Plant Guide to South Ridge Trail Beginning at the Top, San Jacinto Mountains

Plant Guide to South Ridge Trail Beginning at the Top, San Jacinto Mountains

Introduction and Explanation of Plant Trail Guides
Introduction
Highlights of This Trail
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time
Botanical Trip Reports
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species
Introduction

This page contains a guide to the trail going down, beginning at Chinquapin Junction at the top of the trail. See guide beginning at the base of the trail if you want a guide going up, which also contains detailed driving directions to get to the lower trailhead.
See also the Checklist in Family Order for all the species on this trail.
It is a historical accident that the first version of this guide was made on a one-way trip from Humber Park, up the Devils Slide Trail and down the South Ridge Trail. We have worked far more on the guide to the way up.
Beginning at Chinquapin Junction with the PCT in the high country of the San Jacintos, this trail traverses the north face of Tahquitz Peak to reach the Peak. The trail then follows the South Ridge of Tahquitz Peak to the trailhead in Southern Idyllwild.
This guide begins at the top of the trail. The easiest access to that point is to come up this trail from the base of the South Fork Trail; a shadier, cooler way is via the Devils Slide Trail and the PCT.
Highlights of This Trail

The lowermost part of this trail is unique in having some chaparral species present. In his 1902 Flora, Hall describes a big island of chaparral on the southeast slope of this ridge, and attributes it to slope exposure and desert winds, which, gliding over the [Desert Divide] ridge, strike the slope, giving to it a warmer and drier climate than it would otherwise have. The lowermost part of this trail is close to that island, but not within it.
The botanical highlights of this trail are:

TBS

Number of Unique Taxa On This Trail

The following histogram gives the number of trails in our database that contain each taxon on this trail. We had 287 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 90 of those trails, including this one, are from San Jacinto Mountain. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among all the trails in our database.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 1 1%
2 1 1%
3 2 2%
4 1 1%
5 0 0%

1-5 5 6%
6-10 11 13%
11-15 7 8%
16-20 2 2%
21-25 9 11%
26-30 8 10%
31-35 11 13%
36-40 6 7%
41-45 6 7%
46-50 7 8%
51-115 26 31%
Total Taxa 98 100%

The taxa that are unique to this trail, or are found on only up to two other trail guides, are:

#trails Scientific Name Common Name
1 Arceuthobium cyanocarpum limber-pine dwarf-mistletoe
2 Madia minima dwarf madia
2 Chaenactis parishii Parish's chaenactis

Even though we've seen limber pine on 28 trails, this is the only place we've ever seen dwarf-mistletoe on it.
However, its uniqueness goes away using the Jepson Manual 2, which has merged all of our dwarf mistletoes together. When one does that, the number of other trails that have pine dwarf mistletoe on them is 21.
This merging of the dwarf mistletoes makes a lot of sense to us, since otherwise it is hard to account for seeing it on limber pine in just one location, and on sugar pine in just one location at San Jacinto Mountain. If the species on Pinus jeffreyi / coulteri / ponderosa is actually the same species as limber and sugar pine dwarf mistletoe, then one just has to postulate that it only infrequently grows on limber and sugar pines.
The real "most infrequently seen species" are then Madia minima, seen on only one other trail (the Deer Springs Trail), and Chaenactis parishii, seen on two other trails (both above Garner Valley).
The other two taxa found on only 3 and 4 trails are actually much more widespread, but the number of other trails is artificially low due to some trails specifying just the species and other the subspecies.
The winner for the taxon seen on the most trails is Solidago californica, goldenrod, which appears on a total of 115 trails.
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time

The following table gives the dates the trail was walked and taxa recorded. After the earlier visits, the table gives the total number of taxa on the list and the breakdown of the taxa without positive identification. No breakdown was given for fieldwork after 5/11/2007. See Explanation of Plant Trail Guides to understand the symbols below.

Visit Date Visit # # taxa # "?" # "sp" # "~" # "ssp"
10/3/2003 1 20 4 1 2 0
10/5/2004 2 17 2 0 2 0
7/26/2006 3 23 2 1 2 0
8/2/2006 4 23 2 0 0 0
8/2/2006 4 45 2 2 4 1
8/7/2006 5 78 3 1 9 1
10/26/2006 6 79 3 1 8 1
3/10/2007 7 81 3 1 9 1
5/11/2007 8 91 3 3 7 1
6/15/2007
6/18/2007
6/25/2007
10/18/2007
5/27/2009
5/22/2011
10/30/12

The number of species in the field guide went down on 10/5/04 when some of the unknown species turned out to be the same as ones previously in the guide.
There are two entries for 8/2/06, which was the first date the trail was surveyed beyond Tahquitz Peak. The first entry is for comparison with the previous entries, and records only the section to Tahquitz Peak. The second entry is for the whole trail, but was incomplete for the lower part of the trail due to darkness. The first time the entire trail was surveyed was 8/7/06.
The fieldwork was only to mile 1.79 on 3/10/07 and 5/11/07.
We thank Michael Charters for finding the Sarcodes sanguinea and Stephanomeria exigua on 8/12/06; Erik Blume for help with the 3/10/07 fieldwork; Mike Crouse for help with the 5/27/09 fieldwork; and Keir Morse for help with the 11/3/12 fieldwork.
The top 0.4 mile of the trail was surveyed on 8 different days, with the rest of the trail surveyed going down on only a single day. The lower section of the trail was surveyed going up on 10 different days, with some of those trips only surveying partway up the trail.
Botanical Trip Reports

26 July 2006
2 August 2006
7 August 2006
26 October 2006
The Plant Guide

See also Checklist in Family Order for all the species on this trail.
Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (6 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (2 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin South Ridge Trail at Chinquapin Jct with the PCT, elevation 8570 feet (2610 m)
0.00 b 1 Burlew's onion Allium burlewii 99 / 3 12
0.00 r 2 bush chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens 99 / 9 68
0.00 r 3 white fir Abies concolor 30 / 9 106
0.00 l 4 pussy paws Calyptridium monospermum 5 / 1 33
0.01 l 5 limber pine Pinus flexilis 40 / 7 29
0.02 l 6 San Jacinto Mts. Keckiella (in chinquapin) Keckiella rothrockii var. jacintensis 1 / 1 44
0.03 l 7 ~ Ross' sedge Carex rossii 10 / 2 33
0.03 l 8 western needlegrass Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentale 2 / 2 12
0.04 b 9 Parish's snowberry Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii 2 / 1 74
0.04 r 10 sugar pine Pinus lambertiana 50 / 9 80
0.10 l 11 lodgepole pine Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana 20 / 7 50
0.10 r (limber-pine dwarf-mistletoe, Arceuthobium cyanocarpum)
0.12 r 12 limber-pine dwarf-mistletoe Arceuthobium cyanocarpum 2 / 2 1
0.13 l 13 Parish's campion Silene parishii 10 / 2 36
0.16 l (white-veined wintergreen, Pyrola picta; little prince's pine, Chimaphila menziesii)
0.19 Trail curves left at minor ridge
0.23 l (Watson's spike-moss, Selaginella watsonii)
0.24 l 14 ~ rush blue grass Poa secunda ssp. juncifolia 1 / 1 8
0.26 l 15 shaggy-haired alumroot Heuchera hirsutissima 6 / 2 30
0.26 l 16 little prince's pine Chimaphila menziesii 10 / 3 27
0.26 l 17 Watson's spike-moss Selaginella watsonii 1 / 1 21
0.28 Trail curves left at minor ridge
0.28 r (pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.32 b 18 white-veined wintergreen Pyrola picta 10 / 1 21
0.32 Switchback left.
0.33 Switchback right.
0.35 Trail curves left 90° at minor ridge
0.37 l (spike trisetum, Trisetum spicatum)
0.37 l 19 mountain holly fern Polystichum scopulinum 3 / 1 7
0.37 l 20 mountain spray Holodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus 3 / 3 38
0.40 r 21 curl-leaf mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius 10 / 9 31
0.40 l Jct. to Tahquitz Lookout; go left on it.
0.41 r 22 Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi 99 / 9 105
0.42 l 23 green-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula 99 / 9 65
0.42 Trail begins a series of zig-zags.
0.43 r (granite prickly phlox, Leptodactylon pungens)
0.43 r (canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis)
0.44 l 24 Parish's bedstraw Galium parishii 3 / 2 41
0.44 Tahquitz Lookout base.
0.45 Catwalk of Tahquitz Lookout; elevation 8846 feet (2696 m); broad-seeded rock-cress, Arabis platysperma just east of Lookout; return to trail jct.
0.50 Jct. main South Ridge Trail; go left
0.51 Switchback left
0.51 Switchback right
0.52 r 25 mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 50 / 9 79
0.54 Switchback left
0.56 Switchback right
0.56 l 26 canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepis 99 / 9 91
0.58 l 27 San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus 99 / 9 77
0.58 Switchback left
0.59 r (Grinnell's beardtongue, Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii)
0.61 Switchback right
0.66 r 28 Grinnell's beardtongue Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii 50 / 5 50
0.66 r 29 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 30 / 4 103
0.66 r (San Jacinto prickly phlox, Leptodactylon jaegeri)
0.67 r (San Jacinto Mtns. Daisy, Erigeron breweri var. jacinteus)
0.67 r 30 Parish's needlegrass Achnatherum parishii 1 / 1 44
0.68 r (southern mountain-monardella, Monardella australis; beaked penstemon, Penstemon rostriflorus)
0.70 r 31 Martin's paintbrush Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii 2 / 2 56
0.70 b 32 mountain California-fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium 10 / 3 105
0.72 Switchback left at saddle
0.74 r 33 Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum 99 / 9 44
0.74 l 34 southern mountain-monardella Monardella australis 10 / 3 34
0.74 l 35 squirreltail Elymus elymoides 30 / 9 76
0.74 l 36 rock buckwheat Eriogonum saxatile 5 / 2 22
0.75 l 37 June grass Koeleria macrantha 50 / 5 21
0.77 Switchback right; elevation ~8600 feet (2621 m)
0.79 l 38 San Jacinto Mtns. daisy Erigeron breweri var. jacinteus 2 / 2 9
0.81 Switchback left
0.84 Switchback right
0.86 Switchback left
0.91 l 39 granite prickly phlox Leptodactylon pungens 1 / 1 53
0.97 Switchback right; elevation 8400 feet (2560 m)
1.07 Switchback left
1.10 l 40 California groundcone Boschniakia strobilacea 99 / 9 7
1.15 Switchback right; elevation 8240 feet (2512 m)
1.21 Switchback left
1.31 Switchback right at huge split boulder
1.39 r 41 narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium 10 / 5 74
1.43 Switchback left just below saddle; elevation 8000 feet (2438 m)
1.51 Switchback right; ridge with many footprints to left gives access to the steep cliffs with Tahquitz ivesia, Ivesia callida
1.57 r 42 hybrid manzanita Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea 1 / 1 6
1.57 Switchback left
1.65 Jct. gully leading uphill to steep cliffs with Tahquitz ivesia, Ivesia callida; trail curves right; elevation 7840 feet (2392 m)
1.92 r 43 Holboell's rock-cress Arabis holboellii 2 / 1 41
1.94 r 44 pinedrops Pterospora andromedea 5 / 3 47
2.01 Trail curves left at ridge; elevation 7600 feet (2316 m)
2.01 l 45 Parish's tauschia Tauschia parishii 30 / 9 23
2.04 l (beautiful hulsea, Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha)
l Look for earliest hulsea on trail
2.06 l 46 white catch-fly Silene verecunda ssp. platyota 30 / 9 74
2.22 Local low point at sandy drainage; trail climbs briefly
2.28 Local high point; trail resumes descent
2.29 r 47 pink-bracted manzanita Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea 99 / 9 36
2.31 r 48 spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium 75 / 1 9
2.43 Switchback left
2.45 Switchback right
2.48 Switchback left
2.49 l (California coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica⁺)
2.52 Switchback right at rock window with 3 subpanes
2.62 (California-aster, Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia)
2.66 Trail curves right 90°
2.66 r 49 mountain grape-soda lupine Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus 6 / 4 35
2.67 Switchback left
2.67 r (fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum)
2.70 Switchback right
2.72 Switchback left
2.77 Switchback right; tree with 3 trunks beginning 3 feet above ground
2.81 Switchback left
2.84 b 50 beautiful hulsea Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha 30 / 9 37
2.86 l 51 California-aster Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia 99 / 9 95
2.86 r 52 chaparral whitethorn Ceanothus leucodermis 4 / 2 32
2.87 Switchback right; elevation 7200 feet (2195 m)
2.91 Trail curves right 90° at ridge
2.95 Switchback left
2.99 l 53 naked buckwheat Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum 30 / 9 58
3.00 Switchback right
3.03 Switchback left
3.07 Switchback right
3.14 Switchback left; elevation 7000 feet (2134 m)
3.16 r 54 short-flowered monardella Monardella nana ssp. tenuiflora 50 / 9 49
3.18 Rock / tree window; trail curves left at ridge
3.22 Switchback right
3.24 r 55 Sierra Nevada lotus Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis 30 / 9 49
3.26 l (rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
3.27 b 56 San Jacinto buckwheat Eriogonum apiculatum 30 / 3 47
3.28 l 57 Parish' Jacumba milk-vetch Astragalus douglasii var. parishii 30 / 9 15
3.29 Switchback left
3.32 Switchback right
3.34 Switchback left
3.34 b 58 Nevin's bird's beak Cordylanthus nevinii 20 / 2 34
3.34 r 59 Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum 30 / 9 32
3.34 r 60 snow-plant Sarcodes sanguinea 10 / 4 45
3.38 Switchback right; elevation ~6900 feet (2103 m)
3.49 Switchback left
3.53 r 61 Jepson's blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii 10 / 2 21
3.53 Trail curves right 90°
3.58 b 62 western wallflower Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum 20 / 2 85
3.61 r 63 *downy brome Bromus tectorum 50 / 5 82
3.62 b 64 incense-cedar Calocedrus decurrens 5 / 1 62
3.65 Switchback right
3.65 r 65 Laguna Mtns. jewel-flower Streptanthus bernardinus 6 / 4 8
3.67 Trail curves left
3.70 r 66 woodland spurge Euphorbia palmeri 1 / 1 18
3.70 b 67 southern mountain woolly-star Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum 30 / 2 25
3.71 b 68 bracken Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens 2 / 1 72
3.72 l Sign: "San Jacinto Wilderness"
3.73 l Jct. old road
3.75 r Impressive flat-topped rock outcrop
3.75 b 69 groundsmoke Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum 10 / 1 47
3.75 l 70 ~ slender wreathplant Stephanomeria exigua 1 / 1 3
3.75 r 71 small fescue Vulpia microstachys 40 / 3 7
3.77 Trail turns left 90°
3.79 l 72 Davidson's buckwheat Eriogonum davidsonii 3 / 1 39
3.80 Trail turns right 90° at drainage; elevation 6640 feet (2024 m)
3.81 r 73 fir mistletoe Phoradendron pauciflorum 2 / 2 32
3.83 Trail jogs left, then right
3.85 r Rock window formed by two huge boulders
3.89 l Boulders showing old soil line by absence of lichens at base
3.90 Trail curves left
3.91 l Several 6 inch wide yellow-brown mushrooms
3.95 r 74 California black oak Quercus kelloggii 3 / 1 33
3.95 l 75 interior live oak Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens 4 / 2 33
3.96 Trail curves left
3.97 r 76 volcanic gilia Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis 10 / 2 7
3.98 Trail curves left
3.98 l 77 Parish's chaenactis Chaenactis parishii 10 / 1 3
3.99 l 78 bush monkeyflower Mimulus aurantiacus 10 / 1 56
3.99 l 79 California coffeeberry Rhamnus californica 1 / 1 28
4.01 Switchback right
4.03 r 80 Mexican manzanita Arctostaphylos pungens 1 / 1 13
4.03 l 81 oak mistletoe Phoradendron villosum 10 / 2 30
4.03 Switchback left
4.03 l 82 splendid gilia Gilia splendens ssp. splendens 30 / 3 26
4.06 l 83 bajada lupine Lupinus concinnus 10 / 3 66
4.07 l 84 incense-cedar mistletoe Phoradendron libocedri 1 / 1 13
4.07 l Sign: Be prepared for hazardous conditions; permit required for wilderness area�"
4.07 l 85 white-margined oxytheca Oxytheca emarginata 30 / 3 10
4.08 l 86 Cleveland's horkelia Horkelia clevelandii 1 / 1 37
4.08 Switchback right at drainage
4.09 87 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia 2 / 2 67
4.09 b 88 goldenrod Solidago californica 10 / 1 115
4.10 l 89 forest sedge Carex multicaulis 5 / 5 14
4.10 l 90 California elegant rock-cress Arabis sparsiflora var. californica 50 / 3 9
4.10 l 91 prickly cryptantha Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii 20 / 2 4
4.11 b 92 Coulter pine Pinus coulteri 2 / 2 27
4.11 l 93 pine dwarf-mistletoe Arceuthobium campylopodum 65 / 3 17
4.11 l 94 leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus 30 / 7 83
4.11 l 95 Indian milkweed Asclepias eriocarpa 1 / 1 24
4.11 l 96 mountain red-root cryptantha Cryptantha micrantha var. lepida 99 / 5 22
4.11 l 97 strigose lotus Lotus strigosus 99 / 9 87
4.11 l 98 whisker-brush Linanthus ciliatus 40 / 5 14
4.11 End trail at lower trailhead; elevation ~6540 feet (1995 m)

Comments On Specific Species

Poa secunda ssp. juncifolia. Plants at mile 0.24 are very different-looking from normal Poa secunda, and as a result formerly were called Poa nevadensis. However, Elizabeth Anne Kellogg showed in 1985 that these different forms are environmentally induced.
Curiously, most vouchers from this area are of ssp. secunda, which is clearly ruled out by every characteristic in the Jepson Manual key. The lemmas are glabrous, not hairy; the ligule of the sterile shoots is only 1 mm and truncate, not greater than 2 mm and acute; and the leaf blade is firm, retaining its shape, not withering after bloom. The non-withering leaves is the easiest trait to observe in the field.
Rhamnus californica. See note in Devils Slide Trail Guide.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	1	1%
2	1	1%
3	2	2%
4	1	1%
5	0	0%

1-5	5	6%
6-10	11	13%
11-15	7	8%
16-20	2	2%
21-25	9	11%
26-30	8	10%
31-35	11	13%
36-40	6	7%
41-45	6	7%
46-50	7	8%
51-115	26	31%
Total Taxa	98	100%

#trails	Scientific Name	Common Name
1	Arceuthobium cyanocarpum	limber-pine dwarf-mistletoe
2	Madia minima	dwarf madia
2	Chaenactis parishii	Parish's chaenactis

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
10/3/2003	1	20	4	1	2	0
10/5/2004	2	17	2	0	2	0
7/26/2006	3	23	2	1	2	0
8/2/2006	4	23	2	0	0	0
8/2/2006	4	45	2	2	4	1
8/7/2006	5	78	3	1	9	1
10/26/2006	6	79	3	1	8	1
3/10/2007	7	81	3	1	9	1
5/11/2007	8	91	3	3	7	1
6/15/2007
6/18/2007
6/25/2007
10/18/2007
5/27/2009
5/22/2011
10/30/12

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin South Ridge Trail at Chinquapin Jct with the PCT, elevation 8570 feet (2610 m)
0.00	b	1		Burlew's onion	Allium burlewii	99 / 3	12
0.00	r	2		bush chinquapin	Chrysolepis sempervirens	99 / 9	68
0.00	r	3		white fir	Abies concolor	30 / 9	106
0.00	l	4		pussy paws	Calyptridium monospermum	5 / 1	33
0.01	l	5		limber pine	Pinus flexilis	40 / 7	29
0.02	l	6		San Jacinto Mts. Keckiella (in chinquapin)	Keckiella rothrockii var. jacintensis	1 / 1	44
0.03	l	7	~	Ross' sedge	Carex rossii	10 / 2	33
0.03	l	8		western needlegrass	Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentale	2 / 2	12
0.04	b	9		Parish's snowberry	Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii	2 / 1	74
0.04	r	10		sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana	50 / 9	80
0.10	l	11		lodgepole pine	Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana	20 / 7	50
0.10	r			(limber-pine dwarf-mistletoe, Arceuthobium cyanocarpum)
0.12	r	12		limber-pine dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium cyanocarpum	2 / 2	1
0.13	l	13		Parish's campion	Silene parishii	10 / 2	36
0.16	l			(white-veined wintergreen, Pyrola picta; little prince's pine, Chimaphila menziesii)
0.19				Trail curves left at minor ridge
0.23	l			(Watson's spike-moss, Selaginella watsonii)
0.24	l	14	~	rush blue grass	Poa secunda ssp. juncifolia	1 / 1	8
0.26	l	15		shaggy-haired alumroot	Heuchera hirsutissima	6 / 2	30
0.26	l	16		little prince's pine	Chimaphila menziesii	10 / 3	27
0.26	l	17		Watson's spike-moss	Selaginella watsonii	1 / 1	21
0.28				Trail curves left at minor ridge
0.28	r			(pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.32	b	18		white-veined wintergreen	Pyrola picta	10 / 1	21
0.32				Switchback left.
0.33				Switchback right.
0.35				Trail curves left 90° at minor ridge
0.37	l			(spike trisetum, Trisetum spicatum)
0.37	l	19		mountain holly fern	Polystichum scopulinum	3 / 1	7
0.37	l	20		mountain spray	Holodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus	3 / 3	38
0.40	r	21		curl-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus ledifolius	10 / 9	31
0.40	l			Jct. to Tahquitz Lookout; go left on it.
0.41	r	22		Jeffrey pine	Pinus jeffreyi	99 / 9	105
0.42	l	23		green-leaf manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula	99 / 9	65
0.42				Trail begins a series of zig-zags.
0.43	r			(granite prickly phlox, Leptodactylon pungens)
0.43	r			(canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis)
0.44	l	24		Parish's bedstraw	Galium parishii	3 / 2	41
0.44				Tahquitz Lookout base.
0.45				Catwalk of Tahquitz Lookout; elevation 8846 feet (2696 m); broad-seeded rock-cress, Arabis platysperma just east of Lookout; return to trail jct.
0.50				Jct. main South Ridge Trail; go left
0.51				Switchback left
0.51				Switchback right
0.52	r	25		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	50 / 9	79
0.54				Switchback left
0.56				Switchback right
0.56	l	26		canyon live oak	Quercus chrysolepis	99 / 9	91
0.58	l	27		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus	99 / 9	77
0.58				Switchback left
0.59	r			(Grinnell's beardtongue, Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii)
0.61				Switchback right
0.66	r	28		Grinnell's beardtongue	Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii	50 / 5	50
0.66	r	29		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	30 / 4	103
0.66	r			(San Jacinto prickly phlox, Leptodactylon jaegeri)
0.67	r			(San Jacinto Mtns. Daisy, Erigeron breweri var. jacinteus)
0.67	r	30		Parish's needlegrass	Achnatherum parishii	1 / 1	44
0.68	r			(southern mountain-monardella, Monardella australis; beaked penstemon, Penstemon rostriflorus)
0.70	r	31		Martin's paintbrush	Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii	2 / 2	56
0.70	b	32		mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	10 / 3	105
0.72				Switchback left at saddle
0.74	r	33		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum	99 / 9	44
0.74	l	34		southern mountain-monardella	Monardella australis	10 / 3	34
0.74	l	35		squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	30 / 9	76
0.74	l	36		rock buckwheat	Eriogonum saxatile	5 / 2	22
0.75	l	37		June grass	Koeleria macrantha	50 / 5	21
0.77				Switchback right; elevation ~8600 feet (2621 m)
0.79	l	38		San Jacinto Mtns. daisy	Erigeron breweri var. jacinteus	2 / 2	9
0.81				Switchback left
0.84				Switchback right
0.86				Switchback left
0.91	l	39		granite prickly phlox	Leptodactylon pungens	1 / 1	53
0.97				Switchback right; elevation 8400 feet (2560 m)
1.07				Switchback left
1.10	l	40		California groundcone	Boschniakia strobilacea	99 / 9	7
1.15				Switchback right; elevation 8240 feet (2512 m)
1.21				Switchback left
1.31				Switchback right at huge split boulder
1.39	r	41		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	10 / 5	74
1.43				Switchback left just below saddle; elevation 8000 feet (2438 m)
1.51				Switchback right; ridge with many footprints to left gives access to the steep cliffs with Tahquitz ivesia, Ivesia callida
1.57	r	42		hybrid manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea	1 / 1	6
1.57				Switchback left
1.65				Jct. gully leading uphill to steep cliffs with Tahquitz ivesia, Ivesia callida; trail curves right; elevation 7840 feet (2392 m)
1.92	r	43		Holboell's rock-cress	Arabis holboellii	2 / 1	41
1.94	r	44		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	5 / 3	47
2.01				Trail curves left at ridge; elevation 7600 feet (2316 m)
2.01	l	45		Parish's tauschia	Tauschia parishii	30 / 9	23
2.04	l			(beautiful hulsea, Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha)
	l			Look for earliest hulsea on trail
2.06	l	46		white catch-fly	Silene verecunda ssp. platyota	30 / 9	74
2.22				Local low point at sandy drainage; trail climbs briefly
2.28				Local high point; trail resumes descent
2.29	r	47		pink-bracted manzanita	Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea	99 / 9	36
2.31	r	48		spreading dogbane	Apocynum androsaemifolium	75 / 1	9
2.43				Switchback left
2.45				Switchback right
2.48				Switchback left
2.49	l			(California coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica⁺)
2.52				Switchback right at rock window with 3 subpanes
2.62				(California-aster, Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia)
2.66				Trail curves right 90°
2.66	r	49		mountain grape-soda lupine	Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus	6 / 4	35
2.67				Switchback left
2.67	r			(fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum)
2.70				Switchback right
2.72				Switchback left
2.77				Switchback right; tree with 3 trunks beginning 3 feet above ground
2.81				Switchback left
2.84	b	50		beautiful hulsea	Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha	30 / 9	37
2.86	l	51		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	99 / 9	95
2.86	r	52		chaparral whitethorn	Ceanothus leucodermis	4 / 2	32
2.87				Switchback right; elevation 7200 feet (2195 m)
2.91				Trail curves right 90° at ridge
2.95				Switchback left
2.99	l	53		naked buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum	30 / 9	58
3.00				Switchback right
3.03				Switchback left
3.07				Switchback right
3.14				Switchback left; elevation 7000 feet (2134 m)
3.16	r	54		short-flowered monardella	Monardella nana ssp. tenuiflora	50 / 9	49
3.18				Rock / tree window; trail curves left at ridge
3.22				Switchback right
3.24	r	55		Sierra Nevada lotus	Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis	30 / 9	49
3.26	l			(rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
3.27	b	56		San Jacinto buckwheat	Eriogonum apiculatum	30 / 3	47
3.28	l	57		Parish' Jacumba milk-vetch	Astragalus douglasii var. parishii	30 / 9	15
3.29				Switchback left
3.32				Switchback right
3.34				Switchback left
3.34	b	58		Nevin's bird's beak	Cordylanthus nevinii	20 / 2	34
3.34	r	59		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum	30 / 9	32
3.34	r	60		snow-plant	Sarcodes sanguinea	10 / 4	45
3.38				Switchback right; elevation ~6900 feet (2103 m)
3.49				Switchback left
3.53	r	61		Jepson's blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii	10 / 2	21
3.53				Trail curves right 90°
3.58	b	62		western wallflower	Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum	20 / 2	85
3.61	r	63		*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	50 / 5	82
3.62	b	64		incense-cedar	Calocedrus decurrens	5 / 1	62
3.65				Switchback right
3.65	r	65		Laguna Mtns. jewel-flower	Streptanthus bernardinus	6 / 4	8
3.67				Trail curves left
3.70	r	66		woodland spurge	Euphorbia palmeri	1 / 1	18
3.70	b	67		southern mountain woolly-star	Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum	30 / 2	25
3.71	b	68		bracken	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	2 / 1	72
3.72	l			Sign: "San Jacinto Wilderness"
3.73	l			Jct. old road
3.75	r			Impressive flat-topped rock outcrop
3.75	b	69		groundsmoke	Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum	10 / 1	47
3.75	l	70	~	slender wreathplant	Stephanomeria exigua	1 / 1	3
3.75	r	71		small fescue	Vulpia microstachys	40 / 3	7
3.77				Trail turns left 90°
3.79	l	72		Davidson's buckwheat	Eriogonum davidsonii	3 / 1	39
3.80				Trail turns right 90° at drainage; elevation 6640 feet (2024 m)
3.81	r	73		fir mistletoe	Phoradendron pauciflorum	2 / 2	32
3.83				Trail jogs left, then right
3.85	r			Rock window formed by two huge boulders
3.89	l			Boulders showing old soil line by absence of lichens at base
3.90				Trail curves left
3.91	l			Several 6 inch wide yellow-brown mushrooms
3.95	r	74		California black oak	Quercus kelloggii	3 / 1	33
3.95	l	75		interior live oak	Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens	4 / 2	33
3.96				Trail curves left
3.97	r	76		volcanic gilia	Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis	10 / 2	7
3.98				Trail curves left
3.98	l	77		Parish's chaenactis	Chaenactis parishii	10 / 1	3
3.99	l	78		bush monkeyflower	Mimulus aurantiacus	10 / 1	56
3.99	l	79		California coffeeberry	Rhamnus californica	1 / 1	28
4.01				Switchback right
4.03	r	80		Mexican manzanita	Arctostaphylos pungens	1 / 1	13
4.03	l	81		oak mistletoe	Phoradendron villosum	10 / 2	30
4.03				Switchback left
4.03	l	82		splendid gilia	Gilia splendens ssp. splendens	30 / 3	26
4.06	l	83		bajada lupine	Lupinus concinnus	10 / 3	66
4.07	l	84		incense-cedar mistletoe	Phoradendron libocedri	1 / 1	13
4.07	l			Sign: Be prepared for hazardous conditions; permit required for wilderness area�"
4.07	l	85		white-margined oxytheca	Oxytheca emarginata	30 / 3	10
4.08	l	86		Cleveland's horkelia	Horkelia clevelandii	1 / 1	37
4.08				Switchback right at drainage
4.09		87		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	2 / 2	67
4.09	b	88		goldenrod	Solidago californica	10 / 1	115
4.10	l	89		forest sedge	Carex multicaulis	5 / 5	14
4.10	l	90		California elegant rock-cress	Arabis sparsiflora var. californica	50 / 3	9
4.10	l	91		prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii	20 / 2	4
4.11	b	92		Coulter pine	Pinus coulteri	2 / 2	27
4.11	l	93		pine dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium campylopodum	65 / 3	17
4.11	l	94		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	30 / 7	83
4.11	l	95		Indian milkweed	Asclepias eriocarpa	1 / 1	24
4.11	l	96		mountain red-root cryptantha	Cryptantha micrantha var. lepida	99 / 5	22
4.11	l	97		strigose lotus	Lotus strigosus	99 / 9	87
4.11	l	98		whisker-brush	Linanthus ciliatus	40 / 5	14
4.11				End trail at lower trailhead; elevation ~6540 feet (1995 m)

Go to:

Plant Species of San Jacinto Mountain
Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides
Flora of San Jacinto Mountain

Copyright © 2003-2012 by Tom Chester, Dave Stith and James Dillane.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/sb/plants/guides/srt.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 18 November 2012.