Anza-Borrego: Plant Guide To Moonlight Canyon Trail,
Agua Caliente County Park

mile	s	#	id	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin plant guide at edge of campground road pavement; elevation ~1350 feet (411 m)
0.00	r	1		catclaw	Senegalia greggii	30 / 9	90
0.00	b	2		solitary-leaved alkali goldenbush	Isocoma acradenia var. eremophila	50 / 5	18
0.00	e	3		seaside heliotrope	Heliotropium curassavicum var. oculatum	1 / 1	14
0.00	r			Post "139 & 140"
0.00	r	4		desert mistletoe	Phoradendron californicum	50 / 9	79
0.00	l			(Shuffleboard court)
0.00	l	5		honey mesquite	Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana	40 / 9	49
0.00	r			(Fremont box-thorn, Lycium fremontii)
0.01	r			(picnic table; common reed, Phragmites australis; arrow-weed, Pluchea sericea; California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera; Mexican rush, Juncus mexicanus)
0.01	r	6		saltgrass	Distichlis spicata	99 / 9	35
0.01	b	7		cattle saltbush	Atriplex polycarpa	30 / 4	34
0.02				Sign: "Begin Moonlight Canyon Trail"
0.02	r			(screw-bean mesquite, Prosopis pubescens)
0.02	b	8		Fremont box-thorn	Lycium fremontii	50 / 6	7
0.02	l	9		bush seepweed	Suaeda nigra	3 / 1	13
0.03	b	10		arrow-weed	Pluchea sericea	99 / 9	20
0.03	r			(Water tank)
0.04	l	11		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	10 / 2	52
0.05	l			Sign: "Danger chlorine"
0.05	b	12		arrow-leaf	Pleurocoronis pluriseta	30 / 9	48
0.05	b	13		desert holly	Atriplex hymenelytra	10 / 3	24
0.05	l	14		wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora	30 / 9	89
0.05	r			(spiny rush, Juncus acutus ssp. leopoldii)
0.05	l			(California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus)
0.05	l			(Mormon tea, Ephedra aspera)
0.05	l			(teddy-bear cholla, Cylindropuntia bigelovii^)
0.05	l	15		brittlebush	Encelia farinosa	99 / 9	92
0.06	r			(narrowleaf willow, Salix exigua var. exigua^)
0.06	r			(red willow, Salix laevigata)
0.06	l	16		Gander's cholla	Cylindropuntia ganderi	40 / 9	71
0.06	r	17		spiny rush	Juncus acutus ssp. leopoldii	5 / 3	5
0.06	l			(burroweed, Ambrosia dumosa)
0.07	l	18		white-stemmed milkweed	Asclepias albicans	5 / 5	10
0.07	l			(Emory's indigo-bush, Psorothamnus emoryi)
0.07	l	19		burroweed	Ambrosia dumosa	50 / 9	89
0.07				Trail descends, curves right and switchbacks left to cross drainage
0.07	l			A big Juncus acutus ssp. leopoldii
0.08				Cross drainage
0.09	r	20		desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum	50 / 9	76
0.11	r			(white rhatany, Krameria bicolor^; jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis; indigo bush, Psorothamnus schottii; western tansy-mustard, Descurainia pinnata)
0.11	r	21		desert lotus	Acmispon rigidus	5 / 3	35
0.12				Cross drainage again
0.12	r	22		rambling milkweed	Funastrum hirtellum	10 / 9	28
0.12	r	23		Mormon tea	Ephedra aspera	20 / 9	21
0.12	r	24		Coulter's lyrepod	Lyrocarpa coulteri	20 / 9	22
0.12	r	25		chuparosa	Justicia californica	50 / 9	41
0.12				Trail ascends steeply
0.12	l			(desert agave, Agave deserti var. deserti^)
0.13	l	26		Engelmann's hedgehog cactus	Echinocereus engelmannii	2 / 2	51
0.13	l	27	ssp	apricot mallow	Sphaeralcea ambigua	20 / 9	10
0.13	l	28	sp	pincushion flower	Chaenactis sp.	30 / 9
0.13	l	29		white rhatany	Krameria bicolor	20 / 9	72
0.13	r			Jct. trail to wash; stay left
0.13	l	30		whispering bells	Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	1 / 1	52
0.14	r	31		jojoba	Simmondsia chinensis	30 / 9	53
0.14	r			(sweetbush, Bebbia juncea var. aspera)
0.14	l	32		linear-leaved stillingia	Stillingia linearifolia	2 / 2	29
0.16	l	33		indigo bush	Psorothamnus schottii	20 / 9	74
0.16	l	34		Guadalupe cryptantha	Cryptantha maritima	30 / 5	49
0.16				End steep climb
0.17	l	35		Bigelow's desert four-o'clock	Mirabilis laevis var. retrorsa	10 / 2	69
0.17	r	36		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum	10 / 9	40
0.17	l			(woolly lipfern, Cheilanthes parryi; brittle spineflower, Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu; little-flowered heliotrope phacelia, Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora; hairy-podded pepper-grass, Lepidium lasiocarpum ssp. lasiocarpum^)
0.17	l		sp	(fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica?)
0.17	l			(California fagonia, Fagonia laevis)
0.18	r	37		creosote bush	Larrea tridentata	50 / 9	97
0.18	l	38		woolly lipfern	Cheilanthes parryi	20 / 9	54
0.19	r	39		brittle spineflower	Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu	1 / 1	58
0.19	r	40		San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	10 / 9	58
0.19	b	41		Mojave ragwort	Senecio mohavensis	20 / 5	40
0.19	l	42		rock hibiscus	Hibiscus denudatus	10 / 9	52
0.19	l	43		desert agave	Agave deserti var. deserti	30 / 5	58
0.19	r	44		narrowleaf ditaxis	Ditaxis lanceolata	5 / 5	63
0.20	b	45		hairy-podded pepper-grass	Lepidium lasiocarpum ssp. lasiocarpum	99 / 9	70
0.21	l	46		ocotillo	Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens	99 / 9	84
0.21	l			(Arizona chalk dudleya, Dudleya arizonica)
0.21	l			(beavertail cactus, Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris)
0.22	l	47		little-flowered heliotrope phacelia	Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora	1 / 1	25
0.23	r	48		desert-lavender	Hyptis emoryi	20 / 9	79
0.25	l	49	~	star gilia	Gilia stellata	1 / 1	29
0.25	r	50		yellow-head	Trichoptilium incisum	10 / 2	25
0.26	l			(intermediate larkspur, Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum; California suncup, Eulobus californicus)
0.27	r	51		Pima rhatany	Krameria erecta	1 / 1	39
0.25	b	52		desert plantain	Plantago ovata	99 / 9	63
0.28	r	53		intermediate larkspur	Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum	20 / 4	31
0.28	r	54		California barrel cactus	Ferocactus cylindraceus	50 / 9
0.29	l	55		big galleta	Hilaria rigida	5 / 3	73
0.29	l			(small-seeded spurge, Chamaesyce polycarpa)
0.30	r	56		California fagonia	Fagonia laevis	20 / 9	39
0.32	l	57		desert spike-moss	Selaginella eremophila	10 / 9	31
0.34	r	58		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	30 / 9	92
0.34	r			(California trixis, Trixis californica var. californica)
0.34				Switchback left
0.34	r			(star-flowered bedstraw, Galium stellatum^)
0.35	l	59	sp	annual phacelia	Phacelia sp.	10 / 3
0.36	r			Trail turns right; jct. shortcut trail (do not take!); stay left
0.37				Switchback right
0.39	l	60		star-flowered bedstraw	Galium stellatum	5 / 2	39
0.44	b	61		teddy-bear cholla	Cylindropuntia bigelovii	99 / 9	55
0.44	r	62		California trixis	Trixis californica var. californica	5 / 5	54
0.45	l	63		beavertail cactus	Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris	3 / 3	83
0.48	l	64		California suncup	Eulobus californicus	50 / 3	95
0.48				Saddle; highest point on trail, elevation ~1650 feet (503 m)
0.55	l	65	sp	ann upright lotus	Lotus sp.	10 / 1
0.58	r	66	?	Thomas' buckwheat	Eriogonum thomasii	2 / 2	49
	r			Wash in (fxx)
	r			(Parish's viguiera, Bahiopsis parishii)
	l	67		bracted blazing star	Mentzelia involucrata	1 / 1	40
	r	68		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	1 / 1	123
	r			(wedge-leaved draba, Draba cuneifolia)
0.61	l	69	?	unk low shrub with capsule fruit	?	1 / 1
0.62	l	70		Newberry's velvet mallow	Horsfordia newberryi	5 / 3	22
0.65				Join wash from side canyon to Moonlight Canyon
	b	71		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	2 / 1	94
0.67	r	72		Parish's viguiera	Bahiopsis parishii	10 / 3	57
0.67	r			(fluff grass, Dasyochloa pulchella^)
	r	73		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium	2 / 2	84
0.68	l			(spearleaf, Matelea parvifolia)
0.68	l	74		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	30 / 9	89
0.70	l	75	ssp	California cloak fern	Notholaena californica	1 / 1	21
0.71	r	76		boundary goldenbush	Ericameria brachylepis	1 / 1	28
0.71				Join Moonlight Canyon wash; the following two species are found up canyon
		77		desert apricot	Prunus fremontii	5 / 1	30
		78		six-weeks three-awn	Aristida adscensionis	1 / 1	40
0.71	l	79		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	1 / 1
0.72	l	80		common phacelia	Phacelia distans	1 / 1	76
0.75	l	81		purple three-awn	Aristida purpurea	10 / 3	35
0.80	r			(fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria tetrancistra)
0.84	r	82	~	desert woolly-star	Eriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicum	10 / 2	44
1.01	r	83		thick-leaved ground cherry	Physalis crassifolia	1 / 1	53
1.04				Enter spring area
1.04	r	84		mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	20 / 2	93
1.06	l	85		*athel	Tamarix aphylla	5 / 2	5
1.06	l	86		black willow	Salix gooddingii	30 / 1	16
1.07	b	87		common reed	Phragmites australis	50 / 2	8
1.07	b	88	~	southern cattail	Typha domingensis	10 / 2	18
1.08	r			(stream orchid, Epipactis gigantea)
1.09	r	89		slender-lobed four o'clock	Mirabilis tenuiloba	5 / 1	12
1.09	l	90		screw-bean mesquite	Prosopis pubescens	5 / 3	5
1.10	l	91		ghost flower	Mohavea confertiflora	1 / 1	23
1.10	l	92		*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	2 / 1	46
1.11	r			(desert baccharis, Baccharis sergiloides)
1.11	b	93		narrowleaf willow	Salix exigua var. exigua	1 / 1	14
1.12	r			(southwestern bushy bluestem, Andropogon glomeratus var. scabriglumis; deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens; Emory's rock-daisy, Perityle emoryi)
1.13	r			(Asian mustard, Brassica tournefortii)
1.17	l	94		Bigelow's monkeyflower	Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii	10 / 1	26
1.24				Trail turns left
1.25	r	95		smoke tree	Psorothamnus spinosus	20 / 3	43
1.25	l	96		cheesebush	Ambrosia salsola var. salsola	40 / 3	79
1.28				Trail turns right 90°
1.36				Trail turns left 90° to return to campground; lowest elevation on trail, ~1310 feet (399 m)
1.39	l	97		pencil cholla	Cylindropuntia ramosissima	20 / 2	26
1.49	l	98		desert tea	Ephedra californica	/	25
1.51	b	99	sp	dodder	Cuscuta sp.	2 / 1
1.60				End trail and plant guide at different part of campground
1.78				Day use parking
				Species planted in Campground
				*golden wattle	Acacia pycnantha	/	0
				*Mexican palo verde	Parkinsonia aculeata	/	2
				blue palo verde	Parkinsonia florida	/	16
				Other species seen in Moonlight Canyon, but not located
				California mustard	Caulanthus lasiophyllus	/	21
				Nevada cryptantha	Cryptantha nevadensis var. nevadensis	/	5
				small-flowered poppy	Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora	/	46
				Parish's poppy	Eschscholzia parishii	/	40
				beetle spurge	Euphorbia eriantha	/	20
				Arizona lupine	Lupinus arizonicus	/	48
				California loosestrife	Lythrum californicum	/	10
				white-stemmed blazing star	Mentzelia albicaulis	/	16
				Arizona pholistoma	Pholistoma auritum var. arizonicum	/	1
				Species found in the area just outside the campground
				Parish's spikerush	Eleocharis parishii	/	4
				catchfly prairie-gentian	Eustoma exaltatum ssp. exaltatum	/	2
				American tule	Schoenoplectus americanus	/	12
				Species found from mouth of Moonlight Canyon to Airstrip:
				desert-willow	Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata	/	35
				brown-eyed primrose	Chylismia claviformis ssp. peirsonii	/	54
				California croton	Croton californicus	/	28
				narrow-leaved cryptantha	Cryptantha angustifolia	/	53
				desert dicoria	Dicoria canescens	/	15
				Booth's evening primrose	Eremothera boothii ssp. condensata	/	49
				blackbanded rabbitbrush	Ericameria paniculata	/	14
				toad rush	Juncus bufonius	/	2
				*tree tobacco	Nicotiana glauca	/	26
				desert tobacco	Nicotiana obtusifolia	/	55
				dune primrose	Oenothera deltoides ssp. deltoides	/	12
				ironwood	Olneya tesota	/	15
				desert needle	Palafoxia arida var. arida	/	47
				Thurber's sandpaper-plant	Petalonyx thurberi ssp. thurberi	/	36
				*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	/	46
				odora	Porophyllum gracile	/	25
				turtleback	Psathyrotes ramosissima	/	12
				Emory's indigo-bush	Psorothamnus emoryi	/	34
				chia	Salvia columbariae	/	90
				plicate coldenia	Tiquilia plicata	/	17

http://tchester.org/sd/plants/guides/anza_borrego/moonlight_canyon.html
Last update: 1 March 2012.