Plant Guide to Blue Sky Ecological Reserve to Mt. Woodson Trail, Poway

Plant Guide to Blue Sky Ecological Reserve to Mt. Woodson Trail, Poway

This is a working list, about which we make no guarantees at all until we officially release it. Use at your own risk!

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

Highlights of This Trail

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. I had 71 trails in my database when this histogram was made; 2 of those trails, including this one, are at Blue Sky Ecological Reserve or the Lake Poway Area. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in my database; numbers of "2" or smaller may indicate taxa found only at Blue Sky Ecological Reserve or the Lake Poway Area.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 2 1%
2 6 4%
3 5 3%
4 8 6%
5 1 1%

1-5 22 15%
6-10 36 25%
11-15 29 20%
16-20 17 12%
21-25 15 10%
26-30 14 10%
31-35 8 6%
36-40 5 3%
Total Taxa 145 100%

I found 26 additional species not in the above table, since they have not been identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ? or sp in the id? column in the guide, and have no entries in the #all column.
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time

The following table gives the dates the trail was walked and taxa recorded. After each visit, the table gives the total number of taxa on the list and the breakdown of the taxa without positive identification. See Explanation of Plant Trail Guides to understand the symbols below.

Visit Date Visit # # taxa # "?" # "sp" # "~" # "ssp"
10/5/2002 1 92 19 6 12 2
10/17/2002 2 93 19 5 10 2
2/3/2003 3 165 21 18 17 6
2/16/2003 4 171 14 16 20 4
12/13/2003 5 171 13 17 20 3

The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page (8 pages)

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin trail guide at the gate across road, elevation 700 feet, downhill to the south from the parking lot.
0.00 r 1 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium / 30
0.00 r 2 *rattail fescue Vulpia myuros var. myuros / 10
0.00 r 3 California sagebrush Artemisia californica 99 / 9 31
0.00 r 4 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum 99 / 9 37
0.00 b 5 *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana 99 / 9 36
0.00 r 6 *tocalote Centaurea melitensis 99 / 9 31
0.00 l 7 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 99 / 9 34
0.00 l 8 common pepper-grass Lepidium densiflorum var. elongatum 20 / 1 1
0.00 l 9 yellow fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia / 8
0.00 l 10 *gazania Gazania X (mounding hybrid) 1 / 1 3
0.00 l 11 short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus / 13
0.00 r Sign: "Caution: pedestrians on trail. Authorized vehicles only"
0.00 r 12 laurel sumac Malosma laurina 50 / 9 27
0.00 r 13 wild-cucumber Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus 30 / 9 31
0.00 l 14 ~ popcorn flower Cryptantha intermedia / 18
0.01 l 15 *bermuda grass Cynodon dactylon 6 / 2 13
0.01 l 16 *narrowleaf filago Filago gallica / 28
0.01 l 17 *annual blue grass Poa annua 5 / 1 7
0.01 r Sign: "California Department of Fish and Game. Welcome. Dogs on leash only."
0.01 r 18 broom baccharis Baccharis sarothroides⁺ 5 / 5 7
0.02 l 19 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus 50 / 2 34
0.03 l 20 ? unk rosette almost like sow thistle ? /
0.03 l 21 matchweed Gutierrezia sarothrae 50 / 9 4
0.03 l 22 white sage Salvia apiana 509 / 27
0.03 l 23 blue dicks Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum 99 / 9 28
0.03 r 24 *horehound Marrubium vulgare 10 / 1 17
0.03 r 25 bush monkeyflower Mimulus aurantiacus 50 / 9 29
0.04 l 26 coastal goldenbush Isocoma menziesii⁺ 20 / 5 4
0.04 l 27 south coast morning-glory Calystegia macrostegia ssp. intermedia / 11
0.04 l 28 small-seeded spurge Chamaesyce polycarpa 2 / 2 7
0.04 l 29 *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 5 / 1 10
0.04 l 30 California dodder Cuscuta californica var. californica⁺ / 12
0.04 r 31 ssp leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus / 28
0.04 l 32 ? phacelia or eucrypta sp.
0.04 l 33 *California burclover Medicago polymorpha 99 / 9 25
0.04 l 34 chaparral yucca Yucca whipplei 20 / 9 17
0.04 l 35 California four o'clock Mirabilis californica 50 / 4 12
0.04 r 36 *petty spurge Euphorbia peplus 5 / 1 6
0.06 37 western ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya 99 / 9 24
0.06 l (coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia)
0.06 r 38 *Russian thistle Salsola tragus 10 / 1 21
0.07 r 39 San Diego wreathplant Stephanomeria diegensis 99 / 9 6
0.07 Cross small drainage.
0.07 r 40 California plantain Plantago erecta 99 / 2 8
0.07 r Display kiosk and porta-potty.
0.08 r 41 pygmy-weed Crassula connata 99 / 3 11
0.08 r 42 unk small plants with wedge-shaped leaves like venus hair fern
0.08 r 43 sp clarkia sp. Clarkia sp. /
0.08 r 44 *mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium glomeratum 99 / 2 11
0.08 r 45 ~ *smooth cat's ear Hypochaeris glabra 99 / 2 21
0.08 r 46 saw-toothed goldenbush Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides 50 / 9 25
0.08 r 47 ~ *white-stemmed filaree Erodium moschatum / 10
0.08 r 48 *Australian brass-buttons Cotula australis 99 / 1 9
0.08 r 49 sp miner's lettuce (linear leaves) Claytonia exigua or C. parviflora^2 20 / 1
0.08 r 50 coast jepsonia Jepsonia parryi 99 / 1 9
0.09 Enter shade. Canyon is more than 50% shaded from this point on.
0.09 b 51 coast live oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia 50 / 9 29
0.09 r Check for different phacelia or eucrypta sp. here, and earlier branching phacelia
0.09 r 52 ? California brome? Bromus carinatus var. carinatus? /
0.09 r 53 coffee fern Pellaea andromedifolia 50 / 9 16
0.09 r 54 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia 50 / 9 29
0.09 r 55 ssp narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium 10 / 9 37
0.09 r 56 California polypody Polypodium californicum 50 / 3 11
0.09 r 57 ~ goldenstar Bloomeria crocea / 8
0.09 r 58 silverback fern Pentagramma triangularis ssp. viscosa 50 / 5 3
0.09 r 59 small-flowered melica Melica imperfecta 50 / 9 25
0.09 r 60 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 20 / 5 38
0.09 r 61 ~ *windmill pink Silene gallica 99 / 5 20
0.10 l 62 poison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum 99 / 9 28
0.10 Cross side drainage
0.10 r 63 ~ Chinese houses Collinsia heterophylla 99 / 3 10
0.10 r 64 ? checkerbloom? Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia? /
0.10 r 65 sp miner's lettuce (wedge-shaped leaves) Claytonia sp. 20 / 1
0.10 r 66 *common chickweed Stellaria media 99 / 2 15
0.10 r 67 common bedstraw Galium aparine 99 / 2 19
0.10 r 68 ? fiesta flower Pholistoma auritum var. auritum 99 / 2 9
0.11 l 69 ~ triangular-fruit sedge Carex triquetra 1 / 1 10
0.11 l 70 Torrey's oak Quercus Xacutidens 50 / 9 6
0.11 r Hundreds of coast jepsonia, Jepsonia parryi line the trail for a while here.
0.11 r 71 *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus 5 / 1 20
0.12 l 72 *charlock Sinapis arvensis 5 / 1 2
0.12 l 73 ? rattlesnake weed Daucus pusillus 99 / 3 13
0.12 l 74 ? unk bristly rosette - fiddleneck?
0.13 r 75 ? sanicle? Sanicula sp.? /
0.13 r (Check for different clover sp. here.)
0.13 l 76 ? unk mustard like hedge mustard ? /
0.13 l 77 *soft chess Bromus hordeaceus / 25
0.14 78 California-aster Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia / 35
0.15 79 ? grass like elymus glaucus
0.15 r (Check for goldback fern here)
0.15 r 80 chaparral beard-tongue Keckiella antirrhinoides var. antirrhinoides 30 / 9 6
0.15 l Post on left, brown except for yellow top.
0.16 r 81 fringe-pod Thysanocarpus curvipes 50 / 1 6
0.16 r 82 dwarf lupine Lupinus bicolor 5 / 1 17
0.16 l Jct. trail to Oak Grove.
0.17 r 83 young mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 3 / 3 26
0.17 84 sp Avena sp.
0.17 l 85 sp lotus Lotus hamatus or strigosus? /
0.17 l 86 bristly bird's beak Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus 3 / 1 21
0.17 l 87 sp suncup Camissonia sp. /
0.18 r 88 San Diego sagewort Artemisia palmeri 99 / 9 3
0.18 r 89 toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia 3 / 3 34
0.18 l 90 chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum 99 / 9 26
0.18 r 91 southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 20 / 9 29
0.18 r 92 ~ virgin's bower Clematis lasiantha 50 / 2 4
0.20 l Sign: "Hawks! Vultures! ...".
0.20 l 93 redberry Rhamnus crocea 5 / 1 11
0.21 94 ? one-sided bluegrass? Poa secunda^2? /
0.21 r eucrypta Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia⁺ 20 / 3 14
0.21 r (Check for another different lily family species)
0.21 r 95 sp Fendler's meadow-rue Thalictrum fendleri 99 / 3 2
0.23 r 96 sugar bush Rhus ovata 2 / 2 17
0.26 r 97 ~ California chicory Rafinesquia californica 20 / 1 14
0.26 r (Check for different clarkia sp. here.)
0.26 r 98 mugwort Artemisia douglasiana 99 / 3 22
0.26 r 99 California peony Paeonia californica 10 / 2 10
0.27 r sp (Check for different sanicle sp. here)
0.28 r 100 sp larkspur Delphinium sp. /
0.28 r 101 giant wild rye Leymus condensatus 20 / 3 22
0.28 r 102 San Diego pea Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii / 13
0.31 l Post, brown except for yellow top. Broken off at base on 2/3/03, now laying on its side.
0.32 r 103 *bull thistle Cirsium vulgare 1 / 1 10
0.37 l 104 blue elderberry Sambucus mexicana 1 / 1 33
0.42 r 105 California everlasting Gnaphalium californicum 1 / 1 23
0.43 r 106 white-flowering currant Ribes indecorum 5 / 5 11
l 107 ~ sacapellote Acourtia microcephala⁺ 1 / 1 11
0.43 l Jct. Creekside Trail.
0.43 l mature mule fat Baccharis salicifolia /
0.43 l Sign: "Tracks" with examples of animal tracks.
0.44 Cross side drainage
0.47 l 108 red willow Salix laevigata 1 / 1 14
0.48 l 109 telegraph weed Heterotheca grandiflora 30 / 2 20
0.48 r Jct. closed-off road/path.
0.49 r 110 horseweed Conyza canadensis 5 / 1 21
0.49 l Sign: "Lifeblood of the Canyon..."
0.50 l 111 *common plantain Plantago major 5 / 2 2
0.50 l (Check for different bromus sp. here.)
0.50 l 112 Hooker's evening-primrose Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima 30 / 3 3
0.50 l 113 arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis 2 / 2 24
0.51 l 114 *bristly ox-tongue Picris echioides 5 / 1 7
0.51 l 115 yerba mansa Anemopsis californica 20 / 1 2
0.51 l 116 ~ stinging nettle Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea 20 / 1 8
0.51 l 117 *rabbits-foot grass Polypogon monspeliensis 1 / 1 11
0.51 Road formerly had large cobbles in it here to fill in a wet spot, but road was regraded in 2003, removing the cobbles.
0.57 l sp (sedge like San Diego sedge, Carex spissa)
0.60 118 western sycamore Platanus racemosa 5 / 2 17
0.63 l Large isolated boulder
0.65 119 goldenrod Solidago californica 20 / 3 24
0.65 r 120 California maidenhair fern Adiantum jordanii 50 / 2 6
0.67 r 121 ssp sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa 10 / 1 6
0.67 View into Creekbed on left, with the following 4 species visible: San Diego sedge?, Carex spissa?, desert wild grape, Vitis girdiana, cattail, Typha sp., and another sedge. At mile 0.72, one can scramble into the creekbed without going through poison oak.
0.70 r 122 milk maids Cardamine californica var. californica 10 / 1 4
0.71 l Poison oak-free short scramble to creek bed.
0.72 r 123 climbing bedstraw Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii 1 / 1 14
0.72 r (Check for different wild pea sp. here.)
0.73 r (Check for Rhamnus pilosa here; specimen has densely hairy twigs and lvs.)
0.79 l 124 California blackberry Rubus ursinus 50 / 1 11
0.80 Cross side drainage
0.80 r 125 umbrella sedge Cyperus eragrostis 5 / 1 4
0.81 r Jct. road to Lake Poway; elevation ~665 feet; sign on r: "Lake Poway [to right]"; sign on l: "Espola Road 0.9 mi [back] Lake Ramona 2 mi". Go right.
0.89 Leave shaded canyon for open chaparral.
0.89 b 126 sp filaree Erodium brachycarpum or botrys. 99 / 1
0.90 l 127 California poppy Eschscholzia californica 20 / 1 20
0.90 l Check for different clarkia here when it blooms.
0.91 r Sign: "Poison Oak". Jct. road to campground.
0.93 l Jct. road / path.
0.95 b Jct. firebreak / boundary of BSER. Firebreak is signed "Do Not Enter". Go straight, enter Lake Poway Recreation Area.
0.99 r View of Lake Poway Dam.
1.01 128 sp Mariposa lily. Calochortus sp. /
1.01 l 129 bird's-foot fern Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata 1 / 1 19
1.04 r 130 dove weed Eremocarpus setigerus 5 / 1 10
1.04 r 131 Bathroom building of Campground (running water).
1.04 r 132 *London rocket Sisymbrium irio 5 / 1 6
1.04 r 133 sp *Mexican tea Chenopodium ambrosioides 3 / 1 6
1.10 r 134 ~ *curly dock Rumex crispus 5 / 1 13
1.11 l 135 *smilo grass Piptatherum miliaceum 30 / 1 14
1.12 l (purple wild radish, Raphanus sativus)
1.12 Cross small drainage; begin short section of steep uphill.
1.13 l (mission manzanita, Xylococcus bicolor)
1.16 l Jct. Lake Poway Trail; go left and take it; elevation ~720 feet. Sign: "[on Lake Poway Trail: Lake Poway Trail 1.9 miles; Mt. Woodson Trail 1.0 miles. [going back on the road]: Lake Ramona 1.9 miles; Campground 0.1 mile."
1.17 b 136 mission manzanita Xylococcus bicolor 20 / 9 10
1.19 l popcorn flower Cryptantha clevelandii or intermedia⁺ /
1.19 r 137 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides 5 / 5 13
1.19 r 138 ~ California filago Filago californica 20 / 1 12
1.19 l 139 virgin's bower Clematis pauciflora 5 / 2 7
1.20 b 140 southern tauschia Tauschia arguta 20 / 1 4
1.20 r 141 sp California suncup? Camissonia californica? /
1.20 l Post with a number "6".
1.21 l 142 Robinson's pepper-grass Lepidium virginicum var. robinsonii 20 / 1 2
1.21 Cross major drainage.
1.21 b (Pampas grass, Cortaderia jubata)
1.21 b 143 California fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. canum 5 / 1 10
1.21 r 144 ~ cotton-batting plant Gnaphalium stramineum 2 / 1 9
1.23 Cross side drainage
1.25 l Check lepidium sp. here (not nitidum^2)
1.25 l 145 San Diego jewelflower Caulanthus heterophyllus var. heterophyllus 20 / 5 3
1.26 Trail curves right 90°
1.27 r 146 lanceleaf dudleya Dudleya lanceolata 5 / 2 16
1.29 Trail curves left 90°
1.30 r 147 California chalk lettuce Dudleya pulverulenta ssp. pulverulenta 5 / 5 7
1.32 r 148 baby blue eyes Nemophila menziesii var. integrifolia 20 / 1 2
1.32 r 149 sp skunkweed Navarretia sp. 20 / 1
1.32 r 150 sp prickly cryptantha? Cryptantha muricata? /
1.33 r Check for another different clarkia here when it blooms.
1.33 r 151 ~ purple snapdragon Antirrhinum nuttallianum / 4
1.33 l 152 branching phacelia Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia / 20
1.37 r 153 Parry's phacelia Phacelia parryi 2 / 1 4
1.38 Trail makes a long curve right 90°
1.40 r Jct. shortcut.
1.40 b 154 giant needlegrass Achnatherum coronatum 1 / 1 17
1.41 r Sign: "Lake Poway Trail 1.0 mile"; switchback right.
1.53 l 155 ? robust rosette like fiddleneck ? /
1.57 l 156 collar lupine Lupinus truncatus 5 / 2 15
1.61 Switchback left.
1.63 Switchback right.
1.66 r 157 ~ *common groundsel Senecio vulgaris 1 / 1 11
1.67 l 158 Bigelow's spike-moss Selaginella bigelovii / 13
1.69 Switchback left; good view of water in Lake Poway.
1.70 Switchback right.
1.70 l 159 ~ shining peppergrass Lepidium nitidum var. nitidum 20 / 1
1.71 r 160 ~ *foxtail chess Bromus madritensis ssp. madritensis / 1
1.74 Local high point of trail; elevation ~980 feet; descend to path around Lake Poway.
1.76 r 161 California brickellbush Brickellia californica 20 / 3 21
1.80 r 162 stinging lupine Lupinus hirsutissimus 3 / 2 11
1.80 l 163 ? yellow pincushion? Chaenactis glabriuscula? /
1.83 l 164 ~ showy penstemon Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis 1 / 1 8
1.83 l 165 sp meally white pincushion? Chaenactis artemisiifolia? /
1.88 l 166 bicolored everlasting Gnaphalium bicolor 1 / 1 19
1.88 r Jct. with trail across upper dam surface; sign: "Lake Poway Trail 1.5".
1.90 l 167 *fountain grass Pennisetum setaceum 20 / 2 6
1.98 l Two porta-potties.
1.98 l 168 *Peruvian pepper tree Schinus molle 1 / 1 5
1.99 Pine Point.
2.01 r 169 ~ slender sunflower Helianthus gracilentus 5 / 1 9
2.07 Cross drainage; two porta-potties.
2.09 170 *nit grass Gastridium ventricosum / 14
2.10 r 171 black sage Salvia mellifera / 27
2.17 r Post with a number "9" at a mission manzanita and a wild cucumber.
2.18 r Two porta-potties.
2.20 l Jct. with trail to Mt. Woodson; elevation ~1000 feet. Sign: "[along the trail to Woodson]: Mt. Woodson Trail 1.0; Fry-Koegel Trail 0.9; Mt. Woodson Estates 2.8; Warren Creek 3.1; Highway 67 3.3. [along the Lake Poway Trail back the way you came]: Campground 1.1; Park Info Office 1.9; [along the Lake Poway Trail continuing forward]: Lake Poway Park 2.8".
2.20 Trail guide ends here. Continue with either the Trail to Mt. Woodson or the Lake Poway Trail around the Lake.

Comments On Specific Species

Baccharis sarothroides. The very first specimen has some larger leaves that resemble B. pilularis, but they are still one-veined from base and the habit of the plant is that of Baccharis sarothroides. The other specimens on the trail are more classic Baccharis sarothroides.
Isocoma menziesii. In my experience, the subspecies are not separable in Southern California. See Comments on the Jepson Manual and A Flora of Southern California by Munz: Isocoma menziesii.
Cuscuta californica var. californica. The identification comes from a specimen at mile 2.03.
Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia and {Cryptantha clevelandii or intermedia}. This specimen will only be counted as a new taxon if the previous specimen turns out to be a different identification.
Acourtia microcephala. The precise location of this taxon is uncertain.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	2	1%
2	6	4%
3	5	3%
4	8	6%
5	1	1%

1-5	22	15%
6-10	36	25%
11-15	29	20%
16-20	17	12%
21-25	15	10%
26-30	14	10%
31-35	8	6%
36-40	5	3%
Total Taxa	145	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
10/5/2002	1	92	19	6	12	2
10/17/2002	2	93	19	5	10	2
2/3/2003	3	165	21	18	17	6
2/16/2003	4	171	14	16	20	4
12/13/2003	5	171	13	17	20	3

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin trail guide at the gate across road, elevation 700 feet, downhill to the south from the parking lot.
0.00	r	1		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	/	30
0.00	r	2		*rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. myuros	/	10
0.00	r	3		California sagebrush	Artemisia californica	99 / 9	31
0.00	r	4		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum	99 / 9	37
0.00	b	5		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	99 / 9	36
0.00	r	6		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis	99 / 9	31
0.00	l	7		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	99 / 9	34
0.00	l	8		common pepper-grass	Lepidium densiflorum var. elongatum	20 / 1	1
0.00	l	9		yellow fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	/	8
0.00	l	10		*gazania	Gazania X (mounding hybrid)	1 / 1	3
0.00	l	11		short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	/	13
0.00	r			Sign: "Caution: pedestrians on trail. Authorized vehicles only"
0.00	r	12		laurel sumac	Malosma laurina	50 / 9	27
0.00	r	13		wild-cucumber	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	30 / 9	31
0.00	l	14	~	popcorn flower	Cryptantha intermedia	/	18
0.01	l	15		*bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	6 / 2	13
0.01	l	16		*narrowleaf filago	Filago gallica	/	28
0.01	l	17		*annual blue grass	Poa annua	5 / 1	7
0.01	r			Sign: "California Department of Fish and Game. Welcome. Dogs on leash only."
0.01	r	18		broom baccharis	Baccharis sarothroides⁺	5 / 5	7
0.02	l	19		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	50 / 2	34
0.03	l	20	?	unk rosette almost like sow thistle	?	/
0.03	l	21		matchweed	Gutierrezia sarothrae	50 / 9	4
0.03	l	22		white sage	Salvia apiana	509 /	27
0.03	l	23		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	99 / 9	28
0.03	r	24		*horehound	Marrubium vulgare	10 / 1	17
0.03	r	25		bush monkeyflower	Mimulus aurantiacus	50 / 9	29
0.04	l	26		coastal goldenbush	Isocoma menziesii⁺	20 / 5	4
0.04	l	27		south coast morning-glory	Calystegia macrostegia ssp. intermedia	/	11
0.04	l	28		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	2 / 2	7
0.04	l	29		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	5 / 1	10
0.04	l	30		California dodder	Cuscuta californica var. californica⁺	/	12
0.04	r	31	ssp	leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	/	28
0.04	l	32	?	phacelia or eucrypta sp.
0.04	l	33		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha	99 / 9	25
0.04	l	34		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	20 / 9	17
0.04	l	35		California four o'clock	Mirabilis californica	50 / 4	12
0.04	r	36		*petty spurge	Euphorbia peplus	5 / 1	6
0.06		37		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	99 / 9	24
0.06	l			(coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia)
0.06	r	38		*Russian thistle	Salsola tragus	10 / 1	21
0.07	r	39		San Diego wreathplant	Stephanomeria diegensis	99 / 9	6
0.07				Cross small drainage.
0.07	r	40		California plantain	Plantago erecta	99 / 2	8
0.07	r			Display kiosk and porta-potty.
0.08	r	41		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	99 / 3	11
0.08	r	42		unk small plants with wedge-shaped leaves like venus hair fern
0.08	r	43	sp	clarkia sp.	Clarkia sp.	/
0.08	r	44		*mouse-ear chickweed	Cerastium glomeratum	99 / 2	11
0.08	r	45	~	*smooth cat's ear	Hypochaeris glabra	99 / 2	21
0.08	r	46		saw-toothed goldenbush	Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides	50 / 9	25
0.08	r	47	~	*white-stemmed filaree	Erodium moschatum	/	10
0.08	r	48		*Australian brass-buttons	Cotula australis	99 / 1	9
0.08	r	49	sp	miner's lettuce (linear leaves)	Claytonia exigua or C. parviflora^2	20 / 1
0.08	r	50		coast jepsonia	Jepsonia parryi	99 / 1	9
0.09				Enter shade. Canyon is more than 50% shaded from this point on.
0.09	b	51		coast live oak	Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia	50 / 9	29
0.09	r			Check for different phacelia or eucrypta sp. here, and earlier branching phacelia
0.09	r	52	?	California brome?	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus?	/
0.09	r	53		coffee fern	Pellaea andromedifolia	50 / 9	16
0.09	r	54		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	50 / 9	29
0.09	r	55	ssp	narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	10 / 9	37
0.09	r	56		California polypody	Polypodium californicum	50 / 3	11
0.09	r	57	~	goldenstar	Bloomeria crocea	/	8
0.09	r	58		silverback fern	Pentagramma triangularis ssp. viscosa	50 / 5	3
0.09	r	59		small-flowered melica	Melica imperfecta	50 / 9	25
0.09	r	60		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	20 / 5	38
0.09	r	61	~	*windmill pink	Silene gallica	99 / 5	20
0.10	l	62		poison oak	Toxicodendron diversilobum	99 / 9	28
0.10				Cross side drainage
0.10	r	63	~	Chinese houses	Collinsia heterophylla	99 / 3	10
0.10	r	64	?	checkerbloom?	Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia?	/
0.10	r	65	sp	miner's lettuce (wedge-shaped leaves)	Claytonia sp.	20 / 1
0.10	r	66		*common chickweed	Stellaria media	99 / 2	15
0.10	r	67		common bedstraw	Galium aparine	99 / 2	19
0.10	r	68	?	fiesta flower	Pholistoma auritum var. auritum	99 / 2	9
0.11	l	69	~	triangular-fruit sedge	Carex triquetra	1 / 1	10
0.11	l	70		Torrey's oak	Quercus Xacutidens	50 / 9	6
0.11	r			Hundreds of coast jepsonia, Jepsonia parryi line the trail for a while here.
0.11	r	71		*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	5 / 1	20
0.12	l	72		*charlock	Sinapis arvensis	5 / 1	2
0.12	l	73	?	rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	99 / 3	13
0.12	l	74	?	unk bristly rosette - fiddleneck?
0.13	r	75	?	sanicle?	Sanicula sp.?	/
0.13	r			(Check for different clover sp. here.)
0.13	l	76	?	unk mustard like hedge mustard	?	/
0.13	l	77		*soft chess	Bromus hordeaceus	/	25
0.14		78		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	/	35
0.15		79	?	grass like elymus glaucus
0.15	r			(Check for goldback fern here)
0.15	r	80		chaparral beard-tongue	Keckiella antirrhinoides var. antirrhinoides	30 / 9	6
0.15	l			Post on left, brown except for yellow top.
0.16	r	81		fringe-pod	Thysanocarpus curvipes	50 / 1	6
0.16	r	82		dwarf lupine	Lupinus bicolor	5 / 1	17
0.16	l			Jct. trail to Oak Grove.
0.17	r	83		young mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	3 / 3	26
0.17		84	sp	Avena sp.
0.17	l	85	sp	lotus	Lotus hamatus or strigosus?	/
0.17	l	86		bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus	3 / 1	21
0.17	l	87	sp	suncup	Camissonia sp.	/
0.18	r	88		San Diego sagewort	Artemisia palmeri	99 / 9	3
0.18	r	89		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	3 / 3	34
0.18	l	90		chamise	Adenostoma fasciculatum	99 / 9	26
0.18	r	91		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	20 / 9	29
0.18	r	92	~	virgin's bower	Clematis lasiantha	50 / 2	4
0.20	l			Sign: "Hawks! Vultures! ...".
0.20	l	93		redberry	Rhamnus crocea	5 / 1	11
0.21		94	?	one-sided bluegrass?	Poa secunda^2?	/
0.21	r			eucrypta	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia⁺	20 / 3	14
0.21	r			(Check for another different lily family species)
0.21	r	95	sp	Fendler's meadow-rue	Thalictrum fendleri	99 / 3	2
0.23	r	96		sugar bush	Rhus ovata	2 / 2	17
0.26	r	97	~	California chicory	Rafinesquia californica	20 / 1	14
0.26	r			(Check for different clarkia sp. here.)
0.26	r	98		mugwort	Artemisia douglasiana	99 / 3	22
0.26	r	99		California peony	Paeonia californica	10 / 2	10
0.27	r		sp	(Check for different sanicle sp. here)
0.28	r	100	sp	larkspur	Delphinium sp.	/
0.28	r	101		giant wild rye	Leymus condensatus	20 / 3	22
0.28	r	102		San Diego pea	Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii	/	13
0.31	l			Post, brown except for yellow top. Broken off at base on 2/3/03, now laying on its side.
0.32	r	103		*bull thistle	Cirsium vulgare	1 / 1	10
0.37	l	104		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	1 / 1	33
0.42	r	105		California everlasting	Gnaphalium californicum	1 / 1	23
0.43	r	106		white-flowering currant	Ribes indecorum	5 / 5	11
	l	107	~	sacapellote	Acourtia microcephala⁺	1 / 1	11
0.43	l			Jct. Creekside Trail.
0.43	l			mature mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	/
0.43	l			Sign: "Tracks" with examples of animal tracks.
0.44				Cross side drainage
0.47	l	108		red willow	Salix laevigata	1 / 1	14
0.48	l	109		telegraph weed	Heterotheca grandiflora	30 / 2	20
0.48	r			Jct. closed-off road/path.
0.49	r	110		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	5 / 1	21
0.49	l			Sign: "Lifeblood of the Canyon..."
0.50	l	111		*common plantain	Plantago major	5 / 2	2
0.50	l			(Check for different bromus sp. here.)
0.50	l	112		Hooker's evening-primrose	Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima	30 / 3	3
0.50	l	113		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	2 / 2	24
0.51	l	114		*bristly ox-tongue	Picris echioides	5 / 1	7
0.51	l	115		yerba mansa	Anemopsis californica	20 / 1	2
0.51	l	116	~	stinging nettle	Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea	20 / 1	8
0.51	l	117		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	1 / 1	11
0.51				Road formerly had large cobbles in it here to fill in a wet spot, but road was regraded in 2003, removing the cobbles.
0.57	l		sp	(sedge like San Diego sedge, Carex spissa)
0.60		118		western sycamore	Platanus racemosa	5 / 2	17
0.63	l			Large isolated boulder
0.65		119		goldenrod	Solidago californica	20 / 3	24
0.65	r	120		California maidenhair fern	Adiantum jordanii	50 / 2	6
0.67	r	121	ssp	sticky cinquefoil	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa	10 / 1	6
0.67				View into Creekbed on left, with the following 4 species visible: San Diego sedge?, Carex spissa?, desert wild grape, Vitis girdiana, cattail, Typha sp., and another sedge. At mile 0.72, one can scramble into the creekbed without going through poison oak.
0.70	r	122		milk maids	Cardamine californica var. californica	10 / 1	4
0.71	l			Poison oak-free short scramble to creek bed.
0.72	r	123		climbing bedstraw	Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii	1 / 1	14
0.72	r			(Check for different wild pea sp. here.)
0.73	r			(Check for Rhamnus pilosa here; specimen has densely hairy twigs and lvs.)
0.79	l	124		California blackberry	Rubus ursinus	50 / 1	11
0.80				Cross side drainage
0.80	r	125		umbrella sedge	Cyperus eragrostis	5 / 1	4
0.81	r			Jct. road to Lake Poway; elevation ~665 feet; sign on r: "Lake Poway [to right]"; sign on l: "Espola Road 0.9 mi [back] Lake Ramona 2 mi". Go right.
0.89				Leave shaded canyon for open chaparral.
0.89	b	126	sp	filaree	Erodium brachycarpum or botrys.	99 / 1
0.90	l	127		California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	20 / 1	20
0.90	l			Check for different clarkia here when it blooms.
0.91	r			Sign: "Poison Oak". Jct. road to campground.
0.93	l			Jct. road / path.
0.95	b			Jct. firebreak / boundary of BSER. Firebreak is signed "Do Not Enter". Go straight, enter Lake Poway Recreation Area.
0.99	r			View of Lake Poway Dam.
1.01		128	sp	Mariposa lily.	Calochortus sp.	/
1.01	l	129		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	1 / 1	19
1.04	r	130		dove weed	Eremocarpus setigerus	5 / 1	10
1.04	r	131		Bathroom building of Campground (running water).
1.04	r	132		*London rocket	Sisymbrium irio	5 / 1	6
1.04	r	133	sp	*Mexican tea	Chenopodium ambrosioides	3 / 1	6
1.10	r	134	~	*curly dock	Rumex crispus	5 / 1	13
1.11	l	135		*smilo grass	Piptatherum miliaceum	30 / 1	14
1.12	l			(purple wild radish, Raphanus sativus)
1.12				Cross small drainage; begin short section of steep uphill.
1.13	l			(mission manzanita, Xylococcus bicolor)
1.16	l			Jct. Lake Poway Trail; go left and take it; elevation ~720 feet. Sign: "[on Lake Poway Trail: Lake Poway Trail 1.9 miles; Mt. Woodson Trail 1.0 miles. [going back on the road]: Lake Ramona 1.9 miles; Campground 0.1 mile."
1.17	b	136		mission manzanita	Xylococcus bicolor	20 / 9	10
1.19	l			popcorn flower	Cryptantha clevelandii or intermedia⁺	/
1.19	r	137		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	5 / 5	13
1.19	r	138	~	California filago	Filago californica	20 / 1	12
1.19	l	139		virgin's bower	Clematis pauciflora	5 / 2	7
1.20	b	140		southern tauschia	Tauschia arguta	20 / 1	4
1.20	r	141	sp	California suncup?	Camissonia californica?	/
1.20	l			Post with a number "6".
1.21	l	142		Robinson's pepper-grass	Lepidium virginicum var. robinsonii	20 / 1	2
1.21				Cross major drainage.
1.21	b			(Pampas grass, Cortaderia jubata)
1.21	b	143		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. canum	5 / 1	10
1.21	r	144	~	cotton-batting plant	Gnaphalium stramineum	2 / 1	9
1.23				Cross side drainage
1.25	l			Check lepidium sp. here (not nitidum^2)
1.25	l	145		San Diego jewelflower	Caulanthus heterophyllus var. heterophyllus	20 / 5	3
1.26				Trail curves right 90°
1.27	r	146		lanceleaf dudleya	Dudleya lanceolata	5 / 2	16
1.29				Trail curves left 90°
1.30	r	147		California chalk lettuce	Dudleya pulverulenta ssp. pulverulenta	5 / 5	7
1.32	r	148		baby blue eyes	Nemophila menziesii var. integrifolia	20 / 1	2
1.32	r	149	sp	skunkweed	Navarretia sp.	20 / 1
1.32	r	150	sp	prickly cryptantha?	Cryptantha muricata?	/
1.33	r			Check for another different clarkia here when it blooms.
1.33	r	151	~	purple snapdragon	Antirrhinum nuttallianum	/	4
1.33	l	152		branching phacelia	Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia	/	20
1.37	r	153		Parry's phacelia	Phacelia parryi	2 / 1	4
1.38				Trail makes a long curve right 90°
1.40	r			Jct. shortcut.
1.40	b	154		giant needlegrass	Achnatherum coronatum	1 / 1	17
1.41	r			Sign: "Lake Poway Trail 1.0 mile"; switchback right.
1.53	l	155	?	robust rosette like fiddleneck	?	/
1.57	l	156		collar lupine	Lupinus truncatus	5 / 2	15
1.61				Switchback left.
1.63				Switchback right.
1.66	r	157	~	*common groundsel	Senecio vulgaris	1 / 1	11
1.67	l	158		Bigelow's spike-moss	Selaginella bigelovii	/	13
1.69				Switchback left; good view of water in Lake Poway.
1.70				Switchback right.
1.70	l	159	~	shining peppergrass	Lepidium nitidum var. nitidum	20 / 1
1.71	r	160	~	*foxtail chess	Bromus madritensis ssp. madritensis	/	1
1.74				Local high point of trail; elevation ~980 feet; descend to path around Lake Poway.
1.76	r	161		California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	20 / 3	21
1.80	r	162		stinging lupine	Lupinus hirsutissimus	3 / 2	11
1.80	l	163	?	yellow pincushion?	Chaenactis glabriuscula?	/
1.83	l	164	~	showy penstemon	Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis	1 / 1	8
1.83	l	165	sp	meally white pincushion?	Chaenactis artemisiifolia?	/
1.88	l	166		bicolored everlasting	Gnaphalium bicolor	1 / 1	19
1.88	r			Jct. with trail across upper dam surface; sign: "Lake Poway Trail 1.5".
1.90	l	167		*fountain grass	Pennisetum setaceum	20 / 2	6
1.98	l			Two porta-potties.
1.98	l	168		*Peruvian pepper tree	Schinus molle	1 / 1	5
1.99				Pine Point.
2.01	r	169	~	slender sunflower	Helianthus gracilentus	5 / 1	9
2.07				Cross drainage; two porta-potties.
2.09		170		*nit grass	Gastridium ventricosum	/	14
2.10	r	171		black sage	Salvia mellifera	/	27
2.17	r			Post with a number "9" at a mission manzanita and a wild cucumber.
2.18	r			Two porta-potties.
2.20	l			Jct. with trail to Mt. Woodson; elevation ~1000 feet. Sign: "[along the trail to Woodson]: Mt. Woodson Trail 1.0; Fry-Koegel Trail 0.9; Mt. Woodson Estates 2.8; Warren Creek 3.1; Highway 67 3.3. [along the Lake Poway Trail back the way you came]: Campground 1.1; Park Info Office 1.9; [along the Lake Poway Trail continuing forward]: Lake Poway Park 2.8".
2.20				Trail guide ends here. Continue with either the Trail to Mt. Woodson or the Lake Poway Trail around the Lake.

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Copyright © 2002-2003 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/sd/plants/guides/bser/bser_to_mt_woodson_trail.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 17 December 2003.