Flora of Upper Palm Wash / Calcite Mine Road


Introduction
Checklist


Introduction

This checklist is a start at a flora of the Upper Palm Wash / Calcite Mine Road area. It contains a list of the species with reasonably-certain identifications from a single survey on 21 February 2008, as well as the species vouchered and found from a fairly-large surrounding area.

See also Flora of Palm Wash Area in both San Diego and Imperial Counties.

The Upper Palm Wash / Calcite Mine Road area is delineated by the red rectangle in the following map:

The route surveyed on 21 February 2008 is shown in red on the following map:

The parking area on the north side of the road is at mile marker 38.0 on S22, 0.2 miles west of the beginning of the Calcite Mine Jeep Road. There is a use trail from the parking area to the Jeep Road.

The survey on 21 February 2008 covered the parking area, the use trail, the Calcite Mine Road, the south fork of Palm Wash from the Jeep Road to where it becomes impassable by a dry waterfall (labeled South Palm Wash in the above map), and a short portion of the branch of Palm Wash at mile 1.4 of the Calcite Mine Road.

Jerry Schad calls the slot canyon in Palm Wash near mile 1.4 one of the best slot canyons in Anza-Borrego. I indeed found it to be quite impressive, as were the slot canyons in the south fork of Palm Wash.

This survey covered a total of 3.5 miles, consisting of 1.4 miles of wash, the 1.9 miles of the Calcite Mine Road, and the 0.2 miles of the use trail. The elevation ranges from 520 feet in South Palm Wash at the Calcite Mine Road, to 850 feet in Upper South Palm Wash, and to 1140 feet at the Calcite Mine.

The survey found 57 taxa that could be fairly-confidently identified, given in the checklist below, along with four other species that could not yet be identified - two perennial grasses, a Mentzelia, and a Nemacladus, none of which were in bloom.

The locations of first occurrence of all 61 taxa are shown in the plot below:

Some taxa were found at the same location, especially near the beginning of the survey, so there are fewer than 61 points plotted above.

As expected, most of the taxa are found near the starting point. Nearly all of the rest of the taxa are from South Palm Wash, with a surprisingly number of new species that continued to appear in the upper reaches of that wash. The exceptions are:

The checklist below also contains species vouchered from a much larger area, the southeast Santa Rosa Mountains north of S22 and the Borrego Badlands south of S22, as well as a few taxa found from a survey in the nearby Palo Verde Wash.

See also the botanical report from the 21 February 2008 survey.

Checklist for Upper Palm Wash / Calcite Mine Road

The Checklist is sorted first by category - ferns, gymnosperms, dicots, and monocots - and then by family and scientific name. The Family and Scientific Name are from the Jepson Manual, with the family name represented by its first three letters (see Plant Family Abbreviations). An asterisk before the Common Name indicates a non-native taxon.

The column labeled # Plants/Areas indicates whether a taxon was present in the 21 February 2008 survey, and give a rough estimate of the number of plants and number of locations for each species in the entire survey. Maximum values are 99 plants, and 9 locations. The main intent here is to indicate the species for which I found very few plants or locations.

The final two columns give the number of vouchers for each taxon found in the southeast Santa Rosa Mountains north of S22 (SRM) and the Borrego Badlands south of S22 (Badland).

A few additional taxa from the nearby Palo Verde Wash are also included, which have no entries in the last three columns.

One taxon below, Petalonyx linearis, is given with a question mark. It is growing in typical P. linearis habitat, on a rock wall, but Andy Sanders says that the leaves are still fairly typical P. thurberi. I will try to check blooms on this plant in the future to make sure.

#FAMScientific Name(*)Common Name#
Plants
/Areas
#
SRM
#
Bad-
land
1PTECheilanthes parryiwoolly lipfern 11
2CUPJuniperus californicaCalifornia juniper 2 
3EPHEphedra asperaMormon tea 2 
4PINPinus monophyllapinyon pine 1 
5ACAJusticia californicachuparosa   
6AMATidestromia oblongifoliaArizona honeysweet30/91 
7ANARhus trilobatabasketbush 2 
8ASCAsclepias albicanswhite-stemmed milkweed3/221
9ASCAsclepias subulatarush milkweed 12
10ASCSarcostemma hirtellumrambling milkweed 11
11ASTAdenophyllum porophylloidesSan Felipe dogweed 1 
12ASTAmbrosia dumosaburroweed99/921
13ASTBaileya pauciradiataColorado Desert marigold 14
14ASTBebbia juncea var. asperasweetbush20/93 
15ASTBrickellia arguta var. argutaCalifornia spear-leaved brickellia 1 
16ASTCalycoseris wrightiiwhite tackstem99/93 
17ASTChaenactis artemisiifoliameally white pincushion 11
18ASTChaenactis carphoclinia var. carphocliniapebble pincushion 2 
19ASTChaenactis carphoclinia var. peirsoniiPeirson's pincushion 11
20ASTChaenactis fremontiiFremont pincushion 1 
21ASTChrysothamnus teretifoliusneedle-leaved rabbitbrush 1 
22ASTDicoria canescensdesert dicoria  5
23ASTEncelia farinosabrittlebush40/924
24ASTEncelia frutescensbutton encelia  3
25ASTEricameria linearifolianarrowleaf goldenbush 1 
26ASTGeraea canescenshairy desert-sunflower99/912
27ASTHelianthus niveus ssp. canescensgray desert sunflower  4
28ASTHelianthus niveus ssp. tephrodesAlgodones Dunes sunflower  2
29ASTHymenoclea salsola var. salsolacheesebush30/933
30ASTIsocoma acradenia var. acradeniaalkali goldenbush  1
31ASTMalacothrix glabratadesert dandelion   
32ASTMonoptilon bellioidesdesert star 42
33ASTPalafoxia arida var. aridadesert needle50/924
34ASTPectis papposa var. papposachinch-weed  1
35ASTPerityle emoryiEmory's rock-daisy20/251
36ASTPeucephyllum schottiipygmy-cedar30/933
37ASTPleurocoronis plurisetaarrow-leaf30/91 
38ASTRafinesquia neomexicanadesert chicory2/2 1
39ASTSenecio mohavensisMojave ragwort1/12 
40ASTSonchus oleraceus*sow thistle 1 
41ASTStephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflorawire-lettuce20/91 
42ASTTrichoptilium incisumyellow-head 3 
43ASTViguiera parishiiParish's viguiera 1 
44ASTXylorhiza orcuttiiOrcutt's woody-aster10/332
45BIGChilopsis linearis ssp. arcuatadesert-willow  1
46BORCryptantha angustifolianarrow-leaved cryptantha99/941
47BORCryptantha barbigerabearded cryptantha 71
48BORCryptantha costataribbed cryptantha  1
49BORCryptantha ganderiGander's cryptantha  2
50BORCryptantha maritimaGuadalupe cryptantha10/121
51BORCryptantha micranthapurple-root cryptantha 1 
52BORCryptantha pterocarya var. cyclopterawing-nut cryptantha 1 
53BORCryptantha racemosabushy cryptantha1/11 
54BORPectocarya heterocarpachuckwalla pectocarya 21
55BORPectocarya platycarpabroad-fruited combseed  1
56BORPectocarya recurvatacurvenut combseed 1 
57BORTiquilia palmeriPalmer's coldenia40/912
58BRABrassica tournefortii*Asian mustard99/931
59BRADescurainia pinnata ssp. glabrasmooth western tansy-mustard 1 
60BRADithyrea californicaspectacle-pod 22
61BRADraba cuneifoliawedge-leaved draba 1 
62BRALepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpumhairy-podded pepper-grass 41
63BRALyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeriCoulter's lyrepod  3
64BRASisymbrium irio*London rocket 31
65BRAStreptanthella longirostrislongbeak streptanthella10/11 
66CACEchinocactus polycephalus var. polycephaluscottontop cactus 5 
67CACEchinocereus engelmanniiEngelmann's hedgehog cactus 2 
68CACFerocactus cylindraceusCalifornia barrel cactus 3 
69CACMammillaria tetrancistrafish-hook cactus   
70CACOpuntia acanthocarpa var. coloradensisbuckhorn cholla 1 
71CACOpuntia basilaris var. basilarisbeavertail cactus 2 
72CACOpuntia echinocarpasilver cholla10/9  
73CACOpuntia erinaceaMojave prickly-pear 1 
74CACOpuntia ganderiGander's cholla1/1  
75CACOpuntia ramosissimapencil cholla 1 
76CAMNemacladus glanduliferus var. glanduliferusglandular nemacladus  1
77CAMNemacladus rubescensdesert nemacladus 1 
78CAPCleomella obtusifoliaMojave cleomella  2
79CARAchyronychia cooperifrost mat2/121
80CHEAtriplex canescens ssp. canescensfour-wing saltbush40/9 1
81CHEAtriplex hymenelytradesert holly30/913
82CHEChenopodium murale*nettle-leaved goosefoot 12
83CHEMonolepis nuttallianaNuttall's poverty weed  1
84CRACrassula connatapygmy-weed   
85CROCrossosoma bigeloviirock crossosoma 1 
86CUCCucurbita palmatacoyote melon 1 
87ERIArctostaphylos glaucabigberry manzanita 2 
88EUPBernardia myricifoliawestern bernardia 1 
89EUPChamaesyce polycarpasmall-seeded spurge30/931
90EUPCroton californicusCalifornia croton  8
91EUPDitaxis lanceolatanarrowleaf ditaxis 41
92EUPEuphorbia erianthabeetle spurge 1 
93EUPStillingia spinulosaannual stillingia  3
94FABAcacia greggiicatclaw20/9  
95FABAstragalus crotalariaeSalton milk-vetch  2
96FABAstragalus lentiginosus var. borreganusBorrego milk-vetch  2
97FABAstragalus nuttallianus var. cedrosensisCedros milk-vetch 1 
98FABCalliandra eriophyllafairyduster 1 
99FABCercidium floridum ssp. floridumblue palo verde 62
100FABDalea mollissilky dalea 13
101FABDalea mollissimadowny dalea 1 
102FABLotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillusshort-bannered coastal lotus 1 
103FABLotus strigosusstrigose lotus 2 
104FABLupinus arizonicusArizona lupine99/912
105FABLupinus concinnusbajada lupine   
106FABMarina parryiParry's marina 1 
107FABProsopis glandulosa var. torreyanahoney mesquite1/1 1
108FABPsorothamnus emoryiEmory's indigo-bush5/21 
109FABPsorothamnus schottiiindigo bush20/53 
110FABPsorothamnus spinosussmoke tree20/91 
111FABSenna covesiiCoves's cassia 1 
112FAGQuercus cornelius-mulleridesert scrub oak 1 
113FOUFouquieria splendens ssp. splendensocotillo99/952
114HYDEmmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflorawhispering bells 2 
115HYDEucrypta micranthadesert eucrypta 11
116HYDPhacelia crenulata var. ambiguaheliotrope phacelia5/241
117HYDPhacelia crenulata var. minutifloralittle-flowered heliotrope phacelia1/1 1
118HYDPhacelia distanscommon phacelia 1 
119HYDPhacelia neglectaalkali phacelia  1
120KRAKrameria erectaPima rhatany1/111
121KRAKrameria grayiwhite rhatany 2 
122LAMHyptis emoryidesert-lavender3/131
123LAMMonardella nanalittle monardella 2 
124LAMSalvia columbariaechia 1 
125LAMSalvia vaseyiVasey's sage 1 
126LOAMentzelia desertorumdesert blazing star 1 
127LOAMentzelia involucratabracted blazing star 31
128LOAPetalonyx linearis?narrow-leaf sandpaper-plant?2/1  
129LOAPetalonyx thurberi ssp. thurberiThurber's sandpaper-plant10/3  
130MALEremalche rotundifoliadesert five-spot 11
131MALHibiscus denudatusrock hibiscus 2 
132MALHorsfordia newberryiNewberry's velvet mallow 3 
133MALSphaeralcea ambigua var. rosacearosy apricot mallow 1 
134NYCAbronia villosa var. villosahairy sand-verbena50/939
135NYCAllionia incarnatatrailing four o'clock 21
136NYCBoerhavia wrightiiWright's spiderling  1
137NYCMirabilis bigelovii var. bigeloviiBigelow's desert four-o'clock 21
138NYCMirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsawishbone plant   
139NYCMirabilis californicaCalifornia four o'clock 1 
140ONACamissonia boothii ssp. condensataBooth's desert primrose30/922
141ONACamissonia californicaCalifornia suncup30/312
142ONACamissonia cardiophylla ssp. cardiophyllaheartleaf sun-cup50/931
143ONACamissonia chamaenerioideslong-fruit suncup 1 
144ONACamissonia claviformis ssp. peirsoniibrown-eyed primrose99/552
145ONAOenothera deltoides ssp. deltoidesdune primrose  1
146OROOrobanche cooperiCooper's broom-rape 2 
147PAPEschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflorasmall-flowered poppy 1 
148PAPEschscholzia parishiiParish's poppy 41
149PLAPlantago ovatadesert plantain99/931
150POLGilia latifoliabroad-leaf gilia 31
151POLGilia stellatastar gilia 21
152POLLangloisia setosissima ssp. setosissimabristly langloisia 21
153POLLinanthus jonesiiJones' linanthus 1 
154POLChorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornubrittle spineflower10/321
155POLChorizanthe corrugatawrinkled spineflower 11
156POLChorizanthe rigidadevil's spineflower 11
157POLEriogonum deflexum var. deflexumflat-topped buckwheat  1
158POLEriogonum fasciculatum var. polifoliumCalifornia buckwheat 1 
159POLEriogonum inflatumdesert trumpet99/921
160POLEriogonum saxatilerock buckwheat 2 
161POLEriogonum thomasiiThomas' buckwheat50/93 
162POLEriogonum wrightii var. membranaceumWright's buckwheat 1 
163PORCalandrinia ambiguadesert red maids  1
164RAFPilostyles thurberiThurber's pilostyles1/1 1
165RANClematis lasianthavirgin's bower  1
166RESOligomeris linifolianarrowleaf oligomeris 31
167RHARhamnus ilicifoliahollyleaf redberry 1 
168ROSCercocarpus betuloides var. betuloidesbirch-leaf mountain-mahogany 1 
169ROSColeogyne ramosissimablack brush 1 
170SCRAntirrhinum filipesdesert twining snapdragon 1 
171SCRMohavea confertifloraghost flower 3 
172SOLLycium parishiiParish's desert-thorn   
173SOLNicotiana obtusifoliadesert tobacco50/912
174SOLPhysalis crassifoliathick-leaved ground cherry 21
175STEAyenia compactaayenia 1 
176VISPhoradendron californicumdesert mistletoe10/54 
177ZYGFagonia laevisCalifornia fagonia   
178ZYGFagonia pachyacanthasticky fagonia 2 
179ZYGLarrea tridentatacreosote bush99/961
180ZYGTribulus terrestris*puncture-vine  1
181LILHesperocallis undulatadesert lily99/9 4
182LILNolina parryiParry's nolina 1 
183LILYucca schidigeraMohave yucca 1 
184ORCEpipactis giganteastream orchid 2 
185POAAchnatherum hymenoidesIndian ricegrass  4
186POAAchnatherum speciosumdesert needlegrass 1 
187POAAristida adscensionissix-weeks three-awn 3 
188POAAristida purpurea var. nealleyiNealley three-awn 1 
189POAAristida purpurea var. parishiiParish three-awn 1 
190POABouteloua curtipendulaside-oats grama 1 
191POABromus madritensis ssp. rubens*red brome  1
192POAErioneuron pulchellumfluff grass 1 
193POAMelica imperfectacoast-range melic 1 
194POAPleuraphis rigidabig galleta50/921
195POASchismus barbatus*Mediterranean schismus99/531
196POAVulpia myuros var. hirsuta*hairy rattail fescue 1 
197POAVulpia octoflora var. hirtellahairy six-weeks fescue 1 


Go to:




Copyright © 2008 by Tom Chester
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to me at this source:
http://tchester.org/sd/plants/floras/palm_wash_calcite_mine.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Last update: 28 February 2008