Plant Guide to Sunset Ridge Trail / Mt. Lowe Fireroad, Altadena

Plant Guide to Sunset Ridge Trail / Mt. Lowe Fireroad, Altadena

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

The botanical highlights of this trail are:

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 70 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 4 of those trails, including this one, are in the Altadena area of Mt. Wilson. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in our database; numbers of "4" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area of Mt. Wilson.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 15 9%
2 11 6%
3 12 7%
4 9 5%
5 10 6%

1-5 57 33%
6-10 30 17%
11-15 30 17%
16-20 25 14%
21-25 9 5%
26-30 16 9%
31-35 5 3%
36-40 3 2%
Total Taxa 175 100%

We found 9 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"
1/6/2002 1 131 ?
1/8/2002 2 132 54 2
1/21/2002 3 134 49
2/18/2002 4 152 38 9
3/27/2002 5 174 37
4/21/2002 6 184 32 5
5/23/2002 7 182 15 4
6/27/2002 8 182 8 3 0 7
1/24/2003 9 183 8 3 2 5
12/2/2003 10 184 7 3 2 5

Prior to 6/26/02, the unknowns were not broken into sp and ~. The 12/2/03 fieldwork was only to the first 0.8 mile of the trail along the Fire Road.
We thank Linda Fullmer for finding the columbine in Spring 2003.
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 Plants in order beginning at gate across lower Sunset Ridge Fire Road
0.00 r 1 *orchid rockrose Cistus Xpurpureus / 2
0.00 2 *foxtail barley Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum / 16
0.00 r 3 *Spanish broom Spartium junceum 99 / 9 5
0.00 r 4 *smilo grass Piptatherum miliaceum 99 / 9 14
0.00 r 5 California sagebrush Artemisia californica 99 / 9 30
0.00 6 poison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum 99 / 9 28
0.00 7 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus / 34
0.00 8 *wall barley Hordeum murinum ssp. murinum / 1
0.00 r 9 *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana 99 / 9 35
0.00 l 10 *common chickweed Stellaria media 99 / 9 15
0.00 l 11 *hedge mustard Sisymbrium officinale / 12
0.00 l 12 coast live oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia / 29
0.00 b 13 *bur chervil Anthriscus caucalis 99 / 1 6
0.00 l 14 *cheeseweed Malva parviflora / 11
0.00 15 common bedstraw Galium aparine / 19
0.00 l 16 bittercress Cardamine oligosperma 99 / 2 5
0.00 r 17 *rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis 5 / 2 2
0.00 l 18 laurel sumac Malosma laurina / 26
0.00 19 branching phacelia Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia / 19
0.00 r 20 heartleaf penstemon Keckiella cordifolia / 18
0.00 l 21 *black locust Robinia pseudoacacia 5 / 2 6
0.00 22 *horehound Marrubium vulgare / 17
0.00 l 23 blue elderberry Sambucus mexicana / 33
0.00 24 *greater periwinkle Vinca major 1 / 1 5
0.00 r 25 toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia / 34
0.00 r (hoary-leaved ceanothus, Ceanothus crassifolius, on cliff above trail.)
0.01 r 26 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum / 37
0.01 l 27 *bladder senna Colutea arborescens 2 / 2 2
0.01 28 California dodder Cuscuta californica var. californica / 12
0.01 r 29 coyote bush Baccharis pilularis 2 / 2 17
0.01 l (golden currant, Ribes aureum var. gracillimum)
0.01 30 ssp *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens / 33
0.01 31 birch-leaf mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides 2 / 2 12
0.01 32 California everlasting Gnaphalium californicum 5 / 5 22
0.01 33 *soft chess Bromus hordeaceus / 25
0.02 r 34 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum 99 / 9 36
0.02 r 35 *rattail fescue Vulpia myuros var. myuros / 10
0.02 r 36 *tocalote Centaurea melitensis 20 / 2 30
0.02 r 37 black sage Salvia mellifera 99 / 9 27
0.02 r 38 *narrowleaf filago Filago gallica 99 / 2 27
0.02 l 39 short-leaved cliff-aster Malacothrix saxatilis var. tenuifolia 50 / 9 7
0.03 l 40 California suncup Camissonia californica 99 / 5 12
l 41 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 20 / 2 30
l 42 hybrid scrub oak Q. berberidifolia X Q. durata var. gabrielense X Quercus engelmannii 3 / 3 1
43 wild-cucumber Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus 9 / 9 30
l 44 virgin's bower Clematis lasiantha 2 / 2 4
l 45 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 5 / 5 26
l (hillside gooseberry, Ribes californicum var. hesperium)
0.06 r 46 sugar bush Rhus ovata 3 / 3 16
0.06 r 47 *Australian brass-buttons Cotula australis 99 / 1 9
0.06 r 48 white everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum 9 / 9 29
0.06 r 49 ssp saw-toothed goldenbush Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides / 24
0.06 liverwort
0.06 r 50 *white-stemmed filaree Erodium moschatum 5 / 1 10
0.06 r 51 *henbit Lamium amplexicaule 5 / 1 7
0.06 r 52 *mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium glomeratum 5 / 1 11
0.06 r 53 mugwort Artemisia douglasiana 20 / 2 22
0.06 r 54 horseweed Conyza canadensis 5 / 5 20
0.06 r 55 *golden wattle Acacia longifolia 3 / 1 2
0.06 56 creeping snowberry Symphoricarpos mollis 20 / 2 5
0.06 57 *tree tobacco Nicotiana glauca 5 / 5 12
0.06 58 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides 2 / 2 13
0.06 59 *smooth cat's ear Hypochaeris glabra / 21
0.07 l 60 Coulter pine Pinus coulteri / 7
0.07 61 *hairy rattail fescue Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta / 9
0.07 r 62 *annual blue grass Poa annua / 6
0.07 r 63 miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata 99 / 3 12
0.07 64 *windmill pink Silene gallica / 19
0.08 l 65 knobcone pine Pinus attenuata / 3
l 66 *white goosefoot Chenopodium album / 11
67 *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus / 20
r 68 sp *blue gum Eucalyptus globulus 1 / 1 3
l Building protecting valves for several pipes
r 69 *slender wild oats Avena barbata / 19
0.10 l Jct trail to Millard Campground.
l (large old Engelmann scrub hybrid, Q. Engelmannii X Q. berberidifolia, near beginning of that trail on left)
0.13 l Begin turnout on left; take it to see the sp in it and around its perimeter.
0.13 l 70 *Oriental mustard Sisymbrium orientale / 7
0.13 l 71 *four-leaf polycarp Polycarpon tetraphyllum / 6
0.13 l 72 ~ prickly cryptantha Cryptantha muricata⁺ / 13
0.13 l 73 *Mediterranean pygmy-weed Crassula tillaea 99 / 2 4
0.13 l 74 pygmy-weed Crassula connata 99 / 2 11
0.13 l 75 California filago Filago californica 99 / 2 12
0.13 l 76 *goldentop Lamarckia aurea / 10
0.13 l 77 western redbud Cercis occidentalis 1 / 1 4
0.13 l 78 *petty spurge Euphorbia peplus / 6
0.14 l 79 chaparral whitethorn Ceanothus leucodermis⁺ 1 / 1 9
0.15 l End turnout on left
0.15 l 80 bicolored everlasting Gnaphalium bicolor 5 / 5 17
r 81 foothill needlegrass Nassella lepida 20 / 1 13
l 82 deerweed Lotus scoparius var. scoparius 30 / 3 17
83 dwarf lupine Lupinus bicolor 10 / 1 17
84 wild sweetpea Lathyrus vestitus var. vestitus 5 / 5 5
0.19 l Stairwell-type rails over a pipe.
0.19 85 long-stemmed buckwheat Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum 50 / 3 15
0.19 86 *California burclover Medicago polymorpha / 25
0.19 l 87 *crimson-spot rockrose Cistus ladanifer 3 / 3 2
0.20 Road crosses saddle
0.20 l 88 sp pit-seed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri 1 / 1 1
0.20 r 89 lanceleaf dudleya Dudleya lanceolata 30 / 5 16
0.20 r 90 bush monkeyflower Mimulus aurantiacus 30 / 5 28
r 91 chaparral yucca Yucca whipplei 10 / 9 24
0.22 r 92 prickly phlox Leptodactylon californicum 20 / 4 2
0.23 r 93 California fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. canum 10 / 1 10
0.23 94 *common groundsel Senecio vulgaris / 11
0.24 r 95 California brickellbush Brickellia californica 20 / 2 20
0.27 r 96 eucrypta Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia 5 / 1 13
0.27 r 97 wild canterbury bells Phacelia minor 30 / 2 12
0.27 r 98 small-flowered melica Melica imperfecta / 24
0.27 99 ? unk with cauline opp lvs with white stripe down middle.
r 100 canyon dudleya Dudleya cymosa ssp. pumila / 1
101 Martin's paintbrush Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii 50 / 5 13
0.29 102 collar lupine Lupinus truncatus / 15
0.29 103 California chicory Rafinesquia californica 10 / 5 14
0.29 104 California pellitory Parietaria hespera var. californica / 2
0.29 105 cobwebby thistle Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale / 4
0.32 106 erect goldenaster Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. fastigiata / 3
0.32 l Jct. with trail - take it.
0.33 l 107 southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 20 / 5 28
0.33 r 108 ? unk plant with rosette of fleshy long leaves (two on trail; other just past mile 0.43)22
0.33 r 109 California bay Umbellularia californica / 7
0.33 l Three "caution" posts due to erosion. Trail is perfectly safe as long as one is paying attention.
0.33 r 110 *Arizona cypress Cupressus arizonica ssp. glabra / 3
0.33 r 111 scarlet larkspur Delphinium cardinale 99 / 9 3
0.33 r 112 southern Indian pink Silene laciniata ssp. major / 11
0.33 l 113 wild tarragon Artemisia dracunculus 3 / 1 20
0.33 114 Tejon cryptantha Cryptantha microstachys / 1
0.33 115 *Italian rye-grass Lolium multiflorum / 8
0.33 r 116 narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium / 36
0.33 r 117 goldback fern Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis / 11
0.34 r (bigcone spruce, Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, above trail.)
0.35 r 118 coffee fern Pellaea andromedifolia 20 / 5 16
0.40 119 yellow pincushion Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula / 10
0.35 120 stinging lupine Lupinus hirsutissimus 1 / 1 10
0.36 l Pipe vent
0.36 r 121 chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum / 25
0.40 122 Bigelow's spike-moss Selaginella bigelovii 20 / 5 12
0.40 l 123 juvenile prickly pear Opuntia sp.⁺ 1 / 1
0.40 124 ? unk with single flat prostrate leaf, 85 cm x 18 mm102
0.40 r 125 bird's-foot fern Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata 2 / 2 18
0.40 r 126 hoaryleaf ceanothus Ceanothus crassifolius / 10
0.41 r 127 white sage Salvia apiana / 26
0.41 l 128 hollyleaf cherry Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia 1 / 1 8
0.41 l 129 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia / 29
0.43 l Jct. steep use trail on left
0.43 r (some unusual wild honeysuckles, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata, with some branches with leaves in whorls of 3, after being cut back)
Check for columbine near here.
0.43 r 130 muilla Muilla maritima / 5
0.44 r 131 southern miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana / 13
0.44 r 132 California wood fern Dryopteris arguta 99 / 9 7
0.44 133 one-sided bluegrass Poa secunda ssp. secunda / 19
0.44 r 134 leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus / 28
0.44 r 135 Dudley's clarkia Clarkia dudleyana 99 / 2 1
0.44 r 136 California polypody Polypodium californicum 20 / 3 11
137 giant needlegrass Achnatherum coronatum 20 / 5 16
r a large number of the unknown single prostrate-leaf plants here, 33-40 cm x 11-13 mm.
r 138 chicory-leaved stephanomeria Stephanomeria cichoriacea 99 / 9 5
l 139 lace-pod Thysanocarpus laciniatus 30 / 1 4
r 140 baby blue eyes Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii 99 / 4 8
0.48 r 141 hillside gooseberry Ribes californicum var. hesperium 30 / 9 3
0.49 r 142 Chinese houses Collinsia heterophylla 5 / 1 10
0.49 l (canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis)
0.51 l 143 half-hairy ceanothus Ceanothus oliganthus var. sorediatus 1 / 1 1
0.51 144 ssp arched elegant rock-cress Arabis sparsiflora var. arcuata / 5
0.51 r 145 spreading larkspur Delphinium patens ssp. hepaticoideum 20 / 3 1
0.51 r 146 bitter gooseberry Ribes amarum 30 / 9 1
0.53 r 147 California sweet-cicely Osmorhiza brachypoda 20 / 1 4
r 148 woodland star Lithophragma affine / 3
0.55 r 149 bigleaf maple Acer macrophyllum 1 / 1 5
0.55 Cross drainage
0.55 r 150 hairy ceanothus Ceanothus oliganthus var. oliganthus 1 / 1 2
0.56 l 151 canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepis 20 / 9 18
0.58 r 152 creek senecio Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii 5 / 2 8
0.61 r prickly cryptantha Cryptantha muricata⁺ /
0.61 b 153 thick-leaved yerba santa Eriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium 20 / 1 3
0.61 154 ? small-flowered evening-primrose? Camissonia micrantha? /
0.61 r 155 ssp globe gilia Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia 20 / 1 3
0.69 Trail splits: go right
0.70 156 white nightshade Solanum douglasii 1 / 1 11
0.70 r 157 Bolander's woodland star Lithophragma bolanderi / 2
0.71 Switchback to right
0.71 l 158 Jepson's blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii / 7
0.72 Switchback to left
0.73 baby blue eyes with dark spots between petals; 7 lobed lf
0.75 l 159 oceanspray Holodiscus discolor 2 / 2 1
0.76 r 160 tower mustard Arabis glabra var. glabra 20 / 2 1
0.78 161 ~ *poverty brome Bromus sterilis / 1
0.78 baby blue eyes with lots of small spots, missing the big spot
0.79 Two closely-separated switchbacks
0.81 Cross drainage; trail turns 90 degrees left
0.84 Switchback to right
0.87 r 162 bigcone spruce Pseudotsuga macrocarpa 1 / 1 4
0.87 Switchback to left
0.90 Trail turns 90 degrees right
0.90 r 163 chaparral currant Ribes malvaceum var. viridifolium 1 / 1 2
0.90 164 purple nightshade Solanum xanti / 10
1.00 Switchback (90 degrees right)
1.03 Switchback to left
1.06 l 165 interior live oak Quercus wislizenii var. frutescens 1 / 1 7
1.07 Switchback to right
1.09 l 166 canyon silktassel Garrya veatchii 1 / 1 4
1.12 Switchback to left
1.17 Two short posts
1.20 Two short posts
1.21 r 167 southern tauschia Tauschia arguta 1 / 1 3
1.30 Switchback to right
1.34 Jct shortcut trail to Fire Road, on right; if you take this shortcut and take the road down, go to mile 3.28 below
1.34 Continue up on trail to left
1.39 Jct. ridge trail on right (lower jct); switchback to left
1.43 Two short posts
1.46 Switchback to right
1.49 Trail curves left
1.49 Jct. ridge trail on right (upper jct)
1.52 Jct. very steep ridge scramble up
1.54 l 168 bigberry manzanita Arctostaphylos glauca 1 / 1 7
1.65 Single short post (downslope one washed away?)
1.69 Jct. Camp Sierra. continue on trail to left of road
1.70 Sign: "Sunset Ridge Trail 12W18. Millard Campground 2 (left). Echo Mountain 1.5 (right). Mt. Lowe Campground: 3.5 (right)"
1.73 Jct. cut switchback (lower jct); switchback to right
1.74 Switchback to left
1.75 Jct. cut switchback (upper jct)
1.79 169 *rose clover Trifolium hirtum 99 / 9 4
1.79 single short post (downslope one washed away?)
1.91 Switchback to right
1.94 170 *common dandelion Taraxacum officinale 5 / 1 3
1.96 Switchback to left7
2.08 Switchback to right
2.23 Switchback to left; path to right
2.41 171 sp planted Sycamore sp?11
2.41 Jct. top of trail at Sunset Ridge / Mt. Lowe Fire Road. Go right, downhill
2.46 172 ? tufted annual grass - sample
2.68 173 ? unk bush - garrya with new growth?
2.98 r 174 San Gabriel Mts. manzanita Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. glaucomollis 1 / 1 1
3.01 175 ? mentzelia sp?
3.06 Jct. gate without a gate (swinging arm) any more
3.08 r 176 short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus 5 / 5 12
3.11 177 telegraph weed Heterotheca grandiflora / 20
3.19 r 178 California poppy Eschscholzia californica / 19
3.25 r Jct. road to north for Camp Sierra
3.28 r Jct shortcut trail to Sunset Ridge Trail. If you didn't go to the top of the Trail and instead have come to this point using the shortcut trail, your species numbers below are 11 smaller, and your mileages are 1.91 miles smaller.
3.28 (first occurrence of Lotus scoparius var. scoparius going down Sunset Ridge Fire Road.)
3.28 179 *Aleppo pine Pinus halapensis / 3
180 ssp California elegant rock-cress Arabis sparsiflora var. californica / 1
3.37 181 *moth mullein Verbascum blattaria 5 / 1 1
3.74 182 *downy brome Bromus tectorum 10 / 1 18
3.89 (the two ssp of deerweed, Lotus scoparius var. scoparius and var. brevialatus, grow side by side here. This appears to be the lowest brevialatus plant.)
4.09 183 twiggy wreath plant Stephanomeria virgata ssp. virgata 10 / 1 5
4.11 184 *common mullein Verbascum thapsus 1 / 1 2
4.51 r Jct. Sunset Ridge Trail.
4.35 l (hoaryleaf ceanothus with flat leaves - Ceanothus crassifolius var. planus?)
4.86 End guide back at bottom gate

Comments On Specific Species

Cryptantha muricata. The id derives from a specimen at mile 0.61. The positive id there will count as a new taxon only if the previous one is not this taxon.
Ceanothus leucodermis. This plant was dead in 2003, after the severe drought of 2001-2.
Opuntia sp.. This is likely to be Opuntia Xvaseyi, but the id was impossible to determine in 2003, and probably will remain so for some time, since the plant is very young, with only a few pads. Worse, workers doing trail maintenance whacked it severely in May 2002.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	15	9%
2	11	6%
3	12	7%
4	9	5%
5	10	6%

1-5	57	33%
6-10	30	17%
11-15	30	17%
16-20	25	14%
21-25	9	5%
26-30	16	9%
31-35	5	3%
36-40	3	2%
Total Taxa	175	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
1/6/2002	1	131	?
1/8/2002	2	132	54			2
1/21/2002	3	134	49
2/18/2002	4	152	38			9
3/27/2002	5	174	37
4/21/2002	6	184	32			5
5/23/2002	7	182	15			4
6/27/2002	8	182	8	3	0	7
1/24/2003	9	183	8	3	2	5
12/2/2003	10	184	7	3	2	5

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Plants in order beginning at gate across lower Sunset Ridge Fire Road
0.00	r	1		*orchid rockrose	Cistus Xpurpureus	/	2
0.00		2		*foxtail barley	Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum	/	16
0.00	r	3		*Spanish broom	Spartium junceum	99 / 9	5
0.00	r	4		*smilo grass	Piptatherum miliaceum	99 / 9	14
0.00	r	5		California sagebrush	Artemisia californica	99 / 9	30
0.00		6		poison oak	Toxicodendron diversilobum	99 / 9	28
0.00		7		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	/	34
0.00		8		*wall barley	Hordeum murinum ssp. murinum	/	1
0.00	r	9		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	99 / 9	35
0.00	l	10		*common chickweed	Stellaria media	99 / 9	15
0.00	l	11		*hedge mustard	Sisymbrium officinale	/	12
0.00	l	12		coast live oak	Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia	/	29
0.00	b	13		*bur chervil	Anthriscus caucalis	99 / 1	6
0.00	l	14		*cheeseweed	Malva parviflora	/	11
0.00		15		common bedstraw	Galium aparine	/	19
0.00	l	16		bittercress	Cardamine oligosperma	99 / 2	5
0.00	r	17		*rosemary	Rosmarinus officinalis	5 / 2	2
0.00	l	18		laurel sumac	Malosma laurina	/	26
0.00		19		branching phacelia	Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia	/	19
0.00	r	20		heartleaf penstemon	Keckiella cordifolia	/	18
0.00	l	21		*black locust	Robinia pseudoacacia	5 / 2	6
0.00		22		*horehound	Marrubium vulgare	/	17
0.00	l	23		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	/	33
0.00		24		*greater periwinkle	Vinca major	1 / 1	5
0.00	r	25		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	/	34
0.00	r			(hoary-leaved ceanothus, Ceanothus crassifolius, on cliff above trail.)
0.01	r	26		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	/	37
0.01	l	27		*bladder senna	Colutea arborescens	2 / 2	2
0.01		28		California dodder	Cuscuta californica var. californica	/	12
0.01	r	29		coyote bush	Baccharis pilularis	2 / 2	17
0.01	l			(golden currant, Ribes aureum var. gracillimum)
0.01		30	ssp	*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	/	33
0.01		31		birch-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides	2 / 2	12
0.01		32		California everlasting	Gnaphalium californicum	5 / 5	22
0.01		33		*soft chess	Bromus hordeaceus	/	25
0.02	r	34		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum	99 / 9	36
0.02	r	35		*rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. myuros	/	10
0.02	r	36		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis	20 / 2	30
0.02	r	37		black sage	Salvia mellifera	99 / 9	27
0.02	r	38		*narrowleaf filago	Filago gallica	99 / 2	27
0.02	l	39		short-leaved cliff-aster	Malacothrix saxatilis var. tenuifolia	50 / 9	7
0.03	l	40		California suncup	Camissonia californica	99 / 5	12
	l	41		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	20 / 2	30
	l	42		hybrid scrub oak	Q. berberidifolia X Q. durata var. gabrielense X Quercus engelmannii	3 / 3	1
		43		wild-cucumber	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	9 / 9	30
	l	44		virgin's bower	Clematis lasiantha	2 / 2	4
	l	45		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	5 / 5	26
	l			(hillside gooseberry, Ribes californicum var. hesperium)
0.06	r	46		sugar bush	Rhus ovata	3 / 3	16
0.06	r	47		*Australian brass-buttons	Cotula australis	99 / 1	9
0.06	r	48		white everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum	9 / 9	29
0.06	r	49	ssp	saw-toothed goldenbush	Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides	/	24
0.06				liverwort
0.06	r	50		*white-stemmed filaree	Erodium moschatum	5 / 1	10
0.06	r	51		*henbit	Lamium amplexicaule	5 / 1	7
0.06	r	52		*mouse-ear chickweed	Cerastium glomeratum	5 / 1	11
0.06	r	53		mugwort	Artemisia douglasiana	20 / 2	22
0.06	r	54		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	5 / 5	20
0.06	r	55		*golden wattle	Acacia longifolia	3 / 1	2
0.06		56		creeping snowberry	Symphoricarpos mollis	20 / 2	5
0.06		57		*tree tobacco	Nicotiana glauca	5 / 5	12
0.06		58		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	2 / 2	13
0.06		59		*smooth cat's ear	Hypochaeris glabra	/	21
0.07	l	60		Coulter pine	Pinus coulteri	/	7
0.07		61		*hairy rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta	/	9
0.07	r	62		*annual blue grass	Poa annua	/	6
0.07	r	63		miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata	99 / 3	12
0.07		64		*windmill pink	Silene gallica	/	19
0.08	l	65		knobcone pine	Pinus attenuata	/	3
	l	66		*white goosefoot	Chenopodium album	/	11
		67		*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	/	20
	r	68	sp	*blue gum	Eucalyptus globulus	1 / 1	3
	l			Building protecting valves for several pipes
	r	69		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	/	19
0.10	l			Jct trail to Millard Campground.
	l			(large old Engelmann scrub hybrid, Q. Engelmannii X Q. berberidifolia, near beginning of that trail on left)
0.13	l			Begin turnout on left; take it to see the sp in it and around its perimeter.
0.13	l	70		*Oriental mustard	Sisymbrium orientale	/	7
0.13	l	71		*four-leaf polycarp	Polycarpon tetraphyllum	/	6
0.13	l	72	~	prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata⁺	/	13
0.13	l	73		*Mediterranean pygmy-weed	Crassula tillaea	99 / 2	4
0.13	l	74		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	99 / 2	11
0.13	l	75		California filago	Filago californica	99 / 2	12
0.13	l	76		*goldentop	Lamarckia aurea	/	10
0.13	l	77		western redbud	Cercis occidentalis	1 / 1	4
0.13	l	78		*petty spurge	Euphorbia peplus	/	6
0.14	l	79		chaparral whitethorn	Ceanothus leucodermis⁺	1 / 1	9
0.15	l			End turnout on left
0.15	l	80		bicolored everlasting	Gnaphalium bicolor	5 / 5	17
	r	81		foothill needlegrass	Nassella lepida	20 / 1	13
	l	82		deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. scoparius	30 / 3	17
		83		dwarf lupine	Lupinus bicolor	10 / 1	17
		84		wild sweetpea	Lathyrus vestitus var. vestitus	5 / 5	5
0.19	l			Stairwell-type rails over a pipe.
0.19		85		long-stemmed buckwheat	Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum	50 / 3	15
0.19		86		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha	/	25
0.19	l	87		*crimson-spot rockrose	Cistus ladanifer	3 / 3	2
0.20				Road crosses saddle
0.20	l	88	sp	pit-seed goosefoot	Chenopodium berlandieri	1 / 1	1
0.20	r	89		lanceleaf dudleya	Dudleya lanceolata	30 / 5	16
0.20	r	90		bush monkeyflower	Mimulus aurantiacus	30 / 5	28
	r	91		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	10 / 9	24
0.22	r	92		prickly phlox	Leptodactylon californicum	20 / 4	2
0.23	r	93		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. canum	10 / 1	10
0.23		94		*common groundsel	Senecio vulgaris	/	11
0.24	r	95		California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	20 / 2	20
0.27	r	96		eucrypta	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia	5 / 1	13
0.27	r	97		wild canterbury bells	Phacelia minor	30 / 2	12
0.27	r	98		small-flowered melica	Melica imperfecta	/	24
0.27		99	?	unk with cauline opp lvs with white stripe down middle.
	r	100		canyon dudleya	Dudleya cymosa ssp. pumila	/	1
		101		Martin's paintbrush	Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii	50 / 5	13
0.29		102		collar lupine	Lupinus truncatus	/	15
0.29		103		California chicory	Rafinesquia californica	10 / 5	14
0.29		104		California pellitory	Parietaria hespera var. californica	/	2
0.29		105		cobwebby thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale	/	4
0.32		106		erect goldenaster	Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. fastigiata	/	3
0.32	l			Jct. with trail - take it.
0.33	l	107		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	20 / 5	28
0.33	r	108	?	unk plant with rosette of fleshy long leaves (two on trail; other just past mile 0.43)22
0.33	r	109		California bay	Umbellularia californica	/	7
0.33	l			Three "caution" posts due to erosion. Trail is perfectly safe as long as one is paying attention.
0.33	r	110		*Arizona cypress	Cupressus arizonica ssp. glabra	/	3
0.33	r	111		scarlet larkspur	Delphinium cardinale	99 / 9	3
0.33	r	112		southern Indian pink	Silene laciniata ssp. major	/	11
0.33	l	113		wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	3 / 1	20
0.33		114		Tejon cryptantha	Cryptantha microstachys	/	1
0.33		115		*Italian rye-grass	Lolium multiflorum	/	8
0.33	r	116		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	/	36
0.33	r	117		goldback fern	Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis	/	11
0.34	r			(bigcone spruce, Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, above trail.)
0.35	r	118		coffee fern	Pellaea andromedifolia	20 / 5	16
0.40		119		yellow pincushion	Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula	/	10
0.35		120		stinging lupine	Lupinus hirsutissimus	1 / 1	10
0.36	l			Pipe vent
0.36	r	121		chamise	Adenostoma fasciculatum	/	25
0.40		122		Bigelow's spike-moss	Selaginella bigelovii	20 / 5	12
0.40	l	123		juvenile prickly pear	Opuntia sp.⁺	1 / 1
0.40		124	?	unk with single flat prostrate leaf, 85 cm x 18 mm102
0.40	r	125		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	2 / 2	18
0.40	r	126		hoaryleaf ceanothus	Ceanothus crassifolius	/	10
0.41	r	127		white sage	Salvia apiana	/	26
0.41	l	128		hollyleaf cherry	Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia	1 / 1	8
0.41	l	129		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	/	29
0.43	l			Jct. steep use trail on left
0.43	r			(some unusual wild honeysuckles, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata, with some branches with leaves in whorls of 3, after being cut back)
				Check for columbine near here.
0.43	r	130		muilla	Muilla maritima	/	5
0.44	r	131		southern miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana	/	13
0.44	r	132		California wood fern	Dryopteris arguta	99 / 9	7
0.44		133		one-sided bluegrass	Poa secunda ssp. secunda	/	19
0.44	r	134		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	/	28
0.44	r	135		Dudley's clarkia	Clarkia dudleyana	99 / 2	1
0.44	r	136		California polypody	Polypodium californicum	20 / 3	11
		137		giant needlegrass	Achnatherum coronatum	20 / 5	16
	r			a large number of the unknown single prostrate-leaf plants here, 33-40 cm x 11-13 mm.
	r	138		chicory-leaved stephanomeria	Stephanomeria cichoriacea	99 / 9	5
	l	139		lace-pod	Thysanocarpus laciniatus	30 / 1	4
	r	140		baby blue eyes	Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii	99 / 4	8
0.48	r	141		hillside gooseberry	Ribes californicum var. hesperium	30 / 9	3
0.49	r	142		Chinese houses	Collinsia heterophylla	5 / 1	10
0.49	l			(canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis)
0.51	l	143		half-hairy ceanothus	Ceanothus oliganthus var. sorediatus	1 / 1	1
0.51		144	ssp	arched elegant rock-cress	Arabis sparsiflora var. arcuata	/	5
0.51	r	145		spreading larkspur	Delphinium patens ssp. hepaticoideum	20 / 3	1
0.51	r	146		bitter gooseberry	Ribes amarum	30 / 9	1
0.53	r	147		California sweet-cicely	Osmorhiza brachypoda	20 / 1	4
	r	148		woodland star	Lithophragma affine	/	3
0.55	r	149		bigleaf maple	Acer macrophyllum	1 / 1	5
0.55				Cross drainage
0.55	r	150		hairy ceanothus	Ceanothus oliganthus var. oliganthus	1 / 1	2
0.56	l	151		canyon live oak	Quercus chrysolepis	20 / 9	18
0.58	r	152		creek senecio	Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii	5 / 2	8
0.61	r			prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata⁺	/
0.61	b	153		thick-leaved yerba santa	Eriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium	20 / 1	3
0.61		154	?	small-flowered evening-primrose?	Camissonia micrantha?	/
0.61	r	155	ssp	globe gilia	Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia	20 / 1	3
0.69				Trail splits: go right
0.70		156		white nightshade	Solanum douglasii	1 / 1	11
0.70	r	157		Bolander's woodland star	Lithophragma bolanderi	/	2
0.71				Switchback to right
0.71	l	158		Jepson's blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii	/	7
0.72				Switchback to left
0.73				baby blue eyes with dark spots between petals; 7 lobed lf
0.75	l	159		oceanspray	Holodiscus discolor	2 / 2	1
0.76	r	160		tower mustard	Arabis glabra var. glabra	20 / 2	1
0.78		161	~	*poverty brome	Bromus sterilis	/	1
0.78				baby blue eyes with lots of small spots, missing the big spot
0.79				Two closely-separated switchbacks
0.81				Cross drainage; trail turns 90 degrees left
0.84				Switchback to right
0.87	r	162		bigcone spruce	Pseudotsuga macrocarpa	1 / 1	4
0.87				Switchback to left
0.90				Trail turns 90 degrees right
0.90	r	163		chaparral currant	Ribes malvaceum var. viridifolium	1 / 1	2
0.90		164		purple nightshade	Solanum xanti	/	10
1.00				Switchback (90 degrees right)
1.03				Switchback to left
1.06	l	165		interior live oak	Quercus wislizenii var. frutescens	1 / 1	7
1.07				Switchback to right
1.09	l	166		canyon silktassel	Garrya veatchii	1 / 1	4
1.12				Switchback to left
1.17				Two short posts
1.20				Two short posts
1.21	r	167		southern tauschia	Tauschia arguta	1 / 1	3
1.30				Switchback to right
1.34				Jct shortcut trail to Fire Road, on right; if you take this shortcut and take the road down, go to mile 3.28 below
1.34				Continue up on trail to left
1.39				Jct. ridge trail on right (lower jct); switchback to left
1.43				Two short posts
1.46				Switchback to right
1.49				Trail curves left
1.49				Jct. ridge trail on right (upper jct)
1.52				Jct. very steep ridge scramble up
1.54	l	168		bigberry manzanita	Arctostaphylos glauca	1 / 1	7
1.65				Single short post (downslope one washed away?)
1.69				Jct. Camp Sierra. continue on trail to left of road
1.70				Sign: "Sunset Ridge Trail 12W18. Millard Campground 2 (left). Echo Mountain 1.5 (right). Mt. Lowe Campground: 3.5 (right)"
1.73				Jct. cut switchback (lower jct); switchback to right
1.74				Switchback to left
1.75				Jct. cut switchback (upper jct)
1.79		169		*rose clover	Trifolium hirtum	99 / 9	4
1.79				single short post (downslope one washed away?)
1.91				Switchback to right
1.94		170		*common dandelion	Taraxacum officinale	5 / 1	3
1.96				Switchback to left7
2.08				Switchback to right
2.23				Switchback to left; path to right
2.41		171	sp	planted Sycamore sp?11
2.41				Jct. top of trail at Sunset Ridge / Mt. Lowe Fire Road. Go right, downhill
2.46		172	?	tufted annual grass - sample
2.68		173	?	unk bush - garrya with new growth?
2.98	r	174		San Gabriel Mts. manzanita	Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. glaucomollis	1 / 1	1
3.01		175	?	mentzelia sp?
3.06				Jct. gate without a gate (swinging arm) any more
3.08	r	176		short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	5 / 5	12
3.11		177		telegraph weed	Heterotheca grandiflora	/	20
3.19	r	178		California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	/	19
3.25	r			Jct. road to north for Camp Sierra
3.28	r			Jct shortcut trail to Sunset Ridge Trail. If you didn't go to the top of the Trail and instead have come to this point using the shortcut trail, your species numbers below are 11 smaller, and your mileages are 1.91 miles smaller.
3.28				(first occurrence of Lotus scoparius var. scoparius going down Sunset Ridge Fire Road.)
3.28		179		*Aleppo pine	Pinus halapensis	/	3
		180	ssp	California elegant rock-cress	Arabis sparsiflora var. californica	/	1
3.37		181		*moth mullein	Verbascum blattaria	5 / 1	1
3.74		182		*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	10 / 1	18
3.89				(the two ssp of deerweed, Lotus scoparius var. scoparius and var. brevialatus, grow side by side here. This appears to be the lowest brevialatus plant.)
4.09		183		twiggy wreath plant	Stephanomeria virgata ssp. virgata	10 / 1	5
4.11		184		*common mullein	Verbascum thapsus	1 / 1	2
4.51	r			Jct. Sunset Ridge Trail.
4.35	l			(hoaryleaf ceanothus with flat leaves - Ceanothus crassifolius var. planus?)
4.86				End guide back at bottom gate

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Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2002-2003 by Tom Chester and Jane Strong.
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Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Jane Strong
Updated 7 December 2003.