Vascular Plants of the Whittier Hills, Los Angeles County
Julie A. Schneider Ljubenkov and Timothy S. Ross, 2002
Introduction This checklist was published in Crossosoma 27: 1-23, 2001, issued August 2002. See that article for more complete information, including location of the study area, physical description of the study area, land uses past and present, plant communities, methods, floristics and acknowledgements.
This web version conforms to the Jepson Manual taxa and family names to make it easier to use that standard botanical reference with this list. Taxa with subspecies or varieties not accepted in the JM have the subspecies or variety name given here in brackets. See Nomenclatural Changes for a list of the taxa with names in this page that are different from the ones in the printed checklist.
To make the page easier to use, we omit the authors of the names. See the Jepson Manual or the printed version of this checklist for the authors.
In this web version, the common names and bloom periods are those in the Chester and Strong plant database. This was simply for convenience, in order to put the checklist online as quickly as possible.
Area Covered By The Checklist The Whittier Hills are the northwestern-most portion of the Puente Hills.
Located in eastern Los Angeles County, the Whittier Hills are on the coastal plain, approximately sixteen miles north of the Pacific Ocean, and twelve miles east of the city of Los Angeles. The San Gabriel Valley lies to the north. The Puente Hills arise just east of Whittier Narrows, where the Rio Hondo River and the San Gabriel River flow close together. The hills provide a wildlife corridor from the San Gabriel River to the Santa Ana River and the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange and Riverside Counties.
The portion of the Whittier Hills surveyed consists of about 3,500 acres roughly bounded by the City of Whittier on the west and the south, the City of Industry to the north, and Hacienda Heights to the east. Our survey area was specifically confined on the northwest by Workman Mill Road, the developed parts of Rose Hills Memorial Park, and the Puente Hills Landfill. Colima Road was our southeastern boundary. Lands surveyed included the Rio Hondo College Wildlife Sanctuary, Hellman Park, the Skyline Trail, and other large parcels that are privately owned.
Physical Characteristics of the Region The Whittier Hills consist of many canyons and ridges with moderate to steep slopes. Elevations range from 300 to 1,388 feet.
Methods The checklist was compiled from various sources: written materials and specimens available within the Rio Hondo Community College Biology Department, field observations, and additional specimens collected in the northern Puente Hills as herbarium vouchers.
Much of the information contained in the checklist evolved from earlier work done for a field guide of Whittier Hills Plants. Field work for the guide was done between 1986 and 1990.
Voucher specimens were collected between 1990 and 1992, and these are deposited at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden herbaiurm, in Claremont, California. During this time, additional plants were added to the list.
The Checklist An asterisk before the common name indicates a taxon not-native to California. A bloom period of 1-12 means most months.
Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page (11 pages)
# Latin Name (*)Common Name Bloom
PeriodFerns and Fern Allies
Polypodiaceae Polypody Family 1 Polypodium californicum California polypody - Pteridaceae Fern Family 2 Pellaea andromedifolia [var. andromedifolia] coffee fern - 3 Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis goldback fern - Selaginellaceae Spike Moss Family 4 Selaginella bigelovii Bigelow's spike-moss - Dicots
Amaranthaceae Amaranth Family 5 Amaranthus albus *tumble pigweed 4-10 6 Amaranthus blitoides mat amaranth 5-11 Anacardiaceae Sumac Family 7 Malosma laurina laurel sumac 2-5 8 Rhus integrifolia lemonade berry 2-5 9 Rhus trilobata [var. pilosissima] basketbush 3-4 10 Schinus molle *Peruvian pepper tree 3-6 11 Toxicodendron diversilobum poison oak 4-5 Apiaceae Carrot Family 12 Apium graveolens *celery 5-7 13 Conium maculatum *poison hemlock 4-9 14 Foeniculum vulgare *fennel 5-9 15 Sanicula bipinnatifida purple sanicle 3-5 16 Torilis nodosa *hedge parsley 4-6 Asclepiadaceae Milkweed Family 17 Asclepias californica California milkweed 4-7 18 Asclepias eriocarpa Indian milkweed 6-8 19 Asclepias fascicularis narrow-leaf milkweed 6-8 Asteraceae Sunflower Family 20 Achillea millefolium yarrow 3-7 21 Achyrachaena mollis blow-wives 4-5 22 Acourtia microcephala acourtia 6-8 23 Ambrosia confertiflora weak-leaved burweed 5-11 24 Ambrosia psilostachya [var. californica] western ragweed 7-11 25 Anaphalis margaritacea pearly everlasting 6-8 26 Artemisia californica California sagebrush 8-12 27 Artemisia douglasiana mugwort 6-10 28 Artemisia dracunculus wild tarragon 8-10 29 Baccharis cf. emoryi Emory's baccharis 8-12 30 Baccharis douglasii salt marsh baccharis 7-9 31 Baccharis pilularis [ssp. consanguinea] coyote bush 8-12 32 Baccharis salicifolia mule fat 1-12 33 Brickellia californica California brickellbush 8-10 34 Carduus pycnocephalus *Italian thistle 5-7 35 Centaurea melitensis *tocalote 5-6 36 Chamomilla suaveolens *pineapple weed 5-9 37 Cirsium vulgare *bull thistle 6-9 38 Conyza bonariensis *little horseweed 6-8 39 Conyza canadensis horseweed 6-9 40 Cotula australis *Australian brass-buttons 1-5 41 Encelia californica California encelia 2-6 42 Encelia farinosa brittlebush 3-5 43 Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus leafy daisy 5-7 44 Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum golden yarrow 1-7 45 Filago californica California filago 3-6 46 Filago gallica *narrowleaf filago 4-6 47 Gazania linearis *gazania 1-12 48 Gnaphalium bicolor bicolored everlasting 1-5 49 Gnaphalium californicum California everlasting 1-7 50 Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum white everlasting 7-10 51 Gnaphalium stramineum cotton-batting plant 6-10 52 Grindelia camporum var. camporum Great Valley gumweed 4-8 53 Gutierrezia californica California matchweed 5-10 54 Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides saw-toothed goldenbush 6-10 55 Helianthus gracilentus slender sunflower 5-10 56 Hemizonia fasciculata slender tarweed 5-8 57 Heterotheca grandiflora telegraph weed 1-12 58 Hypochaeris glabra *smooth cat's ear 3-6 59 Isocoma menziesii var. menziesii coastal goldenbush 4-11 60 Isocoma menziesii var. vernonioides coastal goldenbush 4-12 61 Lactuca serriola *prickly lettuce 5-9 62 Lagophylla ramosissima ssp. ramosissima common hareleaf 5-10 63 Lasthenia californica [ssp. californica] goldfields 2-6 64 Layia platyglossa common tidy-tips 3-5 65 Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia California-aster 7-10 66 Malacothrix saxatilis var. tenuifolia short-leaved cliff-aster 1-12 67 Picris echioides *bristly ox-tongue 6-12 68 Rafinesquia californica California chicory 4-7 69 Senecio californicus California groundsel 3-5 70 Senecio vulgaris *common groundsel 1-12 71 Silybum marianum *milk thistle 4-7 72 Solidago californica goldenrod 7-10 73 Sonchus oleraceus *sow thistle 1-12 74 Stephanomeria diegensis San Diego wreathplant 8-11 75 Stephanomeria virgata ssp. virgata twiggy wreath plant 7-10 76 Stylocline gnaphaloides everlasting nest-straw 3-5 77 Xanthium spinosum spiny cocklebur 7-10 78 Xanthium strumarium [var. canadense] cocklebur 7-10 Boraginaceae Borage Family 79 Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia common fiddleneck 3-6 80 Cryptantha intermedia popcorn flower 3-7 81 Pectocarya linearis ssp. ferocula slender combseed 3-5 82 Plagiobothrys canescens grey popcorn flower 3-5 Brassicaceae Mustard Family 83 Brassica nigra *black mustard 4-7 84 Brassica rapa [ssp. sylvestris] *field mustard 1-5 85 Capsella bursa-pastoris *shepherd's purse 1-12 86 Hirschfeldia incana *shortpod mustard 1-12 87 Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum hairy-podded pepper-grass 2-5 88 Lepidium nitidum shining peppergrass 2-5 89 Lepidium strictum prostrate pepper-grass 3-5 90 Lobularia maritima *sweet alyssum 1-12 91 Raphanus sativus *purple wild radish 2-7 92 Sisymbrium irio *London rocket 1-4 93 Sisymbrium officinale *hedge mustard 4-7 94 Sisymbrium orientale *Oriental mustard 1-5 95 Thysanocarpus laciniatus [var. laciniatus] lace-pod 3-5 Cactaceae Cactus Family 96 Opuntia littoralis [var. littoralis] coast prickly-pear 5-6 Caprifoliaceae Honeysuckle Family 97 Sambucus mexicana blue elderberry 3-9 98 Symphoricarpos mollis creeping snowberry 4-6 Caryophyllaceae Pink Family 99 Cerastium glomeratum *mouse-ear chickweed 2-5 100 Silene gallica *windmill pink 2-6 101 Silene laciniata ssp. major southern Indian pink 5-7 102 Stellaria media *common chickweed 2-9 Chenopodiaceae Goosefoot Family 103 Atriplex semibaccata *creeping Australian saltbush 4-12 104 Chenopodium album *white goosefoot 6-10 105 Chenopodium berlandieri [var. sinuatum] pit-seed goosefoot - 106 Chenopodium californicum California goosefoot 3-6 107 Chenopodium murale *nettle-leaved goosefoot 1-12 108 Salsola tragus *Russian thistle 7-10 Convolvulaceae Morning Glory Family 109 Calystegia macrostegia ssp. intermedia south coast morning-glory 5-6 Crassulaceae Stonecrop Family 110 Crassula connata [var. erectoides] pygmy-weed 2-5 111 Dudleya lanceolata lanceleaf dudleya 5-7 112 Dudleya multicaulis many-stemmed dudleya 5-6 Cucurbitaceae Gourd Family 113 Cucurbita foetidissima stinking gourd 6-8 114 Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus wild-cucumber 1-4 Cuscutaceae Dodder Family 115 Cuscuta californica California dodder 5-8 Euphorbiaceae Spurge Family 116 Chamaesyce albomarginata rattlesnake weed 4-11 117 Chamaesyce melanadenia red-gland spurge 12-5 118 Chamaesyce polycarpa small-seeded spurge 1-12 119 Eremocarpus setigerus dove weed 5-10 120 Euphorbia peplus *petty spurge 2-8 121 Ricinus communis *castor bean 1-12 Fabaceae Pea Family 122 Amorpha californica var. californica California false-indigo 5-7 123 Astragalus gambelianus Gambel's dwarf milk-vetch 3-6 124 Astragalus trichopodus var. trichopodus Santa Barbara milk-vetch 2-6 125 Coronilla valentina ssp. glauca *crown vetch - 126 Lathyrus vestitus common Pacific pea 4-6 127 Lotus salsuginosus var. salsuginosus coastal lotus 3-6 128 Lotus scoparius var. scoparius deerweed 3-8 129 Lotus strigosus [var. strigosus] Bishop's lotus 3-6 130 Lupinus bicolor [ssp. microphyllus] dwarf lupine 3-6 131 Lupinus hirsutissimus stinging lupine 3-5 132 Lupinus longifolius long-leaf bush lupine 1-12 133 Lupinus succulentus arroyo lupine 2-5 134 Lupinus truncatus collar lupine 3-5 135 Medicago polymorpha [ssp. polymorpha] *California burclover 3-6 136 Melilotus albus *white sweetclover 5-9 137 Melilotus indicus *sourclover 4-10 138 Robinia pseudoacacia [ssp. bessoniana] *black locust 5-6 139 Spartium junceum *Spanish broom 4-6 140 Trifolium fucatum [var. gambelii] bull clover 4-6 141 Vicia benghalensis *purple vetch 3-5 142 Vicia sativa *spring vetch 4-7 143 Vicia villosa ssp. varia *winter vetch 4-7 144 Vicia villosa ssp. villosa *hairy vetch 4-7 Fagaceae Oak Family 145 Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia coast live oak 3-4 Geraniaceae Geranium Family 146 Erodium botrys *long-beaked filaree 3-5 147 Erodium brachycarpum *short-fruited filaree 4-8 148 Erodium cicutarium *redstem filaree 2-5 149 Erodium moschatum *white-stemmed filaree 2-5 150 Geranium carolinianum Carolina geranium 4-6 Grossulariaceae Gooseberry Family 151 Ribes aureum var. gracillimum golden currant 2-4 152 Ribes malvaceum var. viridifolium chaparral currant - 153 Ribes speciosum fuchsia-flowered gooseberry 1-5 Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia Family 154 Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora whispering bells 4-7 155 Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia eucrypta 3-6 156 Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida caterpillar phacelia 3-5 157 Phacelia distans common phacelia 3-6 158 Phacelia grandiflora giant-flowered phacelia 4-6 159 Phacelia minor wild canterbury bells 3-6 160 Phacelia parryi Parry's phacelia 3-5 161 Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia branching phacelia 5-8 162 Phacelia tanacetifolia tansy-leafed phacelia 3-5 163 Phacelia viscida sticky phacelia 3-6 164 Pholistoma auritum var. auritum fiesta flower 3-5 Juglandaceae Walnut Family 165 Juglans californica var. californica Southern California black walnut 4-5 Lamiaceae Mint Family 166 Lamium amplexicaule *henbit 4-9 167 Marrubium vulgare *horehound 5-8 168 Salvia apiana white sage 4-7 169 Salvia columbariae [ssp. columbariae] chia 3-6 170 Salvia leucophylla purple sage 5-7 171 Salvia leucophylla X S. mellifera hybrid sage 4-7 172 Salvia mellifera black sage 4-7 173 Stachys ajugoides var. rigida rigid hedge-nettle 7-8 174 Stachys bullata southern hedge-nettle 4-9 175 Trichostema lanceolatum vinegar weed 8-10 Lauraceae Laurel Family 176 Persea americana var. drymifolia *avocado - Malvaceae Mallow Family 177 Malacothamnus fasciculatus chaparral bush mallow 4-7 178 Malva parviflora *cheeseweed 1-12 179 Malvella leprosa alkali mallow 3-10 180 Sidalcea malviflora ssp. malviflora checkerbloom - Myrtaceae Myrtle Family 181 Eucalyptus globulus *blue gum 12-5 182 Eucalyptus sp. *Eucalyptus - Nyctaginaceae Four-O'Clock Family 183 Mirabilis californica California four o'clock 12-6 Onagraceae Evening Primrose Family 184 Camissonia californica California suncup 4-5 185 Camissonia intermedia intermediate sun-cups - 186 Clarkia bottae punch-bowl godetia 4-6 187 Clarkia purpurea purple clarkia 4-7 188 [Epilobium canum ssp. angustifolium] California fuchsia 8-10 189 Epilobium canum ssp. canum California fuchsia 8-10 Oxalidaceae Oxalis Family 190 Oxalis pes-caprae *Bermuda buttercup 11-3 Papaveraceae Poppy Family 191 Eschscholzia californica [var. peninsularis] California poppy 2-9 Passifloraceae Passion-Flower Family 192 Passiflora caerulea *passion flower - Plantaginaceae Plantain Family 193 Plantago major *common plantain 4-9 Platanaceae Sycamore Family 194 Platanus racemosa western sycamore 2-4 Polemoniaceae Phlox Family 195 Eriastrum sapphirinum [ssp. dasyanthum] sapphire woolly-star 5-8 196 Gilia angelensis angel's gilia 3-5 Polygonaceae Buckwheat Family 197 Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum long-stemmed buckwheat 8-11 198 Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum California buckwheat 3-10 199 Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum approaches polifolium California buckwheat 3-11 200 Polygonum arenastrum *knotweed 5-11 201 Pterostegia drymarioides threadstem 3-7 202 Rumex crispus *curly dock 1-12 Portulacaceae Purslane Family 203 Calandrinia ciliata [var. menziesii] red maids 2-5 204 Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora narrow-leaved miner's lettuce 2-5 205 Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana southern miner's lettuce 2-5 Primulaceae Primrose Family 206 Anagallis arvensis *scarlet pimpernel 3-7 Ranunculaceae Buttercup Family 207 Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi blue larkspur 4-6 Rhamnaceae Buckthorn Family 208 Rhamnus ilicifolia hollyleaf redberry 3-6 Rosaceae Rose Family 209 Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides birch-leaf mountain-mahogany 3-4 210 Heteromeles arbutifolia toyon 6-7 211 Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa sticky cinquefoil 5-7 212 Prunus persica *peach 4-5 213 Rosa californica California wild rose 5-8 214 Rosa x hybrida ex hort. *hybrid tea rose - 215 Rubus discolor *Himalaya blackberry 5-8 216 Rubus ursinus California blackberry 3-5 Rubiaceae Bedstraw Family 217 Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium narrowleaf bedstraw 4-7 218 Galium aparine common bedstraw 3-7 219 Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii climbing bedstraw 3-7 Salicaceae Willow Family 220 Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa black cottonwood 2-4 221 Salix laevigata red willow 3-5 222 Salix lasiolepis [var. lasiolepis] arroyo willow 3-5 Saxifragaceae Saxifrage Family 223 Lithophragma affine [ssp. mixtum] woodland star 2-6 Scrophulariaceae Snapdragon Family 224 Antirrhinum kelloggii twining snapdragon 3-5 225 Keckiella cordifolia heartleaf penstemon 3-8 226 Mimulus aurantiacus [var. pubescens] bush monkeyflower 4-7 227 Penstemon centranthifolius scarlet bugler 4-7 228 Scrophularia californica ssp. floribunda California bee plant 3-5 229 Verbascum virgatum *wand mullein 5-9 Simaroubaceae Quassia Family 230 Ailanthus altissima *tree-of-heaven 6-6 Solanaceae Nightshade Family 231 Datura wrightii sacred datura 4-10 232 Nicotiana glauca *tree tobacco 4-8 233 Solanum douglasii white nightshade 1-12 Ulmaceae Elm Family 234 Ulmus parvifolia *Chinese elm 8-8 Urticaceae Nettle Family 235 Parietaria hespera var. hespera pellitory 2-6 236 Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea stinging nettle 7-9 237 Urtica urens *dwarf nettle 1-4 Valerianaceae Valerian Family 238 Centranthus ruber *Jupiter's beard 4-8 Verbenaceae Vervain Family 239 Verbena lasiostachys western vervain 4-9 Violaceae Violet Family 240 Viola pedunculata johnny jump-up 2-4 Vitaceae Grape Family 241 Vitis girdiana wild grape 5-6 Monocots
Arecaceae Palm Family 242 Phoenix canariensis *Canary Island date palm - Iridaceae Iris Family 243 Sisyrinchium bellum blue-eyed grass 3-5 Liliaceae Lily Family 244 Agave elephantipes *elephant-foot yucca - 245 Agave sisalana *sisal - 246 Bloomeria crocea goldenstar 4-6 247 Calochortus plummerae Plummer's mariposa lily 5-7 248 Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum soap plant 5-7 249 Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum blue dicks 2-5 Poaceae Grass Family 250 Agrostis viridis *green bentgrass 5-6 251 Avena barbata *slender wild oats 3-6 252 Avena fatua *wild oats 4-6 253 Bromus catharticus *rescue grass 4-11 254 Bromus diandrus *ripgut brome 4-6 255 Bromus hordeaceus ssp. hordaceus *soft chess 4-7 256 Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens *red brome 3-6 257 Bromus tectorum *downy brome 5-6 258 Cynodon dactylon *Bermuda grass 6-8 259 Digitaria sanguinalis *crabgrass 6-9 260 Echinochloa crus-galli *barnyard grass 7-10 261 Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus blue wildrye 6-8 262 Festuca arundinacea *tall fescue 5-6 263 Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum *foxtail barley 4-5 264 Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum *foxtail barley 4-7 265 Lamarckia aurea *goldentop 2-5 266 Leptochloa fascicularis sprangletop 6-10 267 Leptochloa uninervia Mexican sprangletop 4-12 268 Leymus condensatus giant wild rye 6-8 269 Lolium multiflorum *Italian rye-grass 5-9 270 Melica imperfecta small-flowered melica 4-5 271 Nassella lepida foothill needlegrass 3-5 272 Nassella pulchra purple needlegrass 3-5 273 Pennisetum setaceum *fountain grass 7-10 274 Poa annua *annual blue grass 1-7 275 Polypogon interruptus *ditch beard grass 5-8 276 Polypogon monspeliensis *rabbits-foot grass 4-10 277 Schismus arabicus *Mediterranean grass 3-5 278 Schismus barbatus *Mediterranean schismus 3-4 279 Triticum aestivum *common wheat 4-7 280 Vulpia myuros var. myuros *rattail fescue 3-5 Typhaceae Cat Tail Family 281 Typha latifolia broadleaf cattail 6-7 Epilobium canum ssp. angustifolium is combined in the Jepson Manual with Epilobium canum ssp. canum.
Go to:
Copyright © 2004 by Julie A. Schneider Ljubenkov and Timothy S. Ross
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
Crossosoma 27: 1-23, 2001
http://tchester.org/plants/floras/pr/whittier_hills.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester, who will relay comments to the authors
Last update: 9 February 2004