Plant Guide to Vernal Pool Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Trailhead on Via Volcano
0.00	b			(puncture-vine, Tribulus terrestris)
0.00	r		sp	(tumble pigweed, Amaranthus albus; annual goosefoot, Chenopodium sp.; telegraph weed, Heterotheca grandiflora; horseweed, Conyza canadensis; Rhodes grass, Chloris gayana)
0.00	r	1		*foxtail barley	Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum+	40 / 2	13
0.00	r	2		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	99 / 9	51
0.00	r	3		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	99 / 9	51
0.00	c	4		*knotweed	Polygonum arenastrum	20 / 5	18
0.00	r	5		*Crete weed	Hedypnois cretica	5 / 2	19
0.00	r	6		*short-fruited filaree	Erodium brachycarpum	99 / 9	14
0.00	r	7		*wild oats	Avena fatua	99 / 9	26
0.00	l	8		*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	20 / 5	41
0.00	r	9		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	99 / 9	46
0.00	r	10		checkerbloom	Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia	99 / 9	25
0.00	l	11		*soft chess	Bromus hordeaceus	99 / 9	40
0.00		12		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis	99 / 5	45
0.00	r	13		graceful tarplant	Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata	99 / 9	14
0.00	r	14		rusty-haired popcorn flower	Plagiobothrys nothofulvus	99 / 9	12
0.00		15		splendid mariposa lily	Calochortus splendens	99 / 9	19
0.00	r	16		California plantain	Plantago erecta	1 / 1	13
0.00	r	17		soap plant	Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum	20 / 5	18
0.00	b	18		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	99 / 9	52
0.00	r	19		*pineapple weed	Chamomilla suaveolens	10 / 3	19
0.00	r	20		*smooth cat's ear	Hypochaeris glabra	99 / 9	35
0.00		21		dove weed	Eremocarpus setigerus	30 / 5	24
0.00	r	22		shining peppergrass	Lepidium nitidum var. nitidum	99 / 3	6
0.00	l	23		dwarf lupine	Lupinus bicolor	99 / 9	29
0.00	l	24		*Italian rye-grass	Lolium multiflorum	99 / 9	17
0.00	r	25		purple clarkia	Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera	99 / 9	25
0.00	l	26		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha	50 / 4	40
0.00	b	27		balloon clover	Trifolium depauperatum var. truncatum	99 / 9	7
0.01	l			Sign: "Reserve Fees $2 adults, $1 children"
0.01	r	28		Spanish clover	Lotus purshianus var. purshianus	30 / 4	31
0.01	r	29		earth brodiaea	Brodiaea terrestris ssp. kernensis	99 / 9	7
0.01	l	30		muilla	Muilla maritima	99 / 9	7
0.01	r	31		purple sanicle	Sanicula bipinnatifida	99 / 9	11
0.01	r	32		tawny popcorn flower	Plagiobothrys fulvus+	99 / 9	3
0.01	r	33		ground pink	Linanthus dianthiflorus	99 / 9	9
0.01	l	34		goldfields	Lasthenia californica	99 / 9	12
0.01	r	35		common lomatium	Lomatium utriculatum	50 / 5	3
0.01	r	36		red maids	Calandrinia ciliata	20 / 3	18
0.01	l			Display Board
0.01		37		*nit grass	Gastridium ventricosum	99 / 9	24
0.01	b	38		*hairy rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta	99 / 9	18
0.01	r	39		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	50 / 3	39
0.01	r	40		purple needlegrass	Nassella pulchra	99 / 9	19
0.01	r	41		*prickly lettuce	Lactuca serriola	99 / 9	42
0.01	l	42		yellow carpet	Blennosperma nanum var. nanum	99 / 9	1
0.01	l			Sign: "Vernal Pool Trail (ahead); To Large Pool 0.7 mi; To Adobes 1.7 mi"
0.01	l	43		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	50 / 2	28
0.01	l	44		silver puffs	Uropappus lindleyi	99 / 9	26
0.01	r	45		*mouse-ear chickweed	Cerastium glomeratum	5 / 2	19
0.01	r	46		owl's-clover	Castilleja densiflora+	99 / 5	7
0.01	r	47		*windmill pink	Silene gallica	20 / 2	33
0.01	r	48		*narrowleaf filago	Filago gallica	20 / 2	45
0.01	r	49		brown microseris	Stebbinsoseris heterocarpa	50 / 3	3
0.01	l			(San Diego wreathplant, Stephanomeria diegensis)
0.02	b	50		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	30 / 9	51
0.03	r	51		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	20 / 2	55
0.04	l			(coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia)
0.04	r	52		vinegar weed	Trichostema lanceolatum	20 / 5	14
0.05	l	53		one-sided bluegrass	Poa secunda ssp. secunda	10 / 3	23
0.05		54		*goldentop	Lamarckia aurea	99 / 3	21
0.05	r	55		sharp-toothed sanicle	Sanicula arguta	20 / 6	16
0.06	l	56		San Diego birdsfoot lotus	Lotus hamatus	5 / 1	24
0.06	l	57		bajada lupine	Lupinus concinnus	30 / 3	11
0.06	l	58		long-stemmed buckwheat	Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum	20 / 3	27
0.06	l	59		angel's gilia	Gilia angelensis	40 / 1	14
0.06	l			(In prickly-pear: Vasey's prickly-pear, Opuntia vaseyi; *bull thistle, Cirsium vulgare; California fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. canum; wild cucumber, Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus; and poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum.
		60		*sand spurrey	Spergularia bocconei+	10 / 2	13
0.09	r	61		fringe-pod	Thysanocarpus curvipes	10 / 2	9
	l	62		rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	10 / 2	28
	r	63		*scarlet pimpernel	Anagallis arvensis	10 / 2	32
0.10	l	64		San Diego morning-glory	Calystegia macrostegia ssp. tenuifolia+	10 / 3	18
	l	65		*hedge mustard	Sisymbrium officinale	30 / 2	20
	r	66		*white sweetclover	Melilotus albus	10 / 1	7
0.11	l			(large Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii)
0.11	r	67		*brome fescue	Vulpia bromoides	/	4
0.11	r	68		blue larkspur	Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi	20 / 3	13
0.12	r	69		blue-eyed grass	Sisyrinchium bellum	99 / 9	19
0.12	b	70		johnny jump-up	Viola pedunculata	99 / 9	16
0.12	l			Jct. Los Santos Trail. Enter mustard and wild oats "desert", crowding out natives, mostly on right.
0.12	l			(California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum)
0.13	l			(telegraph weed, Heterotheca grandiflora)
0.14	l	71		*curly dock	Rumex crispus	99 / 5	23
0.14	r			(California everlasting in prickly pear)
0.15	l	72		Vasey's prickly-pear	Opuntia vaseyi+	10 / 2	24
0.15	l			(coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia)
0.16	r	73		San Diego wreathplant	Stephanomeria diegensis	20 / 4	21
	r	74		pin-point clover	Trifolium gracilentum var. gracilentum	10 / 2	8
	r	75		small-head field clover	Trifolium microcephalum	10 / 1	10
		76		shooting star	Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii	99 / 3	11
	l			Check specimens here for bloom to see if they are common spikerush, , or wire rush, Juncus balticus
0.20	l	77		*prickly sow thistle	Sonchus asper ssp. asper	/ 1	30
0.20	l			Badger holes appeared here July 2002; nearly filled in by gophers in December 2002
0.20	r	78		*Mediterranean barley	Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum	50 / 2	5
0.20	r	79		warty spurge	Euphorbia spathulata	99 / 9	4
0.21	r			Jct. short path to old percolation pit, now a mini-vernal pool, and ok to visit. Next 7 taxa at perc pit
0.21		80		hooked popcorn flower	Plagiobothrys undulatus	99 / 2	1
0.21		81		Bolander's water-starwort	Callitriche heterophylla var. bolanderi	99 / 2	3
0.21		82		woolly marbles	Psilocarphus brevissimus var. brevissimus	50 / 2	2
0.21		83		spike primrose	Epilobium densiflorum	10 / 1	5
0.21		84		prostrate navarretia	Navarretia prostrata	5 / 1	1
0.21		85		common spikerush	Eleocharis macrostachya	99 / 3	11
0.21		86		thread-leaved brodiaea	Brodiaea filifolia	50 / 4	2
0.22				Back on main trail
0.25	l			(large Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii)
0.26	l			Outer part of curve of trail is one of the best shooting star fields, accompanied by blennosperma and goldfields.
0.29	l	87		Two young Engelmann oaks	Quercus engelmannii	10 / 5	23
	r			(Check for Plagiobothrys arizonicus or intergrade with it)
0.34	r	88		western buttercup	Ranunculus occidentalis+	50 / 9	6
0.34				Curve left
0.35	b	89		California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	30 / 3	29
		90		*long-beaked filaree	Erodium botrys	50 / 5	11
	r			Pristine field of purple needlegrass, Nassella pulchra
0.40	l			Famous "see-through" tree shell in distance on left, with just bark left standing.
0.40	r	91		*(gazania)	Gazania X (mounding hybrid)+	1 / 1	6
0.42	l	92		nodding needlegrass	Nassella cernua	99 / 5	16
0.42	l			Jct. Trans Preserve Trail
0.43	l			(coyote bush, Baccharis pilularis)
0.44	r	93		white everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum	7 / 3	36
0.45	l	94		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	20 / 1	16
0.46	r	95		*winter vetch	Vicia villosa ssp. varia+	99 / 1	19
0.47	l			Display Board with story of Vernal Pool on one side, basalt weathering on the other.
0.48	l			(laurel sumac, Malosma laurina))
0.49	l			First large Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii, on the trail
0.49	l	96		laurel sumac	Malosma laurina	10 / 3	42
0.50	l	97		California everlasting	Gnaphalium californicum+	30 / 4	42
0.55				Trail bends left
		98		*tumble pigweed	Amaranthus albus	3 / 2	12
0.61	r	99		*(bull thistle)	Cirsium vulgare+	1 / 1	17
0.63	l			Begin main population of thread-leaved brodiaea, Brodiaea filifolia
0.64				Bench; Jct. loop trail around pool. Go right to pool, taking the loop counter-clockwise.
0.65	b	100		slender tarweed	Hemizonia fasciculata	20 / 2	17
0.66				Begin boardwalk. The hooked popcorn flower makes the white color at the Pool.
0.66	r	101		purslane speedwell	Veronica peregrina ssp. xalapensis	10 / 2	3
0.66	r	102		common bedstraw	Galium aparine+	20 / 2	38
0.66	l	103		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	20 / 2	22
0.66	r	104		annual hairgrass	Deschampsia danthonioides	20 / 1	1
0.66	l	105		San Diego button-celery	Eryngium aristulatum var. parishii	50 / 1	2
0.66	r	106		*brass-buttons	Cotula coronopifolia	10 / 2	4
0.66	b	107		spotted downingia	Downingia bella	99 / 1	1
0.67	r	108		smooth goldfields	Lasthenia glaberrima	5 / 1	1
0.67	r	109		willow weed	Polygonum lapathifolium+	1 / 1	2
0.67	b	110		alkali mallow	Malvella leprosa	40 / 2	1
0.68	l	111		knot grass	Paspalum distichum	99 / 2	7
0.68	r	112		Orcutt's quillwort	Isoetes orcuttii	1 / 1	1
0.68				Center of boardwalk
0.68	r	113		water crowfoot	Ranunculus aquatilis var. capillaceus	5 / 1	2
0.68	c	114		*grass poly	Lythrum hyssopifolia	10 / 1	14
0.68	r	115		clover fern	Marsilea vestita ssp. vestita	10 / 1	3
0.69	r	116		*Carolina canarygrass	Phalaris caroliniana	1 / 1	2
0.71	b	117		*cut-leaved geranium	Geranium dissectum	20 / 1	13
0.71				End boardwalk; continue on loop trail
0.71	l			Blennosperma and goldfields patch
0.73	r	118		western toad rush	Juncus bufonius var. occidentalis	10 / 1	2
0.74				(Check for different Plagiobothrys, collinus?)
0.79				Spot from which pool pictures were taken for 2002 onward.
0.83				End loop trail; continue on Vernal Pool Trail to the right.
0.85				Spot from which pool pictures were taken for 2001.
0.85	r			(In the prickly pear: coast-range melic, Melica imperfecta; bee plant, Scrophularia californica ssp. floribunda; and bicolored everlasting, Gnaphalium bicolor.)
0.88	r			Badger holes appeared here April 2002, the first badger holes on the trail in my experience (since 1996). Nearly filled in by gophers in December 2002
0.89	r	119		*spring vetch	Vicia sativa ssp. sativa	30 / 3	6
0.91	l			Second set of April 2002 badger holes
0.91				End wheelchair-accessible portion of trail
0.91	l	120		coast live oak	Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia	1 / 1	42
0.91	l			Engelmann oak growing inside the coast live oak
0.92	l	121		coast-range melic	Melica imperfecta	10 / 2	43
0.92	l			(Flat-topped bent Englemann oak off trail. It probably grew under another tree that is no longer present.)
	l			(hollyleaf redberry, Rhamnus ilicifolia, in prickly pear)
0.93	l			View of Elsinore peak with ~6 antenna on it at ~10 o'clock
	l			(white sage, Salvia apiana)
0.94	l	122		bush lupine	Lupinus excubitus var. hallii	5 / 1	10
0.94	l	123		lanceleaf dudleya	Dudleya lanceolata	1 / 1	20
0.95	l	124		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	1 / 1	30
1.00	b			Field of shooting stars
1.01	r			White variant of owl's-clover, Castilleja densiflora
1.04	r	125		tomcat clover	Trifolium willdenovii	20 / 1	17
1.04	r			California everlasting	Gnaphalium californicum+	/
1.05				Trail turns right and drops off top of Mesa de Colorado
1.05	l	126		*white-stemmed filaree	Erodium moschatum	20 / 1	20
1.05	l	127		coffee fern	Pellaea andromedifolia	1 / 1	22
1.05	l	128		caterpillar phacelia	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	50 / 1	16
1.05	b	129		wild-cucumber	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	5 / 1	44
1.05	l	130		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	1 / 1	43
1.06	l	131		poison oak	Toxicodendron diversilobum	5 / 1	43
1.06	r	132		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. canum	1 / 1	20
1.06	r			common bedstraw	Galium aparine+	/
1.06	l			(Nice stand of somewhat hidden blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum, San Diego pea, Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii, and south coast morning-glory, Calystegia macrostegia ssp. intermedia.)
1.06	r			(white everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum)
1.07	l	133		bicolored everlasting	Gnaphalium bicolor	5 / 2	29
1.07	r	134		slender vetch	Vicia hassei	10 / 3	6
1.07	r	135		pellitory	Parietaria hespera var. hespera	1 / 1	6
1.07	l	136		white-flowering currant	Ribes indecorum	10 / 3	22
1.07	r	137		southern miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana	20 / 2	25
1.07	r	138		*hedge parsley	Torilis nodosa	20 / 1	14
1.07	r	139		San Diego pea	Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii	2 / 2	21
1.07	r	140		south coast morning-glory	Calystegia macrostegia ssp. intermedia+	10 / 1	19
1.07	r	141		blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus	20 / 1	21
1.08		142		*(milk thistle)	Silybum marianum+	1 / 1	9
1.09	r	143		climbing bedstraw	Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii	10 / 3	30
1.09	r			Bench
1.11	r			Field of purple sanicle
1.12	l	144		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	10 / 2	44
1.14	l			(chocolate lily, Fritillaria biflora var. biflora)
1.15	r			(Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii, with a few crown galls, lost two major limbs from main trunk in summer 2005)
1.17				Enter Fairy Lane, a short section of chaparral / coastal sage scrub lined with Fairy Lanterns (in season).
1.17	b	145		white fairy lantern	Calochortus albus	50 / 2	2
1.17	b	146		Torrey's scrub oak	Quercus acutidens	20 / 2	26
1.17	r	147		sticky cinquefoil	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa	20 / 2	17
1.18	b	148		Pacific sanicle	Sanicula crassicaulis	5 / 2	20
1.18	r	149		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	10 / 2	48
1.18	r	150		saw-toothed goldenbush	Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides	20 / 2	35
1.18	b	151		deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. scoparius	20 / 2	29
1.18	r	152		bush monkeyflower	Mimulus aurantiacus	10 / 1	42
1.18	l			(sacapellote, Acourtia microcephala)
1.20	r	153		black sage	Salvia mellifera	30 / 2	40
1.20	r	154		sugar bush	Rhus ovata+	5 / 2	25
1.20	l	155		*purple false-brome	Brachypodium distachyon	20 / 1	6
1.20	b	156		chamise	Adenostoma fasciculatum	20 / 1	37
1.20	r	157		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	5 / 2	40
1.20	r	158		heartleaf penstemon	Keckiella cordifolia	2 / 2	27
1.22	r	159		small-flower western flax	Hesperolinon micranthum	50 / 3	1
1.23	l	160		chocolate lily	Fritillaria biflora var. biflora	50 / 9	5
1.23		161		yellow mariposa lily	Calochortus weedii var. weedii	10 / 1	10
1.23	l	162		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	20 / 2	55
1.24	b	163		red-skinned onion	Allium haematochiton	10 / 3	3
1.24		164		*English rye-grass	Lolium perenne	1 / 1	2
1.24				Local low point on trail
1.24	r			(chocolate lily, Fritillaria biflora var. biflora in field of red-skinned onion, Allium haematochiton)
1.24	l	165		southern foothill penstemon	Penstemon heterophyllus var. australis	1 / 1	2
1.24	r	166		foothill needlegrass	Nassella lepida	20 / 1	20
1.27	l	167		Eastwood manzanita	Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. zacaensis	5 / 2	11
1.28	r	168		white-leaf monardella	Monardella hypoleuca ssp. hypoleuca	5 / 1	1
1.30	r	169		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	5 / 1	43
1.30				Cross drainage
	l			(One or two *olive trees, Olea europaea present in 2001 were removed in 2002.)
1.31				Local high point on trail
1.32				Interesting mushrooms, light brown with dark brown edge.
1.33	r	170		white sage	Salvia apiana	1 / 1	38
1.33	r	171		gray sage	Salvia apiana X S. mellifera+	1 / 1	5
1.34				Local low point on trail
1.35	r	172		narrow-leaved miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora	2 / 1	19
1.35	r			(California peony, Paeonia californica)
1.35				Local high point on trail
1.36	l	173		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	1 / 1	48
1.36				End chaparral
1.37	b			First large patch of chocolate lily, Fritillaria biflora var. biflora
1.37				Trail was rerouted in 2004 to eliminate the mudpit section. The new trail has many more chocolate lilies on it!
1.44	l	174		slender madia	Madia gracilis	3 / 1	19
1.45	r	175		*olive	Olea europaea	1 / 1	10
1.48				Cross small drainage
1.52	r	176		strigose lotus	Lotus strigosus	10 / 1	33
1.53				Trail zigzags left
1.54	r			White variant of dwarf lupine, Lupinus bicolor
1.54	b	177		Indian milkweed	Asclepias eriocarpa	1 / 1	17
1.57				Jct. Ranch Road. Turn right, toward adobes
1.59	l	178		*rose clover	Trifolium hirtum	2 / 1	12
1.59	r	179		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	10 / 1	39
1.61	b	180		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	5 / 1	40
1.61	r			Jct. old Vernal Pool Trail; plants at Adobes not described here; most have been planted.
1.62	l	181		*little horseweed	Conyza bonariensis	5 / 1	18
1.64	l			(horehound, Marrubium vulgare)
1.66	l	182		fragrant everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens	1 / 1	24
1.66	l	183	~	*Chinese elm	Ulmus parvifolia	2 / 1	2
1.67	r	184		*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	10 / 2	33
1.67	r	185		*English plantain	Plantago lanceolata	5 / 1	20
1.67				Jct. Adobes; guide doesn't include plants at Adobes, and resumes back at the jct. with the Vernal Pool Trail. There is a porta-potty at Adobes.
1.77				Jct. Vernal Pool Trail; guide continues west along Ranch Road toward Trans-Preserve Trail
1.92	b	186		stinking gourd	Cucurbita foetidissima	5 / 1	9
2.06				Road curves right 90°
2.12				Jct. Hidden Valley Road; turn left
2.19				Jct. S. Trans Preserve Trail; end guide

http://tchester.org/srp/plants/guides/vp.html
Updated 18 October 2005.