Not Maidenhair Falls #1

Anza-Borrego: Plant Guide To Hellhole Canyon Trail Introduction Highlights of This Trail Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time Botanical Trip Reports The Plant Guide Comments On Specific Species

Not Maidenhair Falls #2

Introduction

Introduction and Explanation of Plant Trail Guides

This trail is probably the second most popular one in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, after the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, for several good reasons. The trail is close to the Visitor Center, with the parking area clearly visible from S22, the road that many people take on the way toward the Visitor Center. Botanically, the trail passes through many diverse environments, offering a sampler of much of the flora of the area. The trail ends at the most treasured destination in a desert - a shady palm grove, with year-round water and a pretty waterfall.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about where Maidenhair Falls is. It is not the location marked on the USGS Topographic Map, which doesn't have any falls at all! It is not the first falls that one comes to that has a few Maidenhair ferns growing at its base (see picture above of Not Maidenhair Falls #1). It is not yet another waterfall found a bit higher in the Canyon (see picture above of Not Maidenhair Falls #2). It is a waterfall at an elevation of ~2040 feet with a massive bank of maidenhair ferns (see also Rick Halsey's picture taken from a different angle in the wet season and my panorama in the dry season).

Hellhole Canyon itself burned almost completely in the August 2002 Pines Fire, down below the lowest tree (a sycamore) at the mouth. But in March 2005, three years of rainy seasons later, you'd be hard pressed to note this if it weren't for the burned trunks of the trees and a few dead burned shrubs, or if you weren't familiar with fire-follower species such as Malacothamnus. Even here in the desert, the shrubs and trees are busy resprouting, and the lush annual growth in 2005 hides much of the evidence of the burn.

The last fire prior to 2002 was 1975, when the entire drainage was burned (Schad 1986). Schad also comments in 1986 that recent floods have gouged out a small chasm (5-10 feet deep) in the sandy floor of the canyon.

See also the introduction, pictures and maps in Flora of Culp Valley / Hellhole Canyon.

Highlights of This Trail

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 189 of our trails and floras in our database when this histogram was made; 51 of those trails and floras, including this one, are in Anza-Borrego State Park. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found only on this list, among all the trails in our database.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	0	0%
2	4	2%
3	4	2%
4	8	5%
5	3	2%
1-5	19	11%
6-10	19	11%
11-15	32	18%
16-20	13	8%
21-25	18	10%
26-30	12	7%
31-35	11	6%
36-40	13	8%
41-45	7	4%
46-50	7	4%
51-55	14	8%
56-60	1	1%
>60	7	4%
Total Taxa	173	100%

We found 6 additional taxa not in the above table, since they have not been fully identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ?, sp or ssp in the id? column in the guide, and have no entries in the #all column.

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"
3/25/2005	1	117	3	6	15	2
10/21/2005	2	128	3	7	11	2
10/25/2005	3	134	3	7	9	3
10/29/2005	4	152	2	7	15	3
1/7/2010	5	-	-	-	-	-
1/15/2010	6	179	0	10	11	1

The guide was not separately updated for the 1/7/10 fieldwork, so there are no entries in most of the columns.

We thank Michael Charters and Richard Sapiro for help with the 10/29/05 fieldwork, Aaron Schusteff for help with the 1/7/10 fieldwork, and Preston Taylor for help with the 1/15/10 fieldwork.

Botanical Trip Reports

21 October 2005
25 October 2005
29 October 2005

The Plant Guide

This is a working list, about which we make no guarantees at all until we officially release it. Use at your own risk!

For a plant list of the species found here in traditional family order, see Flora of Culp Valley / Hellhole Canyon.

The mileages up to Maidenhair Falls have been adjusted to a detailed GPS recording of the trail, and hence should be accurate to 0.01 miles if you follow the same route that we did.

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (8 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (2 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

mile	s	#	id	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin guide at use trail from middle of west end of parking lot, not at the sign at the entrance to the lot; elevation ~880 feet (270 m)
0.00	b	1		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	99 / 9	52
0.00	b	2		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	99 / 9	55
0.00	c	3		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9	82
0.00	l	4		California suncup	Camissonia californica	99 / 9	62
0.00	l	5		indigo bush	Psorothamnus schottii	30 / 9	48
0.00	l	6		hairy-podded pepper-grass	Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum	99 / 9	32
0.00	r	7	~	bearded cryptantha	Cryptantha barbigera	99 / 9	22
0.00	r	8		ocotillo	Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens	20 / 9	51
0.00	l	9		Fremont pincushion	Chaenactis fremontii	99 / 9	13
0.00	b	10		cheesebush	Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola	20 / 9	45
0.00	l	11		desert dandelion	Malacothrix glabrata	99 / 9	18
0.00	l	12		desert star	Monoptilon bellioides	99 / 9	10
0.00	l	13		California filago	Filago californica	99 / 9	32
0.00	r			Check for Sonoran spurge, Chamaesyce micromera
0.01	b	14		desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum	10 / 9	39
0.01	r	15		dwarf filago	Filago depressa	20 / 5	2
0.01	r	16	sp	different Cryptantha	Cryptantha sp.	/
0.01	b	17		wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora	20 / 9	51
0.01	l	18		purple mat	Nama demissum var. demissum	2 / 2	7
0.01	l	19		gander's cholla	Opuntia ganderi	50 / 9	39
0.01	l			(brittlebush, Encelia farinosa)
0.01	l	20	sp	nemacladus	Nemacladus sp.	1 / 1
0.01	b	21		desert calico	Loeseliastrum matthewsii	2 / 1	4
0.01	r	22		common phacelia	Phacelia distans	99 / 9	37
0.01	r	23		downy dalea	Dalea mollissima	1 / 1	5
0.01	r	24		white rhatany	Krameria grayi	5 / 2	40
0.01	r	25		burroweed	Ambrosia dumosa	20 / 9	52
0.02	r	26		California fagonia	Fagonia laevis	3 / 3	25
0.02	r	27	sp	comb bur	Pectocarya sp.	1 / 1
0.02	r	28		brittle spineflower	Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu	10 / 9	32
0.03	l	29		New Mexico ditaxis	Ditaxis neomexicana	50 / 9	3
0.03	l	30		creosote bush	Larrea tridentata	20 / 9	55
0.03	l			(desert agave, Agave deserti)
0.03	r	31		small-flowered poppy	Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora	50 / 9	16
0.04	r			Jct. with the trail from the sign.
0.04	l			(beavertail cactus, Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris)
0.04	l			Jct. faint use trail
0.05	r	32		short-bannered coastal lotus	Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus	50 / 9	9
0.05	r	33		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	1 / 1	58
0.05	r	34		chinch-weed	Pectis papposa var. papposa	30 / 9	5
0.07	l	35	ssp	alkali western tansy-mustard	Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum	50 / 9	8
0.07	r	36		*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	1 / 1	48
0.10	r	37		Emory's rock-daisy	Perityle emoryi	20 / 9	29
0.10	l	38		Coulter's lupine	Lupinus sparsiflorus	99 / 9	13
0.11	r	39		*Asian mustard	Brassica tournefortii	99 / 9	45
0.13	b	40		brittlebush	Encelia farinosa	99 / 9	53
0.13	b	41		chia	Salvia columbariae	99 / 9	53
0.14	r	42		whispering bells	Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	20 / 9	24
0.15	l	43		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	50 / 9	84
0.18	l			(teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii)
0.19	r			(chuparosa, Justicia californica)
0.19	l			Jct. old road
0.23	l	44		fivewing spiderling	Boerhavia intermedia	99 / 9	10
0.23	r			Jct. California Riding and Hiking Trail (to Culp Valley); stay right
0.23	l	45		narrowleaf ditaxis	Ditaxis lanceolata	50 / 9	31
0.24	r	46		Wallace's woolly daisy	Eriophyllum wallacei	99 / 9	7
0.24	l			Sign: (hikers ok, no horses)
0.24	r	47	sp	suncup	Camissonia sp.	/
0.24	b	48		chuparosa	Justicia californica	50 / 9	24
0.24	r	49		brown-eyed primrose	Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii	50 / 9	26
0.27	l			(rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus)
0.27	r	50		beavertail cactus	Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris	10 / 9	47
0.27	r	51		thick-leaved ground cherry	Physalis crassifolia	5 / 5	22
0.27	l	52		common fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	99 / 9	24
0.30	l			Jct. with small wash
0.34	l	53		catclaw	Acacia greggii	99 / 9	48
0.35	l			First bit of shade, from a tall ocotillo.
0.35	r	54		desert lavender	Hyptis emoryi	50 / 9	45
0.36	l			(star gilia, Gilia stellata)
0.38	r	55		Bigelow's monkeyflower	Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii	99 / 9	12
0.39	r	56		desert chicory	Rafinesquia neomexicana	10 / 9	24
0.45	r	57		Pima rhatany	Krameria erecta	5 / 2	15
0.47	l			Jct. wash; stay right
0.50	l	58		Parish's poppy	Eschscholzia parishii	2 / 2	15
0.56	l	59		desert agave	Agave deserti	10 / 4	31
0.56	l			(jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis; California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus)
0.58				Enter open flattish gravelly area; second bit of shade from two more tall ocotillos
0.63	r	60		Engelmann's hedgehog cactus	Echinocereus engelmannii	5 / 3	24
0.64	r	61		teddy-bear cholla	Opuntia bigelovii	50 / 9	33
0.65	l			Jct. wash coming in almost parallel to this trail
0.66	r	62		wishbone plant	Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa	20 / 7	28
0.68	l	63		star gilia	Gilia stellata	1 / 1	12
0.68	l	64		white fiesta flower	Pholistoma membranaceum	99 / 9	15
0.70	l	65	~	hairy six-weeks fescue	Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella	20 / 5	2
0.70				Enter a teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii forest.
0.70	l			(Mojave ragwort, Senecio mohavensis; apricot mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua; woolly lipfern, Cheilanthes parryi)
0.72	l	66		Parish's viguiera	Viguiera parishii	20 / 9	28
0.72	l	67		California trixis	Trixis californica var. californica	10 / 7	29
0.73	b	68		jojoba	Simmondsia chinensis	10 / 4	27
0.73	l	69		eucrypta	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida	5 / 2	6
0.75	l			(desert woolly-star, Eriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicum; intermediate larkspur, Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum)
0.77	r	70		California fish-hook cactus	Mammillaria dioica	5 / 2	23
0.77	r			Sign: "Warning"; but the object of the warning is missing on the sign.
0.89	r			Jct old road
0.90	r	71		trailing four o'clock	Allionia incarnata	5 / 1	11
0.90	r	72		needle grama	Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides	20 / 5	7
0.91	l	73		fringed amaranth	Amaranthus fimbriatus	10 / 9	11
0.98	l		~	(Mormon tea, Ephedra aspera)
1.02	l	74		bajada lupine	Lupinus concinnus	5 / 2	38
1.02	r	75		rock hibiscus	Hibiscus denudatus	2 / 2	26
1.05	r			(Vasey's sage, Salvia vaseyi)
1.14	l	76		San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	10 / 9	28
1.16	l			(On hillside: big galleta, Pleuraphis rigida; Coulter's lyrepod, Lyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeri)
1.17	l			Jct. faint blocked-off old road or broad trail; trail curves right 90°
1.19				Cross small drainage
1.20	r			Jct. blocked-off path to creek; trail turns left 90°
1.37				Canyon wall on left now getting close; canyon wall on right now separates Hellhole Canyon from Flat Cat Canyon
1.38	r	77		wild canterbury bells	Phacelia minor	10 / 9	25
1.44	r			Jct. faint use trail to creek
1.44				Creek now 50-100 feet away; trail now parallels creek
1.52				Y-jct; stay right
1.54	r			Sign: "Mountain Lion Area"
1.54	r			(desert-willow, Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata)
1.54	r	78	~	Mormon tea	Ephedra aspera	5 / 3	33
1.55	r			(desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum)
1.62	r	79		woolly lipfern	Cheilanthes parryi	20 / 5	28
1.62				Climb up first 3 foot boulder
1.62	r	80		Vasey's sage	Salvia vaseyi	1 / 1	23
1.69	l	81		strigose lotus	Lotus strigosus	20 / 9	53
1.70	l	82		pellitory	Parietaria hespera var. hespera	99 / 9	11
1.70	l	83		*Oriental mustard	Sisymbrium orientale	10 / 2	19
1.71	l	84		odora	Porophyllum gracile	1 / 1	12
1.71	r			(African daisy, Dimorphotheca sinuata)
1.72				Trail becomes braided from here on at times, and it may be difficult to follow the braid used by the guide from now on; take right branch which crosses the stream
1.72	l	85		southern Chinese houses	Collinsia concolor	20 / 6	11
1.72	b	86		*sourclover	Melilotus indicus	50 / 9	27
1.72				Cross stream, now on right side of it.
1.72	l	87		globe gilia	Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia	30 / 6	12
1.73	l	88		California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	1 / 1	31
1.74				Large patch of Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii
1.74	r			(Newberry's velvet mallow, Horsfordia newberryi)
1.78	r	89		desert-willow	Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata	30 / 7	15
1.80				Trail curves right 40° up bank on right of creek; nice rest spot in creek just ahead that is shaded beginning at ~2 hours before sunset
1.81	l	90	sp	datura	Datura sp.	20 / 5
1.85	r	91		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	30 / 9	54
1.86	r	92		*nettle-leaved goosefoot	Chenopodium murale	10 / 3	10
1.86				Cross stream to left
1.87	l			(desert apricot, Prunus fremontii)
1.89				Trail is overgrown with bushes in places beyond here
1.89	r	93		apricot mallow	Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua	20 / 9	20
1.89	l	94		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	2 / 2	43
1.90				Trail curves right 80° down to cross creek
1.91	l	95		bladderpod	Isomeris arborea	20 / 5	16
1.91				Cross stream to right
1.92	r			(Wright's buckwheat, Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum)
1.93				Cross stream to left
1.94	l	96		Borrego bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. borregoense	2 / 2	2
1.94	l	97		desert lotus	Lotus rigidus	10 / 2	18
1.94	r	98		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum	5 / 3	21
1.96				Take left braid of trail here; start climbing over boulders regularly and pushing through desert willows occasionally on all braids of trail
1.99	l	99		western sycamore	Platanus racemosa	5 / 3	33
1.99	r	100		Indian Valley bush mallow	Malacothamnus aboriginum	30 / 9	4
1.99	r	101	~	Parish's purple nightshade	Solanum parishii	2 / 1	23
2.00	r	102		prickly poppy	Argemone munita	5 / 2	11
2.00	l		sp	(desert thorn, Lycium sp.; white mugwort, Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. albula; tall melica, Melica frutescens; sugar bush, Rhus ovata; smoothleaf yerba santa, Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum)
2.00	b	103		linear-leaved stillingia	Stillingia linearifolia	10 / 3	12
2.01	l	104		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	20 / 2	67
2.01				Rejoin better braid of trail now in the stream; go left on it, upstream; trail gradually leaves the stream to the right
2.01	l			(California juniper, Juniperus californica)
2.01	l	105		short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	3 / 2	36
2.02	l	106		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	20 / 3	38
2.02	l	107		desert baccharis	Baccharis sergiloides	20 / 7	12
2.02	l	108		smoothleaf yerba santa	Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum	10 / 2	7
2.03	l	109		California fan palm	Washingtonia filifera	50 / 5	12
2.06	l			(red willow, Salix laevigata)
2.06	l	110		sugar bush	Rhus ovata	4 / 4	38
2.07	l	111		Nealley three-awn	Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi	1 / 1	4
2.08	l			(California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium)
		112		Need to locate first occurrence on trail. California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium	1 / 1	52
		113		desert apricot	Prunus fremontii	20 / 5	14
	l	114		goldfields	Lasthenia californica	2 / 1	15
2.12	l	115		scarlet spiderling	Boerhavia coccinea	10 / 1	3
2.12				Take left braid of trail, squeezing through narrow passageway between boulders, if you want to see the next ten species here; a mortero is just ahead on right braid of trail, which is a much easier way to go in 2010
2.13				Cross stream to left
2.13	l			(arrow-leaf, Pleurocoronis pluriseta)
2.13	r	116	~	*whorled dock	Rumex conglomeratus	1 / 1	13
2.13	l	117		desert tobacco	Nicotiana obtusifolia	5 / 2	20
2.13	r	118		red willow	Salix laevigata	5 / 3	32
2.14	b	119		narrowleaf willow	Salix exigua	5 / 3	15
2.15	r	120		*prickly sow thistle	Sonchus asper ssp. asper	2 / 1	34
2.15	l	121	~	caterpillar phacelia	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	5 / 1	26
2.15	l	122		narrow-leaved miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora	3 / 1	25
2.15	r	123		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	5 / 3	46
2.15	l	124		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	1 / 1	70
2.16				Cross stream to right
2.16	l			(honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana)
2.16	l	125		Fremont cottonwood	Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii	2 / 2	19
2.16	l			(mountain California-fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium)
2.18	r	126	~	slender buckwheat	Eriogonum gracile var. incultum	3 / 1	8
2.19				Cross stream to left
2.19	l	127		white mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. albula	10 / 3	11
2.20				Cross stream to right and rejoin right braid of trail
2.24				Meet stream and head upstream
2.25	b	128		mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	50 / 2	66
2.25	l	129		California cloak fern	Notholaena californica	2 / 1	6
2.25	l			(ayenia, Ayenia compacta)
2.25	r	130		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	5 / 1	40
2.25	l			Check for grass that looked like California brome, Bromus carinatus var. carinatus
2.26	r	131		wild celery	Apiastrum angustifolium	5 / 1	17
2.26	l	132		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	50 / 5	48
2.26	l	133		sticky lipfern	Cheilanthes viscida	5 / 2	4
2.26		134		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	3 / 1	45
2.26	r	135		Mojave ragwort	Senecio mohavensis	5 / 1	18
2.26	l	136		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	10 / 1	37
2.27				Leave stream to right
2.28	r	137		white sage	Salvia apiana	2 / 2	54
2.28	r	138		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	50 / 1	45
2.28	l	139		goldenrod	Solidago californica	10 / 2	76
2.29	c	140		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	1 / 1	48
2.29	r	141		honey mesquite	Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana	30 / 4	23
2.29	b	142		*prickly lettuce	Lactuca serriola	5 / 1	53
2.29	r	143		slender wreathplant	Stephanomeria exigua ssp. exigua	1 / 1	21
2.30	l	144	sp	desert box-thorn	Lycium sp.	10 / 2
2.31	r	145		desert brickellia	Brickellia desertorum	1 / 1	12
2.31	r	146		branching phacelia	Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia	20 / 5	40
2.32	l	147		silver wormwood	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana	10 / 2	3
2.33	l	148		climbing milkweed	Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii	30 / 3	10
2.33		149		boundary goldenbush	Ericameria brachylepis	1 / 1	12
2.33		150		beady lipfern	Cheilanthes covillei	20 / 2	14
2.33				Trail is difficult to follow here; it appears to go straight, but it doesn't. Turn left and clamber over big rock on left.
2.34				Trail branches here. Left branch crosses stream and climbs steeply up around the waterfalls in this area (don't take). The right branch goes to the falls here and then continues up stream. The following species are in the stream crossing.
2.34	l	151	sp	*tamarisk	Tamarix sp.	2 / 1	4
2.34	l	152	~	rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	5 / 1	42
2.34	l			Check for cotton-batting plant, Gnaphalium stramineum
2.34	l	153		*common cudweed	Gnaphalium luteo-album	5 / 1	21
2.34	l	154		California loosestrife	Lythrum californicum	20 / 1	3
2.34	l	155		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	5 / 1	32
2.34	l	156	~	Hooker's evening-primrose	Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima	2 / 1	14
2.34	l	157	~	*water speedwell	Veronica anagallis-aquatica	5 / 1	5
2.34	l	158		*common plantain	Plantago major	5 / 1	9
2.34	l	159		*fountain grass	Pennisetum setaceum	20 / 2	21
2.34	l	160		white nightshade	Solanum douglasii	1 / 1	18
2.35		161		iris-leaved rush	Juncus xiphioides	20 / 2	6
2.35	r	162		maidenhair fern	Adiantum capillus-veneris	99 / 2	2
2.35				Base of a falls with a small number of maidenhair ferns; elevation ~1700 feet (520 m); cross stream to left and climb to top of falls for next two species
2.36	b	163	~	water cress	Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum	10 / 1	16
2.36	b	164		littleseed muhly	Muhlenbergia microsperma	20 / 1	4
2.36				Continue upstream through one of several paths through this falls area
	l	165		silver puffs	Uropappus lindleyi	1 / 1	38
2.40	l			(white-flowering currant, Ribes indecorum)
2.41	r	166		desert dudleya	Dudleya saxosa ssp. aloides	2 / 1	15
2.45	b	167		wild grape	Vitis girdiana	10 / 1	12
2.45				Schad's Maidenhair Falls at 1880 feet (575 m); best route above it is to the right of the falls
2.46		168		bicolored everlasting	Gnaphalium bicolor	2 / 2	38
2.47	r	169		arrow-weed	Pluchea sericea	5 / 1	12
2.50	l	170		western bernardia	Bernardia myricifolia	1 / 1	7
2.51	l	171		lotebush	Ziziphus parryi var. parryi	2 / 2	6
2.51	l	172	~	virgin's bower	Clematis lasiantha	1 / 1	7
2.52		173		wild-cucumber	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	2 / 2	52
2.52	l	174		California juniper	Juniperus californica	1 / 1	12
2.53	l	175		desert spike-moss	Selaginella eremophila	10 / 1	16
2.53		176		red-gland spurge	Chamaesyce melanadenia	20 / 2	4
2.55	b	177		tall melica	Melica frutescens	10 / 2	4
2.57	r	178		ayenia	Ayenia compacta	10 / 1	11
2.62		179		sacred datura	Datura wrightii	1 / 1	29
2.65				Note spring area so 40 feet or so up the south canyon wall, which may contain Typha sp. End plant trail guide.
5.30				Back at Trailhead

Comments On Specific Species

Eriogonum inflatum. The subspecies inflatum and deflatum are bogus, and were eliminated as valid species in the 2005 Flora of North America treatment. The plants here exhibit stems that range from not inflated at all, to nearly fully inflated below nodes. The inflation apparently depends on the amount of available moisture.

Hibiscus denudatus. The location of the only plant that is on the trail was not recorded; it is someplace in the next half mile of trail.

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana. Several large plants are found immediately off-trail at this location; several plants are found on-trail on the alternate braids of the trail.

Rhus ovata. The first specimen on the trail was burned in the 2002 Pines Fire, and is resprouting.

Senecio mohavensis. The just-off-trail plants at mile 0.70 are normal specimens of this species. The on-trail plants at mile 2.16 are normal in every respect except their lower leaves. The normally-broad lower leaves have been replaced by the narrow upper leaves for these plants!

Tamarix sp.. Two plants about 2-3 feet tall were present on 10/29/05, and were eliminated.

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Copyright © 2005-2013 by Tom Chester, Kay Madore and Mike Crouse
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
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Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Kay Madore
Last update: 10 December 2013.