Plant Guide to Reef Point Trail, Crystal Cove State Park

Plant Guide to Reef Point Trail, Crystal Cove State Park

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

(Intro to be added.)
Most of the hike is shown in this beautiful photograph of Kenneth Adelman (click on the main photograph to get a 6 MB high-resolution picture). The visitors center is seen in the extreme right of the picture, at the end of the black paved road.
The trail starts at the bathroom at the near edge of the parking lot on the right of the picture, about two-thirds of the way across the photograph (mile 0.00). You can see the path heading toward the beach that curves to the left in the picture, which then steeply descends to the right at mile 0.07-0.12. The vegetation along the base of the cliff shows up well in the photograph. The road up from the beach at mile 0.43 is shown on the extreme left in the photograph immediately to the north, with the curve to the right at mile 0.49 in the next photograph. The junction at mile 0.51 between the concrete and the asphalt is shown clearly, with the path back seen just below the main highway with cars on it.
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 23 trails in our database when this histogram was made. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in our database.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa On This Trail % of Taxa On This Trail
Total Taxa 100%

We found x additional species not in the above table, since it has not been identified yet.
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"

The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page (4 pages)

Mile # id? Common Name Latin Name Comments # trls tp lists ccsp lists
0.00 Reef Point Parking Lot. Trail begins at first bathroom on the left after entering the parking lot.
0.00 1 western vervain Verbena lasiostachys var. scabrida 2 2 2
0.00 2 coyote bush Baccharis pilularis 4 3 2
0.00 3 saltbush Atriplex lentiformis ssp. lentiformis 1 2
0.00 4 peninsular sycamore Platanus racemosa var. wrightii 1 0 2
0.00 5 *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana 8 3 2
0.00 6 bladderpod Isomeris arborea 2 3 2
0.00 7 toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia On left of restrooms 9 2 2
0.00 8 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium 11 0
0.00 9 California sagebrush Artemisia californica 10 3 2
0.00 10 *horehound Marrubium vulgare 6 3 2
0.00 11 coastal goldenbush Isocoma menziesii var. vernonioides Many of the plants in 2002 satisfy the keys for ssp. menziesii, but we think this is due to the drought. They don't look the same as the ssp. menziesii at Torrey Pines. 2 3 2
0.00 12 California encelia Encelia californica 1 3 2
0.01 Middle of bathroom building
13 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 7 3 2
14 *castor bean Ricinus communis 2 3 2
15 lemonade berry Rhus integrifolia 2 3 2
0.02 16 black sage Salvia mellifera 10 3 2
0.03 Long series of steps descending to beach
0.04 17 ssp fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens The first plant here may be ssp. canescens, but we need to check the fruit. The second plant, very close by, is intermediate between canescens and linearis, with 1 mm lvs but stalked fruit. 1 3
0.05 18 ? *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 10 3 2
0.05 19 ? unk annual grass
0.06 20 telegraph weed Heterotheca grandiflora 6 3 2
0.06 21 deerweed Lotus scoparius var. scoparius 5 1 2
0.07 Staircase turns left 130 degrees.
0.12 End of staircase at beach. Turn right and follow base of bluffs.
0.13 Lifeguard tower
0.15 22 California saltbush Atriplex californica 2 2 2
0.15 23 ~ white everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum 9 4 2
0.19 24 *European sea rocket Cakile maritima 1 4 2
0.21 25 sea-cliff buckwheat Eriogonum parvifolium 2 3 1
0.22 26 *Russian thistle Salsola tragus 4 3 2
0.22 27 saltgrass Distichlis spicata 2 3 2
0.24 28 woolly seablite Suaeda taxifolia 1 2 1
0.28 The sand makes a "barking" noise when your shoes scrape across the surface!
0.31 29 *crystalline ice plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum 1 3 2
0.32 30 sacred datura Datura wrightii 3 3 2
0.33 31 *creeping Australian saltbush Atriplex semibaccata 5 3 2
0.36 32 seaside heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum 1 3 2
0.38 33 western ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya 6 3 2
0.38 34 *rabbits-foot grass Polypogon monspeliensis 5 2 2
0.40 35 marsh jaumea Jaumea carnosa 1 3
0.41 36 coast prickly-pear Opuntia littoralis 2 3 2
0.43 Take paved road up on right.
0.43 37 *tocalote Centaurea melitensis 9 3 2
0.44 38 ? wild oats?
0.47 39 *fennel Foeniculum vulgare 2 3 2
0.47 40 ? big saltbush? Atriplex sp. similar to A. lentiformis, but leaves are narrowly oblanceolate less than 1 cm wide. Infl is too long to be A. canescens. Need fruit to id.
0.49 41 *black mustard Brassica nigra 2 3 2
0.49 Road curves right
0.51 Road changes from concrete to asphalt; road curves back to south.
0.52 Top of bluff
0.55 Jct. road merging into this from left
0.56 (white everlasting with dead blooms from previous year)
0.57 42 *crown daisy Chrysanthemum coronarium location uncertain; plants were whacked away this trip 1 3 2
0.60 43 *scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis 4 3 2
0.61 Field of Isocoma menziesii var. vernonioides?
0.65 Jct. road/trail on left.
0.67 Annual sunflower?dead plant from last year, 5 feet high, stems with 5 heads
0.73 Jct. road/trail on right leading to overlook, and path to left.
0.75 Jct. paved path to parking lot on left.
0.79 Jct. road/trail on right leading to overlook; path to left leads to parking lot
0.79 Small revegetation area newly planted
0.82 Smaller revegetation area newly planted with single pads of prickly pear
0.82 44 ? Vasey's prickly pear Opuntia Xvaseyi 2
0.85 Smaller revegetation area newly planted with single pads of prickly pear
0.86 Smaller revegetation area newly planted with single pads of prickly pear
0.89 North end of parking lot with bathroom.
0.93 End loop trail at bathroom.

# trls is the number of trails in our plant guide that contain this specific taxon. A value of "1" means that the given species is found only on this trail.
tp lists is whether a taxon is contained in the Torrey Pines Plant List of Bob Muns or the Park List. Currently, if we observe a ssp, but only a sp is on the lists, the value will be zero. This will be corrected in the future. Treat all non-zero numbers as simply meaning it is present on at least one of the two lists.
ccsp lists is whether a taxon is contained in the Crystal Cove Plant List of Bob Muns or the Park List. Currently, if we observe a ssp, but only a sp is on the lists, the value will be zero. This will be corrected in the future. Treat all non-zero numbers as simply meaning it is present on at least one of the two lists.
This list is from only two trips in a drought year, 7/23/02 and 7/26/02, and thus is very incomplete and may contain errors.
Comments On Specific Species

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
Total Taxa		100%

Mile	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	Comments	# trls	tp lists	ccsp lists
0.00			Reef Point Parking Lot. Trail begins at first bathroom on the left after entering the parking lot.
0.00	1		western vervain	Verbena lasiostachys var. scabrida		2	2	2
0.00	2		coyote bush	Baccharis pilularis		4	3	2
0.00	3		saltbush	Atriplex lentiformis ssp. lentiformis		1	2
0.00	4		peninsular sycamore	Platanus racemosa var. wrightii		1	0	2
0.00	5		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana		8	3	2
0.00	6		bladderpod	Isomeris arborea		2	3	2
0.00	7		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	On left of restrooms	9	2	2
0.00	8		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium		11	0
0.00	9		California sagebrush	Artemisia californica		10	3	2
0.00	10		*horehound	Marrubium vulgare		6	3	2
0.00	11		coastal goldenbush	Isocoma menziesii var. vernonioides	Many of the plants in 2002 satisfy the keys for ssp. menziesii, but we think this is due to the drought. They don't look the same as the ssp. menziesii at Torrey Pines.	2	3	2
0.00	12		California encelia	Encelia californica		1	3	2
0.01			Middle of bathroom building
	13		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia		7	3	2
	14		*castor bean	Ricinus communis		2	3	2
	15		lemonade berry	Rhus integrifolia		2	3	2
0.02	16		black sage	Salvia mellifera		10	3	2
0.03			Long series of steps descending to beach
0.04	17	ssp	fourwing saltbush	Atriplex canescens	The first plant here may be ssp. canescens, but we need to check the fruit. The second plant, very close by, is intermediate between canescens and linearis, with 1 mm lvs but stalked fruit.	1	3
0.05	18	?	*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens		10	3	2
0.05	19	?	unk annual grass
0.06	20		telegraph weed	Heterotheca grandiflora		6	3	2
0.06	21		deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. scoparius		5	1	2
0.07			Staircase turns left 130 degrees.
0.12			End of staircase at beach. Turn right and follow base of bluffs.
0.13			Lifeguard tower
0.15	22		California saltbush	Atriplex californica		2	2	2
0.15	23	~	white everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum		9	4	2
0.19	24		*European sea rocket	Cakile maritima		1	4	2
0.21	25		sea-cliff buckwheat	Eriogonum parvifolium		2	3	1
0.22	26		*Russian thistle	Salsola tragus		4	3	2
0.22	27		saltgrass	Distichlis spicata		2	3	2
0.24	28		woolly seablite	Suaeda taxifolia		1	2	1
0.28			The sand makes a "barking" noise when your shoes scrape across the surface!
0.31	29		*crystalline ice plant	Mesembryanthemum crystallinum		1	3	2
0.32	30		sacred datura	Datura wrightii		3	3	2
0.33	31		*creeping Australian saltbush	Atriplex semibaccata		5	3	2
0.36	32		seaside heliotrope	Heliotropium curassavicum		1	3	2
0.38	33		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya		6	3	2
0.38	34		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis		5	2	2
0.40	35		marsh jaumea	Jaumea carnosa		1	3
0.41	36		coast prickly-pear	Opuntia littoralis		2	3	2
0.43			Take paved road up on right.
0.43	37		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis		9	3	2
0.44	38	?	wild oats?
0.47	39		*fennel	Foeniculum vulgare		2	3	2
0.47	40	?	big saltbush?	Atriplex sp.	similar to A. lentiformis, but leaves are narrowly oblanceolate less than 1 cm wide. Infl is too long to be A. canescens. Need fruit to id.
0.49	41		*black mustard	Brassica nigra		2	3	2
0.49			Road curves right
0.51			Road changes from concrete to asphalt; road curves back to south.
0.52			Top of bluff
0.55			Jct. road merging into this from left
0.56			(white everlasting with dead blooms from previous year)
0.57	42		*crown daisy	Chrysanthemum coronarium	location uncertain; plants were whacked away this trip	1	3	2
0.60	43		*scarlet pimpernel	Anagallis arvensis		4	3	2
0.61			Field of Isocoma menziesii var. vernonioides?
0.65			Jct. road/trail on left.
0.67			Annual sunflower?dead plant from last year, 5 feet high, stems with 5 heads
0.73			Jct. road/trail on right leading to overlook, and path to left.
0.75			Jct. paved path to parking lot on left.
0.79			Jct. road/trail on right leading to overlook; path to left leads to parking lot
0.79			Small revegetation area newly planted
0.82			Smaller revegetation area newly planted with single pads of prickly pear
0.82	44	?	Vasey's prickly pear	Opuntia Xvaseyi		2
0.85			Smaller revegetation area newly planted with single pads of prickly pear
0.86			Smaller revegetation area newly planted with single pads of prickly pear
0.89			North end of parking lot with bathroom.
0.93			End loop trail at bathroom.

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Copyright © 2002 by Tom Chester and Jane Strong.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/oc/plants/guides/crystal_cove/reef_point.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Jane Strong
Updated 16 December 2002.