Plant Guide to Iron Mountain Trail, Poway

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

Introduction and Explanation of Plant Trail Guides

Introduction
Highlights of This Trail
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species

Introduction

This guide begins at the Highway 67 trailhead, immediately south of Poway Road (not the Ellie Lane Trailhead to the north). Using this route, this hike is 6.2 miles roundtrip with ~1100 feet of elevation gain and loss. See Schad, 1998, pp. 79-81 for a map and description of this trail.

This guide was made from a single field trip, and has not yet been field-verified. Most mileages have not yet been added, but there are enough mileages and landmarks so that most people should be able to follow the guide.

See also Plants of Iron Mountain. This guide has an additional 27 species not found in that flora.

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 102 trails in my database when this histogram was made; 3 of those trails, including this one, are at the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, Lake Poway and Iron Mountain Area. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in my database; numbers of "3" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon
Number Of Taxa
On This Trail
% of Taxa
On This Trail
Total Taxa100%

We found xx additional species not in the above table, since they have not been identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ? or sp 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 DateVisit ## taxa# "?"# "sp"# "~"# "ssp"

The Plant Guide

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

MileS#id?Common NameLatin Name#here#all
0.00   Begin trail at SR67 entrance just south of Poway Road
0.00b1 *shortpod mustardHirschfeldia incana99 / 9 
0.00b2 *foxtail barleyHordeum murinum5 / 1 
0.00b3 dove weedEremocarpus setigerus30 / 5 
0.00r4 western ragweedAmbrosia psilostachya5 / 1 
0.00b5 *long-beaked filareeErodium botrys99 / 9 
0.00r6 *smooth cat's earHypochaeris glabra99 / 9 
0.00r7 *prickly sow thistleSonchus asper ssp. asper10 / 9 
0.00r8 *sow thistleSonchus oleraceus10 / 9 
0.00r9 *Italian thistleCarduus pycnocephalus1 / 1 
0.00r10~horseweedConyza canadensis1 / 1 
0.00b11 *Russian thistleSalsola tragus5 / 2 
0.00r12 *annual blue grassPoa annua2 / 1 
0.00b13 *soft chessBromus hordeaceus20 / 5 
0.00b14 *red bromeBromus madritensis ssp. rubens50 / 9 
0.00r15spannual everlastingGnaphalium sp.5 / 1 
0.00r16 *scarlet pimpernelAnagallis arvensis10 / 5 
0.00b17 California sagebrushArtemisia californica10 / 5 
0.00b  (California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum)
0.00b18 San Diego birdsfoot lotusLotus hamatus5 / 2 
0.00b  (curly dock, Rumex crispus; Spanish clover, Lotus purshianus var. purshianus)
0.00r19~*wall bedstrawGalium parisiense10 / 1 
0.00b20 *tocaloteCentaurea melitensis99 / 9 
0.00b21 *redstem filareeErodium cicutarium99 / 9 
0.00r22 *California burcloverMedicago polymorpha50 / 9 
0.00r23 *horehoundMarrubium vulgare10 / 5 
0.00r24 *ripgut bromeBromus diandrus20 / 5 
0.00l25 *Crete weedHedypnois cretica50 / 9 
0.00l26 *cheeseweedMalva parviflora3 / 1 
0.00l27 *white-stemmed filareeErodium moschatum20 / 5 
0.00l28 *sourcloverMelilotus indicus10 / 3 
0.00   Cross over culvert
0.00l29 *London rocketSisymbrium irio50 / 9 
0.00l30sspbig sagebrushArtemisia tridentata2 / 1 
0.00l  (laurel sumac, Malosma laurina; chaparral bush mallow, Malacothamnus fasciculatus)
0.01r  Kiosk
0.01b31 coast live oakQuercus agrifolia var. agrifolia20 / 1 
0.01b32~*nettle-leaved goosefootChenopodium murale10 / 2 
0.02l33 narrow-leaf milkweedAsclepias fascicularis1 / 1 
0.02l  (planted pine, Pinus sp.; eucalyptus, Eucalyptus sp.; purple wild radish, Raphanus sativus)
0.02r34 sacred daturaDatura wrightii1 / 1 
0.03l35 rattlesnake weedChamaesyce albomarginata1 / 1 
 r36 planted pinePinus sp. /  
 l37 *purple wild radishRaphanus sativus5 / 2 
 l38 *prickly lettuceLactuca serriola1 / 1 
 l39 laurel sumacMalosma laurina10 / 3 
 l40 *winter vetchVicia villosa ssp. varia10 / 2 
 l41 California-asterLessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia5 / 2 
 l42 saw-toothed goldenbushHazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides30 / 9 
 r43 California buckwheatEriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum10 / 3 
 l44 deerweedLotus scoparius var. scoparius30 / 5 
 r45 broom baccharisBaccharis sarothroides10 / 3 
0.10r46 white sageSalvia apiana10 / 3 
 r47 bicolored everlastingGnaphalium bicolor3 / 3 
 l48 golden yarrowEriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum30 / 9 
 l49~chaparral bush mallowMalacothamnus fasciculatus10 / 5 
 r  (California four o'clock, Mirabilis californica)
 l  (fragrant everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens)
 l50~holly-leaf navarretiaNavarretia atractyloides1 / 1 
 l51 small-seeded spurgeChamaesyce polycarpa1 / 1 
 r52 popcorn flowerCryptantha intermedia20 / 3 
 r53 red maidsCalandrinia ciliata10 / 3 
 b  Sign: "Remain on trail"
 l54 slender tarweedHemizonia fasciculata10 / 1 
 r  Road rejoins trail
 l55 wild-cucumberMarah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus2 / 2 
 r56 *mouse-ear chickweedCerastium glomeratum5 / 1 
 r57 *windmill pinkSilene gallica30 / 5 
 b58 common fiddleneckAmsinckia menziesii var. intermedia5 / 1 
0.25l59 slender sunflowerHelianthus gracilentus30 / 9 
 r  (coastal goldenbush, Isocoma menziesii)
 r60 *lesser swine cressCoronopus didymus5 / 1 
 r61 bush monkeyflowerMimulus aurantiacus30 / 9 
 r  (Ramona-lilac, Ceanothus tomentosus var. olivaceus)
 r62 small-flowered soap plantChlorogalum parviflorum30 / 9 
 r63spfilagoFilago sp.30 / 9 
 r64sptiny annual cloverTrifolium microcephalum?1 / 1 
 r65sspwestern thistleCirsium occidentale1 / 1 
 l  Jct. trail and signpost to Ellie Lane trailhead
 l66 coastal goldenbushIsocoma menziesii2 / 2 
 l  Two porta-potties
 l67 stinging lupineLupinus hirsutissimus1 / 1 
 l  (dwarf nettle, Urtica urens)
 l68 Ramona-lilacCeanothus tomentosus var. olivaceus99 / 9 
 l69 chaparral yuccaYucca whipplei30 / 9 
 r70spprickly-pearOpuntia sp.1 / 1 
 r  (California goosefoot, Chenopodium californicum)
 r71 *slender wild oatsAvena barbata50 / 9 
 l72~purple needlegrassNassella pulchra1 / 1 
 l73 blue dicksDichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum5 / 2 
 l  (chia, Salvia columbariae)
0.50b74 chamiseAdenostoma fasciculatum50 / 9 
 r ~(Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii)
 l75 ashy spike-mossSelaginella cinerascens20 / 9 
 l76 Bigelow's spike-mossSelaginella bigelovii2 / 1 
 l77 bird's-foot fernPellaea mucronata var. mucronata3 / 3 
 l  (silver puffs, Uropappus lindleyi)
 l78 strigose lotusLotus strigosus10 / 3 
 r79 *common groundselSenecio vulgaris20 / 5 
 r  (Torrey's scrub oak, Quercus acutidens; bush poppy, Dendromecon rigida)
 r80 Parish's purple nightshadeSolanum parishii20 / 9 
 r  (goldentop, Lamarckia aurea)
 l81 California plantainPlantago erecta20 / 1 
 r  (meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum)
 l82 *nit grassGastridium ventricosum2 / 1 
 l83 foothill needlegrassNassella lepida1 / 1 
 l84 hairyleaf redberryRhamnus pilosa20 / 9 
 r  (southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata)
 l85spphaceliaPhacelia sp.10 / 2 
 l86 threadstemPterostegia drymarioides30 / 2 
    Cross creek to right
 l  (San Diego mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus minutiflorus; eucrypta, Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia)
    I failed to record the first on-trail occurrence of the following taxon, which occurs somewhere after this point
  87 San Diego mountain mahoganyCercocarpus minutiflorus /  
 r  (sugar bush, Rhus ovata; California everlasting, Gnaphalium californicum)
 l88 scarlet larkspurDelphinium cardinale50 / 9 
 l  (California bee plant, Scrophularia californica ssp. floribunda)
 l89spMariposa lilyCalochortus sp.1 / 1 
 l90 mission manzanitaXylococcus bicolor30 / 9 
 l91 white-flowering currantRibes indecorum5 / 3 
 r92 bigberry manzanitaArctostaphylos glauca10 / 9 
 l  (triangular-fruit sedge, Carex triquetra)
 l93~*Mediterranean schismusSchismus barbatus1 / 1 
 l  (poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum)
    Cross creek to left
 l94 San Diego peaLathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii5 / 3 
 l95~eucryptaEucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia1 / 1 
 r96~narrow-leaved miner's lettuceClaytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora5 / 1 
 r  (silverback fern, Pentagramma triangularis ssp. viscosa; ~purple snapdragon, ~Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum)
 r97 *Australian brass-buttonsCotula australis10 / 2 
 r98 climbing bedstrawGalium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii5 / 5 
 l99spannual suncupCamissonia sp.10 / 3 
 l100 Torrey's scrub oakQuercus acutidens10 / 9 
 l101 sugar bushRhus ovata2 / 2 
 l  (matchweed, Gutierrezia sarothrae)
 l  Jct. use trail to Iron Mine
 l102 red-skinned onionAllium haematochiton10 / 5 
 r  (California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium)
 l103 southern California morning-gloryCalystegia macrostegia1 / 1 
 r104 hollyleaf cherryPrunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia2 / 2 
 l105 coast jepsoniaJepsonia parryi10 / 1 
 l106 silverback fernPentagramma triangularis ssp. viscosa50 / 9 
 l107 toyonHeteromeles arbutifolia3 / 3 
 r  (heartleaf penstemon, Keckiella cordifolia)
    Cross creek to right
 r108 mule fatBaccharis salicifolia2 / 1 
 r  (Mariposa rush, Juncus dubius)
 b109 common bedstrawGalium aparine10 / 2 
 r110 milk maidsCardamine californica50 / 9 
 r111 coast-range melicMelica imperfecta10 / 9 
 l112 poison oakToxicodendron diversilobum3 / 2 
    Switchback right
 r113 heartleaf penstemonKeckiella cordifolia10 / 5 
 l114~California wood fernDryopteris arguta2 / 2 
    Switchback left
    Switchback right
  115 Eastwood manzanitaArctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. zacaensis99 / 9 
    Switchback left
 r116 California snowdrop bushStyrax officinalis var. redivivus99 / 9 
 r117 fire reedgrassCalamagrostis koelerioides99 / 9 
 r118 southern Indian pinkSilene laciniata ssp. major30 / 9 
 r119 southern honeysuckleLonicera subspicata var. denudata20 / 9 
 r  Check for goldback fern
 l120 wild celeryApiastrum angustifolium1 / 1 
 l  (scaly lipfern, Cheilanthes clevelandii)
 r121 leafy daisyErigeron foliosus var. foliosus50 / 9 
 r122 narrowleaf bedstrawGalium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium10 / 9 
 r123 felt-leaved monardellaMonardella hypoleuca ssp. lanata50 / 9 
 b124 southern tauschiaTauschia arguta20 / 9 
 r125 scaly lipfernCheilanthes clevelandii10 / 3 
 r126 bristly bird's beakCordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus20 / 5 
 r127 rush-roseHelianthemum scoparium99 / 9 
 r128 Ramona horkeliaHorkelia truncata30 / 9 
 r129 California everlastingGnaphalium californicum2 / 2 
 r130 white star-lilyZigadenus fremontii30 / 9 
1.00r  "1 mile post"
 r131 canyon silktasselGarrya veatchii1 / 1 
 b132 bush poppyDendromecon rigida20 / 5 
 r133spvioletViola sp.10 / 5 
 r134 common skullcapScutellaria tuberosa20 / 2 
 r135 California filagoFilago californica20 / 1 
 r136 pygmy-weedCrassula connata20 / 1 
 r137 *Mediterranean pygmy-weedCrassula tillaea20 / 1 
 r138~Pacific sanicleSanicula crassicaulis1 / 1 
 r139sppopcorn flowerPlagiobothrys sp.10 / 1 
 r140?sharp-toothed annual?3 / 1 
    Switchback right
 l141 Cleveland sageSalvia clevelandii20 / 9 
    Switchback left
 b142 tuberous sanicleSanicula tuberosa40 / 9 
 l143 silver puffsUropappus lindleyi10 / 2 
    Cross creek with visible water in April 2007
 r  (miner's lettuce, Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata)
 l  (goldenrod, Solidago californica)
    Switchback right
    Switchback left
 r  (shiny lomatium, Lomatium lucidum)
 r  (Indian warrior, Pedicularis densiflora)
 b144 interior live oakQuercus wislizeni var. frutescens30 / 9 
 r145 southern mountain miseryChamaebatia australis10 / 9 
 r146 California bee plantScrophularia californica ssp. floribunda5 / 2 
    T-jct; go right
 r147 bushrueCneoridium dumosum1 / 1 
    Trail turns left 90°
 r148 Indian warriorPedicularis densiflora30 / 9 
 l149~seashore bentgrassAgrostis pallens3 / 3 
    Trail turns right 90°
 r  (giant needlegrass, Achnatherum coronatum)
 l150 woolly-fruited lomatiumLomatium dasycarpum ssp. dasycarpum20 / 3 
 r151~Parish's bluecurlsTrichostema parishii10 / 3 
 r152 Mohave yuccaYucca schidigera1 / 1 
1.50r  "1.5 mile post"
 l  Jct. short Overlook Trail
 r153 white everlastingGnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum1 / 1 
 l154 everlasting nest-strawStylocline gnaphaloides5 / 1 
 r155 tinker's pennyHypericum anagalloides10 / 2 
 r  (thick-leaved yerba santa, Eriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium)
 l  (deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens)
 l  (oracle oak, Quercus kelloggii X Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens)
 l  (Mexican rush, Juncus mexicanus)
 b156 thick-leaved yerba santaEriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium10 / 3 
    Switchback right
 l157 meadow-rueThalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum10 / 2 
 l158?spreading-stiff-hairy tiny ann with alt petioled roundish leaves with truncate base?20 / 2 
 l159 rigid hedge-nettleStachys ajugoides var. rigida10 / 1 
 l  (San Diego sedge, Carex spissa; willow, Salix sp.)
 l160 Mexican rushJuncus mexicanus10 / 1 
    Cross drainage and switchback left
    Switchback right
 l161 California lace fernAspidotis californica1 / 1 
2.00r  "2.0 mile post"
    Switchback left
    Switchback right
    Switchback left
    Switchback right
    Switchback left
 l162 giant needlegrassAchnatherum coronatum10 / 9 
    Switchback right
    Switchback left
 r  Saddle; sign: "Do not cut switchbacks"
 l163~rein orchidPiperia cooperi30 / 9 
2.50r  "2.5 mile post"
 r164 *gazaniaGazania X (mounding hybrid)2 / 2 
 r  (Second oracle oak, Quercus kelloggii X Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens)
    End guide at top of Iron Mountain

Comments On Specific Species

Isocoma menziesii. The subspecies does not seem to be separable in Southern California. See Comments on the Jepson Manual and A Flora of Southern California by Munz: Isocoma menziesii.


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Copyright © 2007 by Tom Chester, James Dillane and Cindy Burrascano.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/sd/plants/guides/bser/iron_mountain_trail.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 12 April 2007.