Flora of Upper Palm Wash / Calcite Mine Road
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:
- two taxa - desert lavender, Hyptis emoryi, and a perennial grass similar to saltgrass, Distichlis spicata - found in the wash near mile 1.4 of the road; and
- two taxa - indigo bush, Psorothamnus schottii, and Gander's cholla, Opuntia ganderi - found near the Calcite Mine.
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.
# FAM Scientific Name (*)Common Name #
Plants
/Areas#
SRM#
Bad-
land1 PTE Cheilanthes parryi woolly lipfern 1 1 2 CUP Juniperus californica California juniper 2 3 EPH Ephedra aspera Mormon tea 2 4 PIN Pinus monophylla pinyon pine 1 5 ACA Justicia californica chuparosa 6 AMA Tidestromia oblongifolia Arizona honeysweet 30/9 1 7 ANA Rhus trilobata basketbush 2 8 ASC Asclepias albicans white-stemmed milkweed 3/2 2 1 9 ASC Asclepias subulata rush milkweed 1 2 10 ASC Sarcostemma hirtellum rambling milkweed 1 1 11 AST Adenophyllum porophylloides San Felipe dogweed 1 12 AST Ambrosia dumosa burroweed 99/9 2 1 13 AST Baileya pauciradiata Colorado Desert marigold 1 4 14 AST Bebbia juncea var. aspera sweetbush 20/9 3 15 AST Brickellia arguta var. arguta California spear-leaved brickellia 1 16 AST Calycoseris wrightii white tackstem 99/9 3 17 AST Chaenactis artemisiifolia meally white pincushion 1 1 18 AST Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia pebble pincushion 2 19 AST Chaenactis carphoclinia var. peirsonii Peirson's pincushion 1 1 20 AST Chaenactis fremontii Fremont pincushion 1 21 AST Chrysothamnus teretifolius needle-leaved rabbitbrush 1 22 AST Dicoria canescens desert dicoria 5 23 AST Encelia farinosa brittlebush 40/9 2 4 24 AST Encelia frutescens button encelia 3 25 AST Ericameria linearifolia narrowleaf goldenbush 1 26 AST Geraea canescens hairy desert-sunflower 99/9 1 2 27 AST Helianthus niveus ssp. canescens gray desert sunflower 4 28 AST Helianthus niveus ssp. tephrodes Algodones Dunes sunflower 2 29 AST Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola cheesebush 30/9 3 3 30 AST Isocoma acradenia var. acradenia alkali goldenbush 1 31 AST Malacothrix glabrata desert dandelion 32 AST Monoptilon bellioides desert star 4 2 33 AST Palafoxia arida var. arida desert needle 50/9 2 4 34 AST Pectis papposa var. papposa chinch-weed 1 35 AST Perityle emoryi Emory's rock-daisy 20/2 5 1 36 AST Peucephyllum schottii pygmy-cedar 30/9 3 3 37 AST Pleurocoronis pluriseta arrow-leaf 30/9 1 38 AST Rafinesquia neomexicana desert chicory 2/2 1 39 AST Senecio mohavensis Mojave ragwort 1/1 2 40 AST Sonchus oleraceus *sow thistle 1 41 AST Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora wire-lettuce 20/9 1 42 AST Trichoptilium incisum yellow-head 3 43 AST Viguiera parishii Parish's viguiera 1 44 AST Xylorhiza orcuttii Orcutt's woody-aster 10/3 3 2 45 BIG Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata desert-willow 1 46 BOR Cryptantha angustifolia narrow-leaved cryptantha 99/9 4 1 47 BOR Cryptantha barbigera bearded cryptantha 7 1 48 BOR Cryptantha costata ribbed cryptantha 1 49 BOR Cryptantha ganderi Gander's cryptantha 2 50 BOR Cryptantha maritima Guadalupe cryptantha 10/1 2 1 51 BOR Cryptantha micrantha purple-root cryptantha 1 52 BOR Cryptantha pterocarya var. cycloptera wing-nut cryptantha 1 53 BOR Cryptantha racemosa bushy cryptantha 1/1 1 54 BOR Pectocarya heterocarpa chuckwalla pectocarya 2 1 55 BOR Pectocarya platycarpa broad-fruited combseed 1 56 BOR Pectocarya recurvata curvenut combseed 1 57 BOR Tiquilia palmeri Palmer's coldenia 40/9 1 2 58 BRA Brassica tournefortii *Asian mustard 99/9 3 1 59 BRA Descurainia pinnata ssp. glabra smooth western tansy-mustard 1 60 BRA Dithyrea californica spectacle-pod 2 2 61 BRA Draba cuneifolia wedge-leaved draba 1 62 BRA Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum hairy-podded pepper-grass 4 1 63 BRA Lyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeri Coulter's lyrepod 3 64 BRA Sisymbrium irio *London rocket 3 1 65 BRA Streptanthella longirostris longbeak streptanthella 10/1 1 66 CAC Echinocactus polycephalus var. polycephalus cottontop cactus 5 67 CAC Echinocereus engelmannii Engelmann's hedgehog cactus 2 68 CAC Ferocactus cylindraceus California barrel cactus 3 69 CAC Mammillaria tetrancistra fish-hook cactus 70 CAC Opuntia acanthocarpa var. coloradensis buckhorn cholla 1 71 CAC Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris beavertail cactus 2 72 CAC Opuntia echinocarpa silver cholla 10/9 73 CAC Opuntia erinacea Mojave prickly-pear 1 74 CAC Opuntia ganderi Gander's cholla 1/1 75 CAC Opuntia ramosissima pencil cholla 1 76 CAM Nemacladus glanduliferus var. glanduliferus glandular nemacladus 1 77 CAM Nemacladus rubescens desert nemacladus 1 78 CAP Cleomella obtusifolia Mojave cleomella 2 79 CAR Achyronychia cooperi frost mat 2/1 2 1 80 CHE Atriplex canescens ssp. canescens four-wing saltbush 40/9 1 81 CHE Atriplex hymenelytra desert holly 30/9 1 3 82 CHE Chenopodium murale *nettle-leaved goosefoot 1 2 83 CHE Monolepis nuttalliana Nuttall's poverty weed 1 84 CRA Crassula connata pygmy-weed 85 CRO Crossosoma bigelovii rock crossosoma 1 86 CUC Cucurbita palmata coyote melon 1 87 ERI Arctostaphylos glauca bigberry manzanita 2 88 EUP Bernardia myricifolia western bernardia 1 89 EUP Chamaesyce polycarpa small-seeded spurge 30/9 3 1 90 EUP Croton californicus California croton 8 91 EUP Ditaxis lanceolata narrowleaf ditaxis 4 1 92 EUP Euphorbia eriantha beetle spurge 1 93 EUP Stillingia spinulosa annual stillingia 3 94 FAB Acacia greggii catclaw 20/9 95 FAB Astragalus crotalariae Salton milk-vetch 2 96 FAB Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus Borrego milk-vetch 2 97 FAB Astragalus nuttallianus var. cedrosensis Cedros milk-vetch 1 98 FAB Calliandra eriophylla fairyduster 1 99 FAB Cercidium floridum ssp. floridum blue palo verde 6 2 100 FAB Dalea mollis silky dalea 1 3 101 FAB Dalea mollissima downy dalea 1 102 FAB Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus short-bannered coastal lotus 1 103 FAB Lotus strigosus strigose lotus 2 104 FAB Lupinus arizonicus Arizona lupine 99/9 1 2 105 FAB Lupinus concinnus bajada lupine 106 FAB Marina parryi Parry's marina 1 107 FAB Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana honey mesquite 1/1 1 108 FAB Psorothamnus emoryi Emory's indigo-bush 5/2 1 109 FAB Psorothamnus schottii indigo bush 20/5 3 110 FAB Psorothamnus spinosus smoke tree 20/9 1 111 FAB Senna covesii Coves's cassia 1 112 FAG Quercus cornelius-mulleri desert scrub oak 1 113 FOU Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens ocotillo 99/9 5 2 114 HYD Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora whispering bells 2 115 HYD Eucrypta micrantha desert eucrypta 1 1 116 HYD Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua heliotrope phacelia 5/2 4 1 117 HYD Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora little-flowered heliotrope phacelia 1/1 1 118 HYD Phacelia distans common phacelia 1 119 HYD Phacelia neglecta alkali phacelia 1 120 KRA Krameria erecta Pima rhatany 1/1 1 1 121 KRA Krameria grayi white rhatany 2 122 LAM Hyptis emoryi desert-lavender 3/1 3 1 123 LAM Monardella nana little monardella 2 124 LAM Salvia columbariae chia 1 125 LAM Salvia vaseyi Vasey's sage 1 126 LOA Mentzelia desertorum desert blazing star 1 127 LOA Mentzelia involucrata bracted blazing star 3 1 128 LOA Petalonyx linearis? narrow-leaf sandpaper-plant? 2/1 129 LOA Petalonyx thurberi ssp. thurberi Thurber's sandpaper-plant 10/3 130 MAL Eremalche rotundifolia desert five-spot 1 1 131 MAL Hibiscus denudatus rock hibiscus 2 132 MAL Horsfordia newberryi Newberry's velvet mallow 3 133 MAL Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rosacea rosy apricot mallow 1 134 NYC Abronia villosa var. villosa hairy sand-verbena 50/9 3 9 135 NYC Allionia incarnata trailing four o'clock 2 1 136 NYC Boerhavia wrightii Wright's spiderling 1 137 NYC Mirabilis bigelovii var. bigelovii Bigelow's desert four-o'clock 2 1 138 NYC Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa wishbone plant 139 NYC Mirabilis californica California four o'clock 1 140 ONA Camissonia boothii ssp. condensata Booth's desert primrose 30/9 2 2 141 ONA Camissonia californica California suncup 30/3 1 2 142 ONA Camissonia cardiophylla ssp. cardiophylla heartleaf sun-cup 50/9 3 1 143 ONA Camissonia chamaenerioides long-fruit suncup 1 144 ONA Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii brown-eyed primrose 99/5 5 2 145 ONA Oenothera deltoides ssp. deltoides dune primrose 1 146 ORO Orobanche cooperi Cooper's broom-rape 2 147 PAP Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora small-flowered poppy 1 148 PAP Eschscholzia parishii Parish's poppy 4 1 149 PLA Plantago ovata desert plantain 99/9 3 1 150 POL Gilia latifolia broad-leaf gilia 3 1 151 POL Gilia stellata star gilia 2 1 152 POL Langloisia setosissima ssp. setosissima bristly langloisia 2 1 153 POL Linanthus jonesii Jones' linanthus 1 154 POL Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu brittle spineflower 10/3 2 1 155 POL Chorizanthe corrugata wrinkled spineflower 1 1 156 POL Chorizanthe rigida devil's spineflower 1 1 157 POL Eriogonum deflexum var. deflexum flat-topped buckwheat 1 158 POL Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium California buckwheat 1 159 POL Eriogonum inflatum desert trumpet 99/9 2 1 160 POL Eriogonum saxatile rock buckwheat 2 161 POL Eriogonum thomasii Thomas' buckwheat 50/9 3 162 POL Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum Wright's buckwheat 1 163 POR Calandrinia ambigua desert red maids 1 164 RAF Pilostyles thurberi Thurber's pilostyles 1/1 1 165 RAN Clematis lasiantha virgin's bower 1 166 RES Oligomeris linifolia narrowleaf oligomeris 3 1 167 RHA Rhamnus ilicifolia hollyleaf redberry 1 168 ROS Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides birch-leaf mountain-mahogany 1 169 ROS Coleogyne ramosissima black brush 1 170 SCR Antirrhinum filipes desert twining snapdragon 1 171 SCR Mohavea confertiflora ghost flower 3 172 SOL Lycium parishii Parish's desert-thorn 173 SOL Nicotiana obtusifolia desert tobacco 50/9 1 2 174 SOL Physalis crassifolia thick-leaved ground cherry 2 1 175 STE Ayenia compacta ayenia 1 176 VIS Phoradendron californicum desert mistletoe 10/5 4 177 ZYG Fagonia laevis California fagonia 178 ZYG Fagonia pachyacantha sticky fagonia 2 179 ZYG Larrea tridentata creosote bush 99/9 6 1 180 ZYG Tribulus terrestris *puncture-vine 1 181 LIL Hesperocallis undulata desert lily 99/9 4 182 LIL Nolina parryi Parry's nolina 1 183 LIL Yucca schidigera Mohave yucca 1 184 ORC Epipactis gigantea stream orchid 2 185 POA Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 4 186 POA Achnatherum speciosum desert needlegrass 1 187 POA Aristida adscensionis six-weeks three-awn 3 188 POA Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi Nealley three-awn 1 189 POA Aristida purpurea var. parishii Parish three-awn 1 190 POA Bouteloua curtipendula side-oats grama 1 191 POA Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens *red brome 1 192 POA Erioneuron pulchellum fluff grass 1 193 POA Melica imperfecta coast-range melic 1 194 POA Pleuraphis rigida big galleta 50/9 2 1 195 POA Schismus barbatus *Mediterranean schismus 99/5 3 1 196 POA Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta *hairy rattail fescue 1 197 POA Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella hairy six-weeks fescue 1
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Copyright © 2008 by Tom Chester
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Last update: 28 February 2008