Plant Guide to West Bank Trail, Eaton Canyon, San Gabriel Mountains

Plant Guide to West Bank Trail, Eaton Canyon, San Gabriel Mountains

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

See Flora of Lower Eaton Canyon.
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 34 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.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa On This Trail % of Taxa On This Trail
1 11 12%
2 7 7%
3 10 11%
4 8 8%
5 7 7%
6 8 8%
7 6 6%
8 3 3%
9 5 5%
10 2 2%
11 3 3%
12 2 2%
13 2 2%
14 2 2%
15 3 3%
16 5 5%
17 6 6%
18 2 2%
19 2 2%
20 1 1%
21 0 0%
Total Taxa 95 100%

We found 15 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" Comments
10/24/2002 1 93 2 10 0 8 includes species from 4 visits earlier in the year on 10 and 25 March, and 1 and 10 April, in 2002
12/3/2002 2 107 6 9 2 5
1/12/2003 3 110 6 9 2 5
3/25/2003 4 only one change made; more coming

The Plant Guide

Mile s # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
This plant guide for the West Bank Trail begins after the end of the "mitigation area". The following landmarks will guide you to the beginning of this plant guide.
0.00 Eaton Canyon Nature Center - head north in the parking lot.
0.10 Gate at north end of parking lot.
0.18 North end of picnic area.
0.23 Trail jct. The main Park Road Trail curves right and crosses the Wash. The West Bank Trail goes off to the left, heading directly north; take it.
0.25 Beginning of this plant guide at the third Coast Live Oak, where the trail bends slightly to the left. Mileage reset to 0.00.
0.00 l 1 coast live oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia / 16
0.00 l 2 branching phacelia Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia / 5
0.00 r 3 ssp *rattail fescue Vulpia myuros / 4
0.00 l 4 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens / 17
0.00 l 5 toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia / 19
0.00 l 6 California sagebrush Artemisia californica / 19
0.00 l 7 *horehound Marrubium vulgare / 11
0.00 l 8 California brickellbush Brickellia californica / 14
0.00 l 9 erect goldenaster Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. fastigiata / 3
0.00 l 10 (heartleaf penstemon, Keckiella cordifolia.)
0.00 l 11 poison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum / 15
0.00 l 12 ? unk stout tufted grass
0.00 l 13 small-flowered melica Melica imperfecta / 14
0.01 14 ? baby thistle?
0.01 l 15 *bur chervil Anthriscus caucalis / 4
0.01 r 16 *sweet alyssum Lobularia maritima / 1
0.01 17 ~ one-sided bluegrass Poa secunda ssp. secunda / 10
0.01 l 18 heartleaf penstemon Keckiella cordifolia / 11
0.01 l 19 mugwort Artemisia douglasiana / 13
0.01 l Sprinkler on tall pole on left.
0.01 l 20 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia / 16
0.01 l 21 ? foothill needlegrass Nassella lepida / 3
0.01 22 wild-cucumber Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus / 12
0.01 23 laurel sumac Malosma laurina / 15
0.01 24 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum / 20
0.01 Another sprinkler on left.
0.01 25 western sycamore Platanus racemosa / 9
0.02 l 26 white sage Salvia apiana / 15
0.02 Third sprinkler almost hidden in bushes.
0.02 l 27 *wand mullein Verbascum virgatum / 2
0.02 Fourth sprinkler; future ones not noted.11
0.02 l 28 California wild rose Rosa californica⁺ / 4
0.02 l 29 *greater periwinkle Vinca major / 3
0.02 r 30 *giant reed Arundo donax / 4
0.02 r 31 black cottonwood Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / 6
0.02 r 32 California encelia Encelia californica⁺ / 6
0.03 33 scale-broom Lepidospartum squamatum / 2
0.03 r 34 *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana / 17
0.03 35 sp wild oats Avena sp. /
0.03 36 *tocalote Centaurea melitensis / 17
0.04 r 37 California coffeeberry Rhamnus californica ssp. californica / 6
0.04 38 ssp deerweed Lotus scoparius var. scoparius / 10
0.04 39 creek senecio Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii / 5
0.04 l 40 Vasey's prickly pear Opuntia Xvaseyi⁺ / 5
0.05 41 *smilo grass Piptatherum miliaceum 1 / 1 9
0.05 l 42 *jade plant Crassula ovata / 1
0.05 43 southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata / 16
0.05 l 44 sp white nightshade Solanum douglasii 1 / 1 5
0.05 l 45 sp aloe with spots on the leaf surfaces.
0.05 46 California dodder Cuscuta californica var. californica / 7
0.06 47 Blocked-off trail on left; turn right down boulders at the poles and wires.
0.06 48 T-junction with another trail; go left.
0.07 r 49 *narrowleaf filago Filago gallica / 9
0.07 50 chaparral yucca Yucca whipplei ssp. parishii / 7
0.07 r 51 *Mediterranean pygmy-weed Crassula tillaea / 2
0.07 r 52 pygmy-weed Crassula connata / 3
53 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium / 11
0.08 54 *Spanish broom Spartium junceum / 3
0.09 55 black sage Salvia mellifera / 17
0.09 r 56 chaparral whitethorn Ceanothus leucodermis / 9
r 57 *Australian brass-buttons Cotula australis / 5
0.10 58 sp Eucalyptus sp. (infl a panicle of umbels, 3-7 fl'd, fr 5 mm on 1 mm pedicel, the 3-4 valves included; lerp-free.)
0.11 (goldback fern, Pentagramma triangularis, at base of bank on right.)
0.11 59 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus / 17
0.11 (Mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides on left.)
0.15 End of the large boulders on left used to armor the bank below the houses.11
0.15 Old terrace bank on left with following 4 species:
0.15 l 60 goldback fern Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis / 6
0.15 l 61 lanceleaf dudleya Dudleya lanceolata / 9
0.15 l 62 Bigelow's spike-moss Selaginella bigelovii / 8
0.15 l 63 coffee fern Pellaea andromedifolia / 6
0.16 64 ssp yellow pincushion Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula⁺ / 7
65 *smooth cat's ear Hypochaeris glabra⁺ / 6
0.17 Careful of the barbed wire around the next species!
0.17 66 hoaryleaf ceanothus Ceanothus crassifolius / 7
0.17 67 ~ coast prickly-pear Opuntia littoralis / 5
0.17 68 sp peppergrass Lepidium either nidens or virginicum, but not oblongum. /
0.17 69 bittercress Cardamine oligosperma / 2
r 70 California suncup Camissonia bistorta / 1
0.17 Jct. with trail on left, then another trail on right.
71 small-flowered evening-primrose Camissonia micrantha⁺ / 1
72 ssp blue dicks Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum⁺ / 8
73 muilla Muilla maritima⁺ / 4
74 prickly cryptantha Cryptantha muricata⁺ / 6
75 Bishop's lotus Lotus strigosus⁺ / 5
76 ssp miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata⁺ / 3
77 *common chickweed Stellaria media⁺ / 3
0.18 Jct. with trail on left.
0.18 l 78 blue elderberry Sambucus mexicana / 18
0.19 Jct. with trail on left.
0.19 r 79 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia / 17
0.19 l 80 hollyleaf cherry Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia / 4
0.21 Note on the opposite bank, a cut with a line of old double beam supports for something no longer present. (A flume?)
0.21 81 bird's-foot fern Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata / 12
0.21 Four-way junction with Midwick Trail on left, and its continuation to cross the riverbed on the right. Continue straight.
0.22 82 white everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum / 16
0.23 83 sp everlasting nest-straw Stylocline gnaphaloides / 1
84 winged pectocarya Pectocarya penicillata / 1
0.25 Fence with hanging fence post, which wasn't put in that way, on left. Many prickly pear on right.
0.27 r 85 Nevin's brickellia Brickellia nevinii / 1
0.27 Jct. with path on right.
0.29 Jct. with path on left.
0.29 Y-junction; go left and up.
0.30 T-junction on the terrace; go right between two large yuccas and try not to get stabbed.
0.31 Unusual seriously-fenced small structure on left, with air vents and no identification.
86 leather spineflower Lastarriaea coriacea / 1
87 *four-leaf polycarp Polycarpon tetraphyllum / 2
0.32 Jct. with path on right.
0.33 Jct. with path on right.
0.34 Prickly pear, Opuntia xVaseyi, with a definite id from the flowers.
0.34 r 88 sugar bush Rhus ovata / 13
0.36 Jct. with path on left.
0.37 l 89 *mission cactus Opuntia ficus-indica / 2
0.38 l 90 sp ash #1 (lvs with 7 serrate, acute tip leaflets) Fraxinus sp. #1 /
0.38 Trail bends left (don't take drainage continuing in front of you).
0.40 r 91 arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis / 16
0.42 Trail turns left at the sycamore (don't take drainage continuing in front of you).
0.42 92 long-stemmed buckwheat Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum / 7
0.43 93 sp clarkia Clarkia sp. /
94 ? sunflower seedling? Helianthus annuus? /
95 *Bermuda buttercup Oxalis pes-caprae / 3
0.44 96 *eupatory Ageratina adenophora / 2
0.44 97 *tree tobacco Nicotiana glauca / 7
0.44 98 black willow Salix gooddingii / 4
0.44 99 *castor bean Ricinus communis / 6
0.44 Trail is overgrown here with smilo grass.
0.44 100 bush monkeyflower Mimulus aurantiacus / 18
0.45 r 101 sp Setaria sp. /
0.45 l 102 chasmanthe Chasmanthe floribunda /
0.45 103 *Crete weed Hedypnois cretica / 4
0.45 r 104 California poppy Eschscholzia californica / 8
0.47 105 California bay Umbellularia californica / 3
0.48 l 106 *kikuyu grass Pennisetum clandestinum / 1
0.50 l 107 ? ash #2 (lvs with 11 lflets, tip acuminate) Fraxinus sp. #2 /
0.50 Trail ends at pond from the drainage outfall. The following taxa are found at the pond.
0.50 108 *Mexican Fan Palm Washingtonia robusta / 1
0.50 109 *upright veldt grass Ehrharta erecta / 1
0.50 110 *mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium glomeratum / 3
0.50 (Umbrella sedge plus other sedges(?) across pond on left)

Comments On Specific Species

Species #48, 49, 54-62. The order is uncertain for these species, which occur somewhere between mile 0.17 and mile 0.21.
Opuntia Xvaseyi. The id for the specimen at mile 0.04 comes from the specimen at mile 0.34.
Rosa californica and Encelia californica. These species, while native to Southern California, are not native to Eaton Canyon, and have been planted here.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	11	12%
2	7	7%
3	10	11%
4	8	8%
5	7	7%
6	8	8%
7	6	6%
8	3	3%
9	5	5%
10	2	2%
11	3	3%
12	2	2%
13	2	2%
14	2	2%
15	3	3%
16	5	5%
17	6	6%
18	2	2%
19	2	2%
20	1	1%
21	0	0%
Total Taxa	95	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"	Comments
10/24/2002	1	93	2	10	0	8	includes species from 4 visits earlier in the year on 10 and 25 March, and 1 and 10 April, in 2002
12/3/2002	2	107	6	9	2	5
1/12/2003	3	110	6	9	2	5
3/25/2003	4	only one change made; more coming

Mile	s	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
				This plant guide for the West Bank Trail begins after the end of the "mitigation area". The following landmarks will guide you to the beginning of this plant guide.
0.00				Eaton Canyon Nature Center - head north in the parking lot.
0.10				Gate at north end of parking lot.
0.18				North end of picnic area.
0.23				Trail jct. The main Park Road Trail curves right and crosses the Wash. The West Bank Trail goes off to the left, heading directly north; take it.
0.25				Beginning of this plant guide at the third Coast Live Oak, where the trail bends slightly to the left. Mileage reset to 0.00.
0.00	l	1		coast live oak	Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia	/	16
0.00	l	2		branching phacelia	Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia	/	5
0.00	r	3	ssp	*rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros	/	4
0.00	l	4		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	/	17
0.00	l	5		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	/	19
0.00	l	6		California sagebrush	Artemisia californica	/	19
0.00	l	7		*horehound	Marrubium vulgare	/	11
0.00	l	8		California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	/	14
0.00	l	9		erect goldenaster	Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. fastigiata	/	3
0.00	l	10		(heartleaf penstemon, Keckiella cordifolia.)
0.00	l	11		poison oak	Toxicodendron diversilobum	/	15
0.00	l	12	?	unk stout tufted grass
0.00	l	13		small-flowered melica	Melica imperfecta	/	14
0.01		14	?	baby thistle?
0.01	l	15		*bur chervil	Anthriscus caucalis	/	4
0.01	r	16		*sweet alyssum	Lobularia maritima	/	1
0.01		17	~	one-sided bluegrass	Poa secunda ssp. secunda	/	10
0.01	l	18		heartleaf penstemon	Keckiella cordifolia	/	11
0.01	l	19		mugwort	Artemisia douglasiana	/	13
0.01	l			Sprinkler on tall pole on left.
0.01	l	20		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	/	16
0.01	l	21	?	foothill needlegrass	Nassella lepida	/	3
0.01		22		wild-cucumber	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	/	12
0.01		23		laurel sumac	Malosma laurina	/	15
0.01		24		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum	/	20
0.01				Another sprinkler on left.
0.01		25		western sycamore	Platanus racemosa	/	9
0.02	l	26		white sage	Salvia apiana	/	15
0.02				Third sprinkler almost hidden in bushes.
0.02	l	27		*wand mullein	Verbascum virgatum	/	2
0.02				Fourth sprinkler; future ones not noted.11
0.02	l	28		California wild rose	Rosa californica⁺	/	4
0.02	l	29		*greater periwinkle	Vinca major	/	3
0.02	r	30		*giant reed	Arundo donax	/	4
0.02	r	31		black cottonwood	Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa	/	6
0.02	r	32		California encelia	Encelia californica⁺	/	6
0.03		33		scale-broom	Lepidospartum squamatum	/	2
0.03	r	34		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	/	17
0.03		35	sp	wild oats	Avena sp.	/
0.03		36		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis	/	17
0.04	r	37		California coffeeberry	Rhamnus californica ssp. californica	/	6
0.04		38	ssp	deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. scoparius	/	10
0.04		39		creek senecio	Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii	/	5
0.04	l	40		Vasey's prickly pear	Opuntia Xvaseyi⁺	/	5
0.05		41		*smilo grass	Piptatherum miliaceum	1 / 1	9
0.05	l	42		*jade plant	Crassula ovata	/	1
0.05		43		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	/	16
0.05	l	44	sp	white nightshade	Solanum douglasii	1 / 1	5
0.05	l	45	sp	aloe with spots on the leaf surfaces.
0.05		46		California dodder	Cuscuta californica var. californica	/	7
0.06		47		Blocked-off trail on left; turn right down boulders at the poles and wires.
0.06		48		T-junction with another trail; go left.
0.07	r	49		*narrowleaf filago	Filago gallica	/	9
0.07		50		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei ssp. parishii	/	7
0.07	r	51		*Mediterranean pygmy-weed	Crassula tillaea	/	2
0.07	r	52		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	/	3
		53		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	/	11
0.08		54		*Spanish broom	Spartium junceum	/	3
0.09		55		black sage	Salvia mellifera	/	17
0.09	r	56		chaparral whitethorn	Ceanothus leucodermis	/	9
	r	57		*Australian brass-buttons	Cotula australis	/	5
0.10		58	sp	Eucalyptus sp. (infl a panicle of umbels, 3-7 fl'd, fr 5 mm on 1 mm pedicel, the 3-4 valves included; lerp-free.)
0.11				(goldback fern, Pentagramma triangularis, at base of bank on right.)
0.11		59		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	/	17
0.11				(Mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides on left.)
0.15				End of the large boulders on left used to armor the bank below the houses.11
0.15				Old terrace bank on left with following 4 species:
0.15	l	60		goldback fern	Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis	/	6
0.15	l	61		lanceleaf dudleya	Dudleya lanceolata	/	9
0.15	l	62		Bigelow's spike-moss	Selaginella bigelovii	/	8
0.15	l	63		coffee fern	Pellaea andromedifolia	/	6
0.16		64	ssp	yellow pincushion	Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula⁺	/	7
		65		*smooth cat's ear	Hypochaeris glabra⁺	/	6
0.17				Careful of the barbed wire around the next species!
0.17		66		hoaryleaf ceanothus	Ceanothus crassifolius	/	7
0.17		67	~	coast prickly-pear	Opuntia littoralis	/	5
0.17		68	sp	peppergrass	Lepidium either nidens or virginicum, but not oblongum.	/
0.17		69		bittercress	Cardamine oligosperma	/	2
	r	70		California suncup	Camissonia bistorta	/	1
0.17				Jct. with trail on left, then another trail on right.
		71		small-flowered evening-primrose	Camissonia micrantha⁺	/	1
		72	ssp	blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum⁺	/	8
		73		muilla	Muilla maritima⁺	/	4
		74		prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata⁺	/	6
		75		Bishop's lotus	Lotus strigosus⁺	/	5
		76	ssp	miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata⁺	/	3
		77		*common chickweed	Stellaria media⁺	/	3
0.18				Jct. with trail on left.
0.18	l	78		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	/	18
0.19				Jct. with trail on left.
0.19	r	79		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	/	17
0.19	l	80		hollyleaf cherry	Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia	/	4
0.21				Note on the opposite bank, a cut with a line of old double beam supports for something no longer present. (A flume?)
0.21		81		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	/	12
0.21				Four-way junction with Midwick Trail on left, and its continuation to cross the riverbed on the right. Continue straight.
0.22		82		white everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum	/	16
0.23		83	sp	everlasting nest-straw	Stylocline gnaphaloides	/	1
		84		winged pectocarya	Pectocarya penicillata	/	1
0.25				Fence with hanging fence post, which wasn't put in that way, on left. Many prickly pear on right.
0.27	r	85		Nevin's brickellia	Brickellia nevinii	/	1
0.27				Jct. with path on right.
0.29				Jct. with path on left.
0.29				Y-junction; go left and up.
0.30				T-junction on the terrace; go right between two large yuccas and try not to get stabbed.
0.31				Unusual seriously-fenced small structure on left, with air vents and no identification.
		86		leather spineflower	Lastarriaea coriacea	/	1
		87		*four-leaf polycarp	Polycarpon tetraphyllum	/	2
0.32				Jct. with path on right.
0.33				Jct. with path on right.
0.34				Prickly pear, Opuntia xVaseyi, with a definite id from the flowers.
0.34	r	88		sugar bush	Rhus ovata	/	13
0.36				Jct. with path on left.
0.37	l	89		*mission cactus	Opuntia ficus-indica	/	2
0.38	l	90	sp	ash #1 (lvs with 7 serrate, acute tip leaflets)	Fraxinus sp. #1	/
0.38				Trail bends left (don't take drainage continuing in front of you).
0.40	r	91		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	/	16
0.42				Trail turns left at the sycamore (don't take drainage continuing in front of you).
0.42		92		long-stemmed buckwheat	Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum	/	7
0.43		93	sp	clarkia	Clarkia sp.	/
		94	?	sunflower seedling?	Helianthus annuus?	/
		95		*Bermuda buttercup	Oxalis pes-caprae	/	3
0.44		96		*eupatory	Ageratina adenophora	/	2
0.44		97		*tree tobacco	Nicotiana glauca	/	7
0.44		98		black willow	Salix gooddingii	/	4
0.44		99		*castor bean	Ricinus communis	/	6
0.44				Trail is overgrown here with smilo grass.
0.44		100		bush monkeyflower	Mimulus aurantiacus	/	18
0.45	r	101	sp		Setaria sp.	/
0.45	l	102		chasmanthe	Chasmanthe floribunda	/
0.45		103		*Crete weed	Hedypnois cretica	/	4
0.45	r	104		California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	/	8
0.47		105		California bay	Umbellularia californica	/	3
0.48	l	106		*kikuyu grass	Pennisetum clandestinum	/	1
0.50	l	107	?	ash #2 (lvs with 11 lflets, tip acuminate)	Fraxinus sp. #2	/
0.50				Trail ends at pond from the drainage outfall. The following taxa are found at the pond.
0.50		108		*Mexican Fan Palm	Washingtonia robusta	/	1
0.50		109		*upright veldt grass	Ehrharta erecta	/	1
0.50		110		*mouse-ear chickweed	Cerastium glomeratum	/	3
0.50				(Umbrella sedge plus other sedges(?) across pond on left)

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Flora of Lower Eaton Canyon
Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2002-2003 by Jane Strong and Tom Chester.
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/sgm/plants/guides/west_bank_trail.html
Comments and feedback: Jane Strong | Tom Chester
Updated 20 April 2003.