. of old trail with the flagged new bypass route
0.83				Trail jogs right; don't continue straight.
0.84	r			(Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii)
0.84	r	134		pebble pincushion	Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia+	10 / 3	3
0.85	l	135		caterpillar phacelia	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	50 / 9	16
0.85	l			Signpost "11": First glimpse of the Borrego Palm Canyon Oasis, a half mile ahead."
0.87	l			Sign (gone post 9/04): "The Palm Oasis: a rare desert treasure." Trail jags right.
0.87	r			(ironwood, Olneya tesota)
0.91	l	136		bajada lupine	Lupinus concinnus	1 / 1	11
0.92				This was formerly a fairly flat area. The August 2003 flash flood took out the flat area to the right of the trail. The 9/04 flash flood took out the remaining shrubs there.
0.96	l	137	~	Hooker's evening-primrose	Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri	1 / 1	1
0.96				Go left to cross the creek just upstream of the site of the former wooden bridge.
0.96	l	138		floriferous monkeyflower	Mimulus floribundus	1 / 1	9
0.96	r	139	sp	*tamarisk	Tamarix sp.	1 / 1
0.96		140	?	baby plant like scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis
0.96				Cross the creek.
0.96	l	141		western marsh cudweed	Gnaphalium palustre	1 / 1	6
0.96	r	142		Hall's caulanthus	Caulanthus hallii	3 / 1	1
0.97	l			Jct. "Alternate Trail" (heading back to campground); elevation ~1100 feet (335 m). Turn right. (Sign gone post 9/04)
0.97	r			Begin large patches of white fiesta flower, Pholistoma membranaceum
0.97				Enter shade at 2:52 p.m. on 3/27
0.97	l			*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus+	/
0.98	r	143		*prickly sow thistle	Sonchus asper ssp. asper	1 / 1	32
0.98	l	144		woolly lipfern	Cheilanthes parryi	20 / 5	5
0.98	l	145		pellitory	Parietaria hespera var. hespera+	99 / 9	7
1.00	l			(star-flowered bedstraw, Galium stellatum var. eremicum)
1.00	l	146		miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata	1 / 1	24
1.00	l			Signpost "12" (washed out in 2004; replaced slightly downtrail in 2005): "Spine-tinglers: catclaw on left of trail, honey mesquite on right".
1.00	l			(fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica, 15 feet above the trail)
1.02	l	147		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	10 / 3	26
1.05	l	148		desert mistletoe	Phoradendron californicum+	2 / 2	4
1.06	l			(rock crossosoma, Crossosoma bigelovii)
1.07	b	149		Parish's viguiera	Viguiera parishii	20 / 6	7
1.07	r			(yellow-flowered form of chuparosa, Justicia californica)
1.10	r	150		climbing milkweed	Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii	3 / 3	6
1.13	l	151		Bigelow's desert four-o'clock	Mirabilis bigelovii var. bigelovii+	2 / 2	2
1.15	l			Signpost "13" (gone post 9/04): "Water gauge, which measures stream depth"; elevation ~1040 feet (315 m). Beginning of palm grove pre 9/04. Note the partially hidden waterfall upstream.
1.15				Short double switchback, left then right.
1.16	r			Best view of the hidden waterfall.
1.19	r	152		scarlet spiderling	Boerhavia coccinea	2 / 2	2
1.19	l			desert tobacco	Nicotiana obtusifolia	2 / 2
1.20	r			Signpost "14" (gone post 9/04): "Native Shade" from the California fan palm.
1.20	r			(red willow, Salix laevigata)
1.20	r			First mature California fan palm pre 9/04.	Washingtonia filifera	/
				The next 2 species were found on the trail before the palm on 3/22/03, but have not yet been located in this guide.
		153		purple mat	Nama demissum var. demissum	/	3
		154		desert tea	Ephedra californica	/	3
1.24				Cross the creek; elevation ~1160 feet (350 m). In December 2003, this was all choked with sand. In February 2004, the stream had cut a channel into the sand. In November 2005 it was all rocky; the sand was gone. In February 2007, it was filled with plants, mostly water cress.
1.24	l	155	~	water cress	Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum	10 / 1	14
1.24	r	156		*green bentgrass	Agrostis viridis	10 / 1	5
1.24	r	157		*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	5 / 1	37
1.25				Immediately after crossing the water, the trail turns left 90°
1.26				Trail turns right 90° The following species, along with a small hidden pond and hidden grotto perhaps with a seasonal waterfall, are found in the moist area just across the stream to the left: unk sedge, Carex or Cyperus sp.; wrinkled rush, Juncus rugulosus; iris-leaved rush, Juncus xiphioides; rush like Juncus acutus ssp. leopoldii; California loosestrife, Lythrum californicum; scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis; sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. ?; western sycamore, Platanus racemosa; narrowleaf willow, Salix exigua; rigid hedge-nettle, Stachys ajugoides var. rigida; cattail, Typha sp.
1.26	l			(arrow-weed, Pluchea sericea)
1.27				Trail turns left 90°
1.28	l			Signpost "15" (gone post 9/04; tape incorrectly says "14 location"): "Almost there...the oasis is just a few minutes ahead".
1.30	l			(A roughly 5 foot waterfall. You can see a dense grove of palms ahead.)
1.31	b			Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum	/
1.32	l	158		arrow-weed	Pluchea sericea	5 / 2	4
1.37				A sometimes-confusing junction if the signs are gone; elevation ~1180 feet (360 m). The trail goes right, a bit uphill, not straight along the canyon bottom. Look for a post uphill to your right with an arrow pointing left. The trail going into the Palm Grove is now marked "not a through trail", and most of the Grove is blocked by barriers with signs asking you to stay out and allow the baby palms to grow up.
1.38	r			Upper Trail Guide: Trail turns left 90° at the post.
1.44	l			Sign: "At home in a palm oasis". After enjoying the palm grove here, turn around and go back to the jct with the Alternate Trail.
1.38				Lower Trail Guide: Cross the creek and wander into the Palm Grove, heading uphill through it. Note: this route is now closed to allow the Grove to regenerate; please respect that closure. The species found there, listed below, are common species.
1.39	l	159		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	30 / 2	40
1.39	r	160		goldenrod	Solidago californica	10 / 1	39
1.39	b	161	~	mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	30 / 1	8
1.40	b	162		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	10 / 1	40
1.42		163		Fremont cottonwood	Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii	1 / 1	13
1.42		164		red willow	Salix laevigata	1 / 1	26
1.42				Return the way you came.
1.86				Jct. Alternate Trail. Do not be worried by the trail having some uphill sections and sometimes appearing to head away from the parking lot.
1.89				Switchback right.
1.90				Switchback left.
1.92	r			Check for Guadalupe cryptantha, Cryptantha maritima
1.95	r	165		beetle spurge	Euphorbia eriantha	20 / 5	2
1.95	r			Begin section of trail containing mostly caterpillar phacelia, Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida
1.95	r			California fagonia	Fagonia laevis	/
1.96				Switchback right.
1.97				Trail turns left 90°
1.99	r	166		heliotrope phacelia	Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua	1 / 1	1
2.00	l	167		California cloak fern	Notholaena californica	3 / 3	1
2.00				First local high point on trail; elevation ~1160 feet (355 m); switchback left and descend.
2.04				Cross very small drainage
2.06				Cross small drainage and begin ascending again.
2.09				ayenia	Ayenia compacta	/
2.10				Second local high point on trail.
2.14				Third local high point on trail.
2.16				Fourth local high point on trail
2.16	r	168		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium	3 / 3	23
2.17	r	169		rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	10 / 2	30
2.17	r	170		Coulter's lyrepod	Lyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeri	3 / 3	3
2.18	r	171		desert twining snapdragon	Antirrhinum filipes	1 / 1	2
2.18	r	172		short-bannered coastal lotus	Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus	10 / 2	5
2.18	r	173		Cedros milk-vetch	Astragalus nuttallianus var. cedrosensis	10 / 1	1
2.19				Switchback right.
2.20				Trail curves left 90°
2.21		174		Arizona spurge	Chamaesyce arizonica	30 / 3	2
2.21				Fifth local high point on trail.
2.23				Sixth high point on trail. The trail is now almost flat, with a number of minor local high points
2.27	r	175		Guadalupe cryptantha	Cryptantha maritima	/	2
2.36	r			Check for limestone phacelia, Phacelia cryptantha
2.38				Cross minor drainage
2.40	r	176		intermediate larkspur	Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum	4 / 2	4
2.40	r			Liverworts
2.44	r			A "rock bench" that you can sit on; it even has a back!
2.44	r	177		eucrypta	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida	20 / 2	2
2.45				Cross minor drainage
2.48	r			Check for different lupine
2.48				Cross minor drainage and ascend.
2.51				Final local high point. Now the trail stops fooling around and heads downhill toward the parking lot.
2.60	r			Check for fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica
2.63	r	178		*African daisy	Dimorphotheca sinuata	1 / 1	4
2.68				Trail turns right 90°, now in wash; elevation ~940 feet (285 m).
2.68	r	179		Bigelow's blue grass	Poa bigelovii	1 / 1	1
2.68	r	180		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	1 / 1	40
2.70				Trail turns left 90° out of the wash.
2.72				Long curve right 180°
2.76				Trail turns left 90° into wash.
2.77				Trail turns right 40° out of wash.
3.00	l			View of ampitheatre for ranger programs.
3.03	r			Sign: "Trail is hot-dry, etc.", readable only by hikers going the opposite way.
3.04				Jct paved road; turn right on it.
3.05				Enter middle of parking area for the Trail, go left to get back to the trailhead.
3.05	r			("Trailhead store")
3.10	l			Desert pupfish pond.
3.10	l	181		American tule	Scirpus americanus	30 / 1	4
3.11				End guide back at the trailhead; elevation ~835 feet (250 m).

http://tchester.org/sd/plants/guides/anza_borrego/borrego_palm_canyon.html
Last update: 15 January 2008.