Plant Guide to Lower Arroyo Seco Mitigated Area, Pasadena 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
Highlights of This Trail The botanical highlights of this trail are:
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 38 trails in our database when this histogram was made. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in our database. (Table not updated for 5/5/03 version.)
Number of Trails
Containing A TaxonNumber Of Taxa
On This Trail% of Taxa
On This Trail1 15 17% 2 6 7% 3 8 9% 4 11 12% 5 8 9% 6 5 6% 7 7 8% 8 2 2% 9 4 4% 10 2 2% 11 1 1% 12 3 3% 13 1 1% 14 2 2% 15 2 2% 16 2 2% 17 4 4% 18 2 2% 19 1 1% 20 3 3% 21 1 1% Total Taxa 90 100% We found 12 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.
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" 12/28/2002 1 93 16 12 7 4 1/3/2003 2 97 11 8 11 1 1/6/2003 3 97 10 7 11 1 1/9/2003 4 102 9 7 11 1 1/14/2003 5 102 8 7 11 1 5/5/2003 6 115 3 10 8 1
The Plant Guide Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page (4 pages)
Mile # S id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all 0.00 Beginning of this guide at east path, immediately west of the bathrooms and casting pond, where the mitigation stream begins by flowing out of the culvert. This guide will stay as close to the stream as possible. 0.00 1 r western sycamore Platanus racemosa 50 / 9 10 0.00 2 r *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus 50 / 3 9 0.00 3 r *London rocket Sisymbrium irio 99 / 9 2 0.00 4 *pineapple weed Chamomilla suaveolens 40 / 4 0.00 5 r *Australian brass-buttons Cotula australis 50 / 2 2 0.00 6 r *California burclover Medicago polymorpha 99 / 9 9 0.00 7 r *ditch beard grass Polypogon interruptus 99 / 9 1 0.00 8 r horseweed Conyza canadensis 99 / 9 0.00 9 r *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 99 / 9 14 0.00 10 r sp *cheeseweed Malva parviflora 99 / 9 3 0.00 11 r ? unk asteraceae 0.00 12 r black willow Salix gooddingii 1 / 1 5 0.00 r Culvert 0.00 13 r *prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola 20 / 9 0.00 14 r coast live oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia 10 / 5 17 0.00 15 r California coffeeberry Rhamnus californica ssp. californica 50 / 9 7 0.00 16 r blue elderberry Sambucus mexicana 20 / 5 19 0.00 r Take path to right of main road, to be close to stream. 0.00 17 r *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana 99 / 9 20 0.01 18 r *Mexican tea Chenopodium ambrosioides 10 / 2 6 0.01 19 r ~ *tumble pigweed Amaranthus albus / 2 0.01 20 r bittercress Cardamine oligosperma / 3 0.01 21 r *common cudweed Gnaphalium luteo-album / 0.01 22 r small-flowered evening-primrose Camissonia micrantha 99 / 9 2 0.01 23 r ~ annual sunflower Helianthus annuus 3 / 1 4 0.01 24 r toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia 5 / 5 20 0.01 25 r California wild rose Rosa californica / 5 0.01 r (broadleaf cattail, Typha latifolia) 0.01 26 b bur-ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa 99 / 2 5 0.01 27 r sacred datura Datura wrightii+ 10 / 2 8 0.02 28 r mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 30 / 9 17 0.02 29 b California poppy Eschscholzia californica / 9 0.02 30 r *white goosefoot Chenopodium album 10 / 1 7 0.02 l (North end of bathrooms) 0.02 31 r red willow Salix laevigata 1 / 1 8 0.03 Path curves right between an elderberry and a mule fat. 0.03 32 r white alder Alnus rhombifolia 30 / 9 4 0.04 33 r ~ *curly dock Rumex crispus 99 / 5 9 0.04 34 r willowherb Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum 99 / 1 5 0.04 35 r narrowleaf willow Salix exigua 5 / 3 5 0.04 36 r golden currant Ribes aureum var. gracillimum 10 / 5 1 0.04 l (unknown woody shrub, big thing, ferny leaves, multiple stems) 0.05 37 l sugar lemonade berry Rhus integrifolia X R. ovata 1 / 1 1 0.05 38 r sp pampas grass Cortaderia sp. / 0.06 39 r arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis 20 / 9 17 0.07 40 r shining willow Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra 2 / 2 1 0.07 41 r umbrella sedge Cyperus eragrostis / 1 0.07 42 r broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia 99 / 9 1 0.08 43 l *black locust Robinia pseudoacacia 5 / 1 4 0.08 44 r short-leaved cliff-aster Malacothrix saxatilis var. tenuifolia 2 / 2 4 0.08 l End of casting pond. 0.08 45 r common bedstraw Galium aparine 10 / 2 5 0.09 46 r water cress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum 99 / 3 3 0.10 47 r black cottonwood Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa 20 / 9 7 0.10 48 b *common chickweed Stellaria media 99 / 3 4 0.11 49 r *camphor tree Cinnamomum camphora 1 / 1 1 0.11 50 l *horehound Marrubium vulgare 10 / 2 11 0.12 51 r California blackberry Rubus ursinus 20 / 5 7 0.12 52 r wild-cucumber Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus 2 / 2 13 0.12 r (11 leaflet ash, Fraxinus sp.; eupatory, Ageratina adenophora) 0.14 53 l *bull thistle Cirsium vulgare 1 / 1 6 0.14 54 l southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 10 / 5 17 0.14 55 l hollyleaf cherry Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia 5 / 4 5 0.14 56 r sp 11 leaflet ash Fraxinus sp. 2 / 2 0.14 57 l laurel sumac Malosma laurina 1 / 1 16 0.14 58 l poison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum 5 / 1 16 0.15 59 r *eupatory Ageratina adenophora 99 / 2 3 0.16 60 r Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii 1 / 1 7 0.17 r End of stream, with water going into culvert draining into the concrete Arroyo Seco channel. 0.18 l Drainage from east bank. 0.18 61 l sp miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata 1 / 1 4 0.18 62 l sp oak Quercus sp., lvs similar to Q. ilex, Q. tomentella, or Q. chrysolepis 1 / 1 0.19 63 l California bay Umbellularia californica 1 / 1 4 0.19 64 l hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia 3 / 3 18 0.20 65 r *olive Olea europaea 10 / 2 3 0.20 l (black sage, Salvia mellifera) 0.20 66 r California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum 30 / 3 21 0.20 b (white sage, Salvia apiana) 0.20 r (California encelia, Encelia californica) 0.20 67 l collar lupine Lupinus truncatus 2 / 1 6 0.20 68 l arroyo lupine Lupinus succulentus 5 / 5 1 0.20 69 l purple clarkia Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera 99 / 9 0.20 r (California sagebrush, Artemisia californica) 0.21 70 l *shepherd's purse Capsella bursa-pastoris 99 / 5 2 0.21 Trail forks; take left branch; we'll return using the right branch. 0.22 71 l sp Schismus sp. Schismus sp. / 0.22 l ~ California suncup Camissonia californica+ 99 / 9 5 0.22 72 l California sagebrush Artemisia californica 20 / 3 20 0.23 73 r mugwort Artemisia douglasiana 20 / 5 14 0.23 74 r *bur chervil Anthriscus caucalis 99 / 2 3 0.23 75 r ~ white nightshade Solanum douglasii 1 / 1 6 0.23 76 r Coulter's lupine Lupinus sparsiflorus / 1 0.23 77 r California croton Croton californicus 5 / 2 4 0.23 78 r black sage Salvia mellifera 20 / 3 18 0.23 r Jct. shortcut trail between the two branches. 0.23 79 b California encelia Encelia californica 20 / 3 7 0.23 80 b white sage Salvia apiana 20 / 3 15 0.48 81 r ? popcorn flower? Plagiobothrys sp.? / 0.23 82 l ? smooth cat's ear? 0.23 83 l wild canterbury bells Phacelia minor / 0.24 84 r stinging lupine Lupinus hirsutissimus 3 / 1 4 0.24 l Sprinkler head at end of white pipe. 85 r elegant clarkia Clarkia unguiculata / 0.29 86 r giant wild rye Leymus condensatus 20 / 2 12 0.29 87 l ~ American elm Ulmus americana 1 / 1 0.29 88 l Southern California black walnut Juglans californica var. californica 5 / 1 1 0.30 89 l *henbit Lamium amplexicaule 5 / 1 3 0.30 90 l big saltbush Atriplex lentiformis ssp. torreyi 1 / 1 1 0.30 91 l deer brush Ceanothus integerrimus 3 / 3 4 0.30 92 l Engelmann oak Quercus engelmannii 5 / 5 10 0.31 93 r coyote bush Baccharis pilularis 2 / 2 12 0.31 r "Bird-watching" bench 0.34 Jct. with signed Horseback Riding and Hiking Trail; go right on it. 0.35 94 l *greater periwinkle Vinca major 5 / 1 4 0.35 l Short old white post with letters "SO". Anyone know what that stands for? 0.36 95 l greenbark ceanothus Ceanothus spinosus 2 / 1 1 0.37 96 r branching phacelia Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia 3 / 1 6 0.37 97 l *Canary Island pine Pinus canariensis 5 / 1 1 0.37 r Bathrooms 0.38 Tin shed with pump inside on left; hitching rails on right. 0.41 Jct. with main path alongside concrete channel; go right on small path paralleling the main path. 0.44 r Emergency phone. 0.46 98 r *Russian thistle Salsola tragus 3 / 1 15 0.48 Y junction; take right branch. 0.49 99 r ssp deerweed Lotus scoparius 5 / 1 7 0.50 r Several very old elderberries, Sambucus mexicana. 0.54 r Jct. other end of shortcut trail between the two branches. 0.56 End this loop section. Continue straight on previously-walked section. 0.58 Drainage from east bank on right; go left here to get on west side of mitigation stream. 0.59 Go right on the mulched area, staying as close to the stream as possible. 0.60 r red goosefoot, Chenopodium rubrum? 0.68 100 r fuchsia-flowered gooseberry Ribes speciosum 1 / 1 1 0.75 Dense vegetation forces us to join main path alongside concrete channel. 0.79 101 r California chicory Rafinesquia californica 1 / 1 3 0.81 Go right at bridge over concrete channel to reach beginning of hike. 0.83 r Parking lot entrance. 0.86 r Jct. beginning of plant guide; plant guide ends. Need to locate the following species: 102 California filago Filago californica / 103 *little horseweed Conyza bonariensis / 104 *bristly ox-tongue Picris echioides / 105 ~ cotton-batting plant Gnaphalium stramineum / 106 ~ purple everlasting Gnaphalium purpureum / 107 Bishop's lotus Lotus strigosus / 108 strigose sun-cup Camissonia strigulosa / 109 chia Salvia columbariae / 110 sp peppergrass 1 Lepidium sp. / 111 sp peppergrass 2 Lepidium sp. / 112 sp cultivated verbena Verbena sp. / 113 *lesser swine cress Coronopus didymus / 114 sp grape
Comments On Specific Species Datura wrightii. The plant at this location is young; the id comes from mature specimens a short distance farther on the trail.
Camissonia californica. Identification confident here, but uncertain earlier. The species will be counted here only if the earlier specimen turns out to not be this identification.
Quercus sp.. Leaves are similar to Q. ilex, Q. tomentella, or Q. chrysolepis. Need an acorn to help with the identification.
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Copyright © 2002-2003 by Jane Strong and Tom Chester.
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Comments and feedback: Jane Strong | Tom Chester
Updated 27 November 2003.