Plant Guide to Monserate Mountain Trail

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Beginning of trail (old dirt road) at Pankey Road just south of Stewart Canyon Road; elevation 360 feet.
0.00	b	1		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. fasciculatum	99 / 9	2
0.00	r	2		California sagebrush	Artemisia californica	99 / 9	32
0.00	b	3		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	99 / 9	38
0.00	r	4	~	*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9	32
0.00	l	5		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis	99 / 9	32
0.00	b	6		slender tarweed	Hemizonia fasciculata	99 / 9	9
0.00	b	7		California dodder	Cuscuta californica var. californica	2 / 2	12
0.00	r	8		slender wreathplant	Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei	2 / 2	9
0.00	l			Sign: "Absolutely no motorized vehicles beyond this boundary - Conservation Land"
0.00	r	9		*fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	99 / 3	12
0.00	r	10		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	99 / 9	35
0.01	l			Sign: "Locked gate ahead".
0.01	r	11		*narrowleaf filago	Filago gallica	99 / 2	29
0.01	b	12		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	99 / 9	19
0.01	r	13		*soft chess	Bromus hordeaceus	99 / 9	26
0.01	l	14		laurel sumac	Malosma laurina	99 / 9	29
0.01		15		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	4 / 4	31
0.02	l	16		branching phacelia	Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia	1 / 1	23
0.02	l	17		*nit grass	Gastridium ventricosum	50 / 3	15
0.02	l			(tree form of Torrey's scrub oak, Quercus acutidens)
0.02	l	18	sp	Mariposa Lily	Calochortus sp.	/
0.02	r	19		shining peppergrass	Lepidium nitidum var. nitidum	99 / 1	3
0.03	r			(Bigelow's spike-moss, Selaginella bigelovii)
0.04	r			(sugar bush, Rhus ovata)
0.04	l			(~Vasey's prickly pear, Opuntia Xvaseyi)
0.04	r			(blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.04	l			(black sage, Salvia mellifera)
0.05	c	20	~	small-flowered soap plant	Chlorogalum parviflorum	1 / 1	3
0.05	r	21	~	blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	99 / 9	28
0.08	l			Sign: "Locked gate ahead. Fallbrook Land Conservancy Conservation Land. Please help maintain this habitat".
0.08	l			Unauthorized motorbike trail around gate.
0.08	l	22		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	50 / 9	20
0.08	r	23	ssp	short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	30 / 9	13
0.09	l	24		*fountain grass	Pennisetum setaceum	99 / 9	8
0.09	r	25		rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	10 / 2	15
0.09	l	26		chia	Salvia columbariae	/	17
0.10	r	27	~	California chicory	Rafinesquia californica	3 / 1	14
0.10	l	28	~	California four o'clock	Mirabilis californica	5 / 5	12
0.10	b	29		black sage	Salvia mellifera	99 / 9	30
0.10	l	30		California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	40 / 1	23
0.10	l	31		Bigelow's spike-moss	Selaginella bigelovii	1 / 1	13
0.10	l	32		meally white pincushion	Chaenactis artemisiifolia	99 / 2	5
0.10	l	33	~	yellow pincushion	Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula	/	10
0.10	l	34	?	unk young brassica rosette
0.10	l	35		prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata	99 / 9	13
0.10	l	36	sp	farewell-to-spring	Clarkia sp.	/
0.10				Gate. Sign containing rules and hours (open dawn to dusk). Sign: "Beware of rattlesnakes".
0.10	l	37		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	40 / 5	8
0.10	l	38	?	Parry's phacelia	Phacelia parryi	5 / 1	4
0.11				Other end of unauthorized motorbike trail around gate.
0.11				Trail turns 90 degrees right and crosses the first branch of a small drainage. (Mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia, on right.)
0.11	b	39		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha	99 / 1	26
0.11	l	40		sugar bush	Rhus ovata	10 / 9	19
0.11				Cross second branch of the small drainage.
0.12	b	41		saw-toothed goldenbush	Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides	99 / 9	26
0.12	l	42		white sage	Salvia apiana	50 / 9	27
0.12	b	43		*Crete weed	Hedypnois cretica	/	13
0.12	l	44		San Diego morning-glory	Calystegia macrostegia ssp. tenuifolia	2 / 2	16
0.12	r	45	?	unk baby plants like smooth cat's ear
0.12		46	sp	needlegrass	Nassella sp.	99 / 9
0.12				Trail steepens.
0.12	l	47		California matchweed	Gutierrezia californica+	99 / 9	4
0.13	b			A large number of blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum, line the trail for the next several tenths of a mile, with a fair number of Mariposa lilies, Calochortus sp..
0.14	l	48		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum+	4 / 2	40
0.14	l	49	~	goldenstar	Bloomeria crocea	10 / 1	9
0.15	r			Jct. road to right with chain gate in ~0.02 mile. Continue to left as the trail turns 90 degrees.
0.15	r	50		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	/	39
0.15	r			A number of ~goldenstars, ~Bloomeria crocea.
0.16	r	51		*Russian thistle	Salsola tragus	99 / 2	22
0.16	r	52		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	2 / 2	29
0.16	r	53		coast jepsonia	Jepsonia parryi	5 / 1	9
0.18	r	54		coyote bush	Baccharis pilularis	10 / 5	19
0.19	r			First live golden yarrow, Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum, in 2003.
0.20				Trail turns right 90 degrees.
0.21	r	55		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	4 / 4	38
0.25				Switchback to left.
0.28	r	56		bush monkeyflower	Mimulus aurantiacus	5 / 5	31
0.29	r	57		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	10 / 9	35
0.32	l	58		mission manzanita	Xylococcus bicolor	99 / 9	10
0.33				Trail turns right 90 degrees.
0.35	r	59	sp	virgin's bower	Clematis ligusticifolia	/	5
0.35				Trail begins to curve left gradually.
0.36	l	60		blue-eyed grass	Sisyrinchium bellum	2 / 2	12
0.40	r			View to south of the "HP Property", Rosemary's mountain (proposed gravel quarry), Bonsall bridge over I-15, Pala Mesa Golf Course. Trail is still steep and continues to curve left.
0.40	r	61		wild-cucumber	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	5 / 5	34
0.40	l	62		cane bluestem	Bothriochloa barbinodis	30 / 5	1
0.40	l	63		*prickly lettuce	Lactuca serriola	1 / 1	22
0.40	l	64		cocklebur	Xanthium strumarium	3 / 1	10
0.41	r			Very large narrowleaf bedstraw bush, Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium.
0.44	r			(Property boundary pole); view of water tower dead ahead you will pass by later on the trail.
0.44	r			Black sage (Salvia mellifera) forest begins on right.
0.45				Trail makes a slight curve left.
0.46		65		Parry's tetracoccus (female)	Tetracoccus dioicus	30 / 4	2
0.49	l	66		six-weeks three-awn	Aristida adscensionis	10 / 1	2
0.51	l			(Rhamnus ilicifolia here if previous one is off-trail).
0.51	l			A male Parry's tetracoccus (Tetracoccus dioicus).
0.51	l	67	?	unk like muilla
0.52	l	68		fringed spineflower	Chorizanthe fimbriata var. fimbriata	50 / 3	4
0.53	l	69		Nealley three-awn	Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi	/	1
0.57	c	70		chaparral bush mallow	Malacothamnus fasciculatus	5 / 2	9
0.64	r	71	?	field sun-cup?	Camissonia hirtella?	/
0.64	r	72		Ramona lilac	Ceanothus tomentosus var. olivaceus	99 / 3	5
0.64	l	73	~	soap plant	Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum	10 / 2	12
0.69				Trail makes a short curve left and T-junctions with paved road at elevation 930 feet. The upper part of this hike is a loop trail. We strongly recommend you go right, downhill, due to an extremely steep section which is safer to ascend.
0.69				Trail curves gradually to left and we get our first relief from the I-15 traffic noise.
0.76				Trail curves right 90 degrees.
0.77				Cross small drainage.
0.79	l	74		chamise	Adenostoma fasciculatum+	50 / 2	27
0.83	l	75		*mission cactus	Opuntia ficus-indica	1 / 1	5
0.83	l			Jct. very old road showing severe erosion.
0.85	l	76		giant needlegrass	Achnatherum coronatum	50 / 2	18
0.87				Cross chain gate across trail; leave FLC preserve; enter potential future FLC preserve; property boundary marker pole on left.
0.91	r	77		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	1 / 1	6
0.92				Cross drainage.
0.95	l	78		sticky false-gilia	Allophyllum glutinosum	/	5
0.95	l	79	sp	caterpillar phacelia?	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida?	10 / 1
0.96	r	80		bicolored everlasting	Gnaphalium bicolor	/	20
0.96	r	81		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	50 / 4	24
0.96				Descent is now steep.
0.96		82		telegraph weed	Heterotheca grandiflora	10 / 1	22
0.97				Trail curves left.
0.98	r			Jct. jeep trail; continue straight.
0.99	l			"Pincushion Flower Hill" ("Chaenactis Hill") - lots of Chaenactis cover the immediate hill next to the trail.
1.02				Trail curves right.
1.03	r	83		purple three-awn	Aristida purpurea var. purpurea	/	1
1.04	r	84		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	5 / 1	30
1.05	l	85		slender sunflower	Helianthus gracilentus	25 / 5	9
1.05	r	86		showy penstemon	Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis+	1 / 1	8
1.06	b			A pair of over 15 foot tall laurel sumacs (Malosma laurina)
1.07	r			Rusting body and engine of an old car just below road.
1.08	r	87		*prickly sow thistle	Sonchus asper ssp. asper	/	12
1.08	r			(discarded bathtub)
1.08	r	88		*giant reed	Arundo donax	1 / 1	7
1.08	l	89	sp	strigose sun-cup?	Camissonia strigulosa?	20 / 1
1.08	l	90		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	99 / 1	11
1.08	l	91		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	1 / 1	35
1.08				Cross drainage at elevation of 680 feet and begin gentle ascent which quickly steepens.
1.08	r			Jct. jeep trail; continue straight.
1.12	l	92		California everlasting	Gnaphalium californicum	1 / 1	24
1.13	r	93		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	/	34
1.16	l			Field of 9 foot tall Ramona lilac (Ceanothus tomentosus var. olivaceus); Trail curves right.
1.17	l	94		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	2 / 2	28
1.22				Road begins gentle S-curve; ascent is still steep.
1.24	l			Lens of white rock amidst exposure of the blue phase, cut by many white dikes, of the Mt. Woodson Granodiorite
1.26	l			Property boundary marker.
1.27	r	95	~	*Italian thistle	Carduus pycnocephalus	3 / 1	9
1.30				Trail makes a short curve left and T-junctions with the ridge road. Go left and continue ascent. View into Rice Canyon and a ridgetop of Palomar Mountain: Morgan Hill on left; Boucher Hill (Palomar Mtn. State Park) on right, with Pauma Creek between them.
1.31	l	96		Parish three-awn	Aristida purpurea var. parishii	99 / 1	1
1.31	l			Jct. path
1.31	l	97		odora	Porophyllum gracile	20 / 1	4
1.34				Good exposures of Woodson Mountain granodiorite in the roadcut.
1.37	l			Note the faint "X" on the road cut formed by dikes!
1.37				Local high point on road at ~940 feet; begin descent of ~30'.
1.45	l			Jct. very steep road from water tank at elevation ~910 feet; turn left and go up it.
1.50	r			Five very old laurel sumacs (Malosma laurina) along the road beginning here, with stem bases 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter.
1.55	l	98		chaparral beard-tongue	Keckiella antirrhinoides var. antirrhinoides	1 / 1	7
1.61	l			Jct. road; continue straight, at beginning of fresh asphalt in 2002.
1.63	l	99		Cleveland sage	Salvia clevelandii	99 / 2	3
1.66	l	100		*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	2 / 1	15
1.66	l	101		*Natal grass	Rhynchelytrum repens	30 / 2	1
1.69		102		*castor bean	Ricinus communis	1 / 1	12
1.69	l			Lots of odora (Porophyllum gracile).
1.70				Road curves left to Y-junction. Road to left goes to water tank; take unpaved road to right. Road is no longer very steep.
1.72	r			Sign: Locked gate ahead.
1.77				Local high point on road at 1140 feet as road curves left; begin ~3 foot descent and curve right.
1.77		103		white everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum	1 / 1	30
1.78	l	104		coastal goldenbush	Isocoma menziesii var. vernonioides	30 / 3	10
1.80				Descent ends at saddle; view of ocean to left of Sleeping Indian; begin steep ascent.
1.80	r	105		bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus	5 / 1	21
1.83	l	106		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	2 / 2	20
1.84				Local high point on road at 1160 feet; begin gentle ~6 foot descent. View of full Palomar Mountain Range, now including Agua Tibia on the left of Morgan Hill.
1.86	l	107		Eastwood manzanita	Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. zacaensis+	3 / 1	7
1.86	l			Field of ~30 Eastwood manzanitas (Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. zacaensis) on left. View of Sleeping Indian (Morro Hill), San Onofre Mountain, and Santa Margarita Mountains.
1.87				Local low point on road at elevation 1140 feet; begin steep ascent.
1.87	l			Jct. unauthorized motorcycle trail to get around gate.
1.89				Local high point on road at elevation 1170 feet; begin gentle ~3 foot descent.
1.91				Chain gate across road. Sign: "Fallbrook Land Conservancy Conservation Land".
1.91	l			Other end of unauthorized motorcycle trail.
1.91	l	108	~	California suncup	Camissonia californica	/	14
1.91				Local low point; begin gentle ascent which soon steepens. Trail is soon on its first northeast-facing slope, cutting off the traffic noise from the freeway.
1.94	r			Field of small-seeded spurge, Chamaesyce polycarpa.
1.98	l			Numerous Cleveland and black sage in this area, including the two species here side-by-side, just before a gully about to claim the road from the right.
2.02				Ascent is now extremely steep; it is much safer to ascend this stretch than to descend it were you to do the loop in the other direction.
2.04				Low point to left gives view of reservoir across I-15, with Sleeping Indian directly behind it, and freeway noise again.
2.05				Local high point on road at ~1310 feet; begin steep ~30-40 foot descent.
2.08				Descent ends at saddle at ~1280 feet; begin ascent (some parts gentle; last part very steep).
2.21	l	109	~	San Diego mountain mahogany	Cercocarpus minutiflorus	5 / 3	7
2.22				Very steep ascent ends on ridge at 1410 feet; trail is now gentle, almost flat.
2.29				A 10 foot mission manzanita (Xylococcus bicolor).
2.30				Enter an ~0.01 mile stretch of NE-facing slope; the next two species are found only there.
2.30	l	110		*hairy rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta	99 / 1	9
2.30	l	111		broom baccharis	Baccharis sarothroides	2 / 1	7
2.30				Two occurrences of broom baccharis and coyote bush side-by-side.
2.32				Steep ascent again.
2.36				Ascent now gentle.
2.40				High point on road at 1480 feet; trail now essentially level.
2.42				View of Red Mountain (in Fallbrook), with 3 tall and 1 short antenna.
2.45	r	112	~	rockrose	Helianthemum scoparium	/	9
2.47	r	113	ssp	purple snapdragon	Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum	/	10
2.49	r	114		Torrey's scrub oak	Quercus acutidens	1 / 1	10
2.51	r			(Two multi-trunked trees, the tree form of Torrey's oak.)
2.51	b			Field of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare).
2.52				Road curves left 90 degrees at a jct. with old road on the right at 1460 feet. Begin steep descent.
2.55	r	115		*smilo grass	Piptatherum miliaceum	50 / 1	16
2.65				End of very steep descent.
2.68				Curve right 90 degrees; descent is very steep again.
2.71				Switchback to left.
2.74				End of very steep descent.
2.75				Switchback / curve to left; jct. path on right. Descent is very gentle now.
2.86				Steep descent again.
2.88				The eroded linear trench on the left of the road with sharp sides is from a buried water pipe, exposed for a short distance here.
2.93				Fire hydrant.
2.95				Jct. road on right; continue straight.
3.12				Switchback to left at another fire hydrant; pavement begins. Jct. old road leading to meadow filled with prickly pear (Opuntia Xoccidentalis?).
3.20				Scraped area on left (for road or trenchfill?), with mostly California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum) on it.
3.21				Jct. with road down on right at 930 feet; go right on it; end plant guide.
3.90				End trail back at beginning.

http://tchester.org/fb/plants/guides/monserate_mtn_trail.html
Updated 1 February 2004.