Plant Guide to Nature Trail, James Reserve, San Jacinto Mountains

Introduction and Explanation of Plant Trail Guides

Introduction
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species

Introduction

This trail is within the James Reserve, which is closed to the public except by advance arrangement for scientific or educational purposes.

This is a ~1.0 mile loop hike, with ~400 feet of elevation gain and loss.

This guide was originally created on a preview trip for a Sierra Club Natural Science Section outing on 28 July 2007, with additional work done on the guide on 4 May 2013; 14 June 2016; 6 and 9 July 2016; and 25 September 2020.

Some of the original determinations were made from the James Reserve Plant List, which made the identification task much easier. We thank Ken Berg for originally creating that list, all the collectors who contributed to that list, and the James Reserve staff and the UCR Herbarium for updating that list in March 2007.

The plant guide now has only one species with an uncertain determination, the probable Cerastium glomeratum at mile 0.02.

We thank Michael Hamilton and Jennifer Gee for permission to botanize the James Reserve, and for their hospitality during our visits.

The Plant Guide

See also Checklist in Family Order.

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (4 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (1 double-sided page). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#Pls
0.00				Begin trail at northeast end of parking area, at sign "Nature Trail"; elevation 5400 feet (1646 m)
0.00	l	1		Sierra Nevada lotus	Acmispon nevadensis var. nevadensis	20 / 4
0.00	l	2		wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	50 / 2
0.00	l	3		wild pepper-grass	Lepidium virginicum ssp. menziesii	1 / 1
0.00	r	4		incense-cedar	Calocedrus decurrens	99 / 9
0.00	b	5		*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	99 / 5
0.00	l	6		blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus	99 / 9
0.00	l	7		bracken	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	99 / 9
0.00	r	8		canyon live oak	Quercus chrysolepis	99 / 9
0.00	r	9		Sierra hoary coffeeberry	Frangula californica ssp. cuspidata	50 / 9
0.00	l	10		ponderosa pine	Pinus ponderosa var. pacifica	99 / 9
0.01	r	11		western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	20 / 2
0.01	r	12		Parish's burning bush	Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii	50 / 2
0.01	r	13		Fendler's meadow-rue	Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri	15 / 3
0.01	l	14		stinging nettle	Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea	10 / 1
0.01				First crossing of Indian Creek
0.01	l	15		fragile sheath sedge	Carex fracta	50 / 9
0.01	b	16		mountain pink currant	Ribes nevadense	99 / 5
0.01	r	17		woodland strawberry	Fragaria vesca	99 / 2
0.02	l	18		mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	99 / 9
0.02	l	19		sticky cinquefoil	Drymocallis glandulosa var. viscida	30 / 4
0.02	l	20		Cleveland's horkelia	Horkelia clevelandii var. clevelandii	20 / 1
0.02	b	21		California black oak	Quercus kelloggii	50 / 5
0.02	l			(western azalea, Rhododendron occidentale; pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.02	l	22		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	99 / 2
0.02	l			(white-veined wintergreen, Pyrola picta)
0.02	l	23	~	*mouse-ear chickweed	Cerastium glomeratum	99 / 1
0.03	l	24		silky lotus	Acmispon heermannii var. heermannii	30 / 5
0.03	l	25		whisker-brush	Leptosiphon ciliatus	99 / 1
0.03	r	26		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	99 / 1
0.03	b	27		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	40 / 5
0.03	r	28		broad-leaved lotus	Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia	5 / 1
0.03	r	29		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	99 / 9
0.03	r	30		mustang mint	Monardella breweri ssp. lanceolata	99 / 9
0.03	l	31		mountain red-root cryptantha	Cryptantha micrantha var. lepida	99 / 3
0.03	l			(pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea; Coulter pine, Pinus coulteri; sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana; goldenrod, Solidago velutina ssp. californica)
0.03	r			(naked buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum)
0.03	e			Sign: “Camp Limit”
0.03	l	32		pinegrove groundsmoke	Gayophytum oligospermum	99 / 2
0.03	r	33		San Bernardino suncup	Camissoniopsis confusa	20 / 2
0.04	r	34		swamp sedge	Carex senta	50 / 9
0.04	l	35		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum	99 / 9
0.05	r	36		short-flowered monardella	Monardella nana	50 / 9
0.05	r	37		curve-flowered skullcap	Scutellaria siphocampyloides	99 / 3
0.05	l	38		coastal gilia	Gilia diegensis	8 / 1
0.05	r	39		San Jacinto Mtns. bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. jacinticum	99 / 9
0.06	r	40		rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys rigida	30 / 2
0.06	r	41		goldenrod	Solidago velutina ssp. californica	99 / 5
0.06	r	42		Parish's lupine	Lupinus latifolius var. parishii	2 / 2
0.06	r	43		green miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis	10 / 1
0.07				Second crossing of Indian Creek
0.07	r	44		false monkeyflower	Mimulus pilosus	20 / 1
0.07	r	45		spike bentgrass	Agrostis exarata	6 / 1
0.07	r	46		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	20 / 5
0.08	b	47		smooth scouring rush	Equisetum laevigatum	99 / 1
0.10	l	48		sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana	50 / 9
0.11	r	49		Coulter pine	Pinus coulteri	50 / 9
0.12	l	50		white fir	Abies concolor	20 / 2
0.12	r	51		little prince's pine	Chimaphila menziesii	50 / 1
0.12	l			Jct. use trail to Creek
0.14	l	52		Palmer's ceanothus	Ceanothus palmeri	30 / 1
0.14	l			(subarctic lady-fern, Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum)
0.16	l	53		thimbleberry	Rubus parviflorus	20 / 1
0.16	l	54		western azalea	Rhododendron occidentale	99 / 5
0.16	r	55		white-veined wintergreen	Pyrola picta	30 / 3
0.17	b	56		spreading dogbane	Apocynum androsaemifolium	30 / 2
0.17	l			(lemon lily, Lilium parryi)
0.19	l			(snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
0.21	l	57		spotted coralroot	Corallorhiza maculata	30 / 2
0.23				First branch of third crossing of Indian Creek
0.24	r	58		lemon lily	Lilium parryi	15 / 2
0.24				Second branch of third crossing of Indian Creek, on a wood plank
0.31				Switchback left
0.31	b	59		forest sedge	Carex multicaulis	5 / 3
0.31	l	60		western morning-glory	Calystegia occidentalis ssp. fulcrata	20 / 2
0.31	r	61		western lupine	Lupinus formosus var. formosus	20 / 1
0.32				Switchback right
0.33	l	62		pink-bracted manzanita	Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea	99 / 9
0.34				Switchback left
0.34	r			(chaparral yucca, Hesperoyucca whipplei)
0.34	r	63		naked buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum	20 / 5
0.35	r	64		chaparral yucca	Hesperoyucca whipplei	20 / 3
0.35				First of three high points on trail, elevation 5550 feet
0.36	r	65		interior live oak	Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens	50 / 9
0.39	r	66		southern tauschia	Tauschia arguta	10 / 1
0.39	r			(southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata)
0.39	l	67		California bay	Umbellularia californica	6 / 1
0.40	r			(whorledleaf penstemon, Keckiella ternata var. ternata; California elegant rock-cress, Boechera californica)
0.44				Switchback right
0.45				Switchback left
0.47	l	68	sp	Hall's brome	Bromus hallii	2 / 1
0.47	r			(blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum; California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium)
0.47	e	69		chaparral whitethorn	Ceanothus leucodermis	40 / 5
0.47	r	70		California-aster	Corethrogyne filaginifolia	50 / 9
0.47	r	71		wide-throated yellow monkeyflower	Mimulus brevipes	99 / 9
0.47	l			(woolly angelica, Angelica tomentosa)
0.47	r	72		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	99 / 9
0.47	l	73		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	20 / 4
0.47	r	74		southern mountain woolly-star	Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum	40 / 9
0.48	l	75		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	30 / 9
0.48	l	76		squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	20 / 3
0.48	l	77		slender hairgrass	Deschampsia elongata	5 / 1
0.48				Second of three high points on trail
0.49	r	78		Fremont's monkeyflower	Mimulus fremontii var. fremontii	99 / 5
0.50	b	79		rattail fescue	Festuca myuros	40 / 2
0.55	b	80		Parish's tauschia	Tauschia parishii	50 / 5
0.56	r	81		pine dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium campylopodum	1 / 1
0.56				Third of three high points on trail
0.63	r	82		Jones' prickly-nut cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii	20 / 1
0.64	r	83		coast-range melic	Melica imperfecta	5 / 1
0.65	r	84		popcorn flower	Cryptantha intermedia var. intermedia	12 / 1
0.66	r	85		bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setiger	9 / 2
0.68	b	86		wide-glumed needle grass	Stipa latiglumis	20 / 3
0.69	r	87		strigose lotus	Acmispon strigosus	10 / 1
0.69	r			(Martin's paintbrush, Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii; small fescue, Festuca microstachys)
0.69	r	88		scarlet bugler	Penstemon centranthifolius	30 / 9
0.69	r	89		beautiful hulsea	Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha	5 / 2
0.73	r	90		June grass	Koeleria macrantha	13 / 1
0.75	l	91		San Gabriel beardtongue	Penstemon labrosus	99 / 3
0.76	r	92		Martin's paintbrush	Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii	40 / 3
0.77	l	93		oak mistletoe	Phoradendron serotinum ssp. tomentosum	2 / 1
0.78				(goosefoot yellow violet, Viola purpurea ssp. quercetorum)
0.79	l	94		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Ericameria nauseosa var. bernardina	2 / 1
0.79	r	95		diamond-petaled clarkia	Clarkia rhomboidea	30 / 1
0.79	r	96		twiggy wreath plant	Stephanomeria virgata	1 / 1
0.79				T-jct. with road; go left
0.80	r	97		three-lobed oxytheca	Sidotheca trilobata	25 / 1
0.82	b	98		slender everlasting	Pseudognaphalium thermale	20 / 2
0.82	l			(woodland spurge, Euphorbia lurida)
0.85	r	99		Mexican manzanita	Arctostaphylos pungens	1 / 1
0.85	r	100		imbricate phacelia	Phacelia imbricata var. patula	2 / 1
0.86				T-Jct. with entrance road; go left
0.86	r	101		California elegant rock-cress	Boechera californica	5 / 1
0.86	r	102		*English plantain	Plantago lanceolata	20 / 2
0.87	l	103		Lewis' flax	Linum lewisii var. lewisii	20 / 1
0.87	l			(Parry's green-gentian, Frasera parryi)
0.87	l	104		yarrow	Achillea millefolium	5 / 1
0.87	l	105		lesser paintbrush	Castilleja minor ssp. spiralis	3 / 1
0.87	l	106		goldenstar	Bloomeria crocea	30 / 1
0.87	l	107		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	16 / 1
0.89	l	108		snow-plant	Sarcodes sanguinea	4 / 1
0.89	l	109		birch-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides	1 / 1
0.90	r	110		yellow willow	Salix lutea	1 / 1
0.90	b	111		white alder	Alnus rhombifolia	2 / 1
0.90	b	112		common monkeyflower	Mimulus guttatus	99 / 2
0.90	l	113		streambank lotus	Hosackia oblongifolia var. oblongifolia	30 / 1
0.90	l			(stream orchid, Epipactis gigantea)
0.90	r	114		subarctic lady-fern	Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum	3 / 1
0.90	b	115		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	10 / 1
0.90	r	116		willow-leaved dock	Rumex californicus	1 / 1
0.90	r	117		horsetail	Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine	2 / 1
0.90				Middle of bridge over fourth crossing of Indian Creek
0.90	r	118		giant chain fern	Woodwardia fimbriata	1 / 1
0.90	r	119		*common bedstraw	Galium aparine	2 / 1
0.90	r	120		Utah service-berry	Amelanchier utahensis	2 / 1
0.90	l	121		California wild rose	Rosa californica	20 / 1
0.92	l	122		Davidson's buckwheat	Eriogonum davidsonii	5 / 1
0.93	l	123		slender wreathplant	Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei	1 / 1
0.94	l	124		Spanish clover	Acmispon americanus var. americanus	1 / 1
0.94	b	125		sticky lessingia	Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera	99 / 2
0.96	r	126		woolly angelica	Angelica tomentosa	30 / 1
1.00				End trail at Parking Area
				species from Jim Roberts with unspecified location
		127		white hawkweed	Hieracium albiflorum	/
		128		thread plant	Nemacladus longiflorus var. longiflorus	2 /
				species seen only off-trail, also listed above in parentheses at the given mileage
0.40		129		whorledleaf penstemon	Keckiella ternata var. ternata	1 /
0.47		130		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium	1 /
0.69		131		small fescue	Festuca microstachys	20 /
0.78		132		goosefoot yellow violet	Viola purpurea ssp. quercetorum	10 /
0.82		133		woodland spurge	Euphorbia lurida	1 /
0.87		134		Parry's green-gentian	Frasera parryi	3 /
0.90		135		stream orchid	Epipactis gigantea	10 /
				species only seen 0.06 miles up road at mile 0.79
0.79		136		common mullein	Verbascum thapsus	6 /
0.79		137		Fremont's goosefoot	Chenopodium fremontii	10 /

Comments On Specific Species

Rhamnus tomentella ssp. cuspidata. The first specimen on the trail has the glabrous leaves of R. californica. The second specimen, also noted in the guide, has leaves that are soft hairy underneath. This is typical of this species at SnJt, leaving it less than clear which of those two names to call these plants. In this guide, we have adopted the name in the James Reserve Flora, but in other plant trail guides at SnJt have called these plants R. californica.

Ceanothus palmeri / C. integerrimus. These taxa are also extremely close, but it appears that the expert, Dieter Wilken, has settled on C. palmeri for the SnJt plants. Most of the plants we've checked have indeed been prominently 1-veined from base, fitting C. palmeri.