Plant Guide to Mortero Trail / Sylvan Meadows Road Loop, Santa Rosa Plateau This is a working list, about which we make no guarantees at all until we officially release it. Use at your own risk!
This guide is especially incomplete since the trail has not been surveyed in the spring yet.
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 hike is a 2.6 mile round-trip loop hike beginning and ending at the Sylvan Meadows Parking Lot, with ~150 feet of elevation gain and loss. This guide formally covers only the first 2.0 miles up to the junction with the Shivela Trail, since the remaining 0.6 miles is covered in the Shivela Plant Trail Guide. However, species not seen previously on the Guide are still given in the last 0.6 miles, but not numbered as new species. The only significant effect of this formal coverage is that the estimate of the number of the plants on this loop applies only to the first 2.0 miles.
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. There were 90 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 16 of those trails, including this one, are at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found only on this list, among all the trails in our database; numbers of "16" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area.
Number of Trails
Containing A TaxonNumber Of Taxa
On This Trail% of Taxa
On This Trail1 1 1% 2 1 1% 3 0 0% 4 1 1% 5 3 2% 1-5 6 4% 6-10 17 11% 11-15 33 22% 16-20 26 17% 21-25 19 12% 26-30 13 8% 31-35 9 6% 36-40 10 7% 41-45 10 7% 46-50 3 2% 51-55 7 5% All 153 100% We found 1 additional species 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" 12/22/2004 1 94 3 9 13 2 7/5/2005 2 138 2 3 9 2 9/3/2005 3 141 1 0 6 2 2/10/2006 4 143 1 0 2 2 4/12/2006 5 154 0 1 2 0 We thank Dick Newell for assistance with the 2/10/06 fieldwork, and Jim Adams for assistance with the 4/12/06 fieldwork.
The Plant Guide Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (8 pages), pdf Clickbook booklet (2 double-sided pages), or Large Type pdf Clickbook booklet (8 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)
The mileages are within ~0.06 miles of a GPS measurement of the entire route, but the GPS measurement was only accurate to about that value. Hence the raw pedometer readings have not been adjusted. They should have an absolute accuracy of ~0.06 miles and a relative accuracy of ~0.01-0.02 miles.
Mile s # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all 0.00 Begin Mortero Trail from Sylvan Meadows Parking Area; trailhead is close to parking entrance gate; elevation ~1870 feet (570 m) 0.00 (cheeseweed, Malva parviflora in parking lot) 0.00 b 1 *soft chess Bromus hordeaceus 99 / 9 40 0.00 b 2 telegraph weed Heterotheca grandiflora 30 / 9 35 0.00 b 3 *little horseweed Conyza bonariensis 4 / 1 17 0.00 b 4 *pineapple weed Chamomilla suaveolens 20 / 2 19 0.00 b 5 *short-fruited filaree Erodium brachycarpum 99 / 9 14 0.00 b 6 *prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola 99 / 9 42 0.00 b 7 *foxtail barley Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum 99 / 9 16 0.00 b 8 Spanish clover Lotus purshianus var. purshianus 99 / 9 31 0.00 b 9 *California burclover Medicago polymorpha 99 / 9 40 0.00 b 10 *narrowleaf filago Filago gallica 99 / 9 45 0.00 l Sign: "Open sunrise, closed sunset; Day Use Fee Area" 0.00 b 11 nodding needlegrass Nassella cernua 99 / 9 17 0.00 l 12 *Italian rye-grass Lolium multiflorum 99 / 9 18 0.00 b 13 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 50 / 9 55 0.00 b 14 dove weed Eremocarpus setigerus 99 / 9 24 0.00 r 15 graceful tarplant Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata 99 / 9 14 0.00 r 16 *white-stemmed filaree Erodium moschatum 20 / 4 20 0.00 b 17 *tocalote Centaurea melitensis 99 / 9 45 0.00 b 18 *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana 99 / 9 51 0.00 b 19 *Bermuda grass Cynodon dactylon 20 / 3 31 0.00 b 20 *prickly sow thistle Sonchus asper ssp. asper 20 / 9 30 0.00 r Sign: "Mortero Trail"; pass through open gate 0.00 r 21 *cut-leaved geranium Geranium dissectum 30 / 4 13 0.00 l 22 *scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis 10 / 3 33 0.00 r 23 *wild oats Avena fatua 99 / 9 28 0.00 l 24 common bedstraw Galium aparine 99 / 9 38 0.00 b 25 *annual blue grass Poa annua 20 / 2 12 0.00 b 26 purple clarkia Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera 99 / 9 26 0.00 b 27 *slender wild oats Avena barbata 99 / 9 40 0.00 r 28 *Crete weed Hedypnois cretica 10 / 1 20 0.00 b 29 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 99 / 9 53 0.00 r 30 rusty-haired popcorn flower Plagiobothrys nothofulvus 99 / 9 13 0.00 b 31 *long-beaked filaree Erodium botrys 99 / 9 12 0.00 b 32 *smooth cat's ear Hypochaeris glabra 99 / 9 35 0.00 r 33 *hairy rattail fescue Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta 20 / 2 19 0.00 l 34 *sand spurrey Spergularia bocconei 20 / 2 14 0.00 r 35 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus 50 / 5 52 0.01 b 36 *windmill pink Silene gallica 99 / 9 33 0.01 b 37 small-flowered fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii 99 / 9 12 0.01 b 38 checkerbloom Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia 99 / 9 25 0.01 b 39 southern miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana 99 / 9 25 0.01 r 40 sharp-toothed sanicle Sanicula arguta 99 / 9 16 0.01 l 41 Engelmann oak Quercus engelmannii 30 / 9 23 0.01 l 42 *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus 5 / 3 42 0.02 r 43 blue dicks Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum 20 / 9 46 0.02 r 44 johnny jump-up Viola pedunculata 99 / 9 16 0.02 l 45 California-aster Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia 50 / 9 51 0.03 l Jct. path to picnic tables and Nighthawk Loop Trailhead 0.03 r 46 *hedge parsley Torilis nodosa / 14 0.04 r 47 *hedge mustard Sisymbrium officinale 99 / 9 20 0.04 r 48 California everlasting Gnaphalium californicum 2 / 1 43 0.05 r 49 *nit grass Gastridium ventricosum 99 / 9 25 0.05 r 50 shooting star Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii 10 / 2 11 0.06 l 51 common fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia 99 / 9 18 0.06 l 52 vinegar weed Trichostema lanceolatum 20 / 5 14 0.07 r (white everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum) 0.08 b 53 *winter vetch Vicia villosa ssp. varia 99 / 9 19 0.09 r 54 dwarf lupine Lupinus bicolor 99 / 9 29 0.10 l 55 *curly dock Rumex crispus 5 / 5 23 0.11 r 56 toad rush Juncus bufonius var. bufonius 99 / 9 14 0.11 l 57 clustered toad rush Juncus bufonius var. congestus 99 / 5 7 0.11 l 58 *rabbits-foot grass Polypogon monspeliensis 20 / 3 23 0.12 b 59 *grass poly Lythrum hyssopifolia 99 / 9 15 0.12 r 60 pit-seed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri 2 / 2 7 0.12 l 61 Indian milkweed Asclepias eriocarpa 20 / 9 18 0.12 r (fragrant everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens) 0.12 r 62 Pomona locoweed Astragalus pomonensis 20 / 9 11 0.13 l 63 rattlesnake weed Daucus pusillus 99 / 9 29 0.14 r 64 horseweed Conyza canadensis 30 / 9 36 0.15 l (Telephone Pole) 0.15 r 65 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum 30 / 9 51 0.16 r 66 purple needlegrass Nassella pulchra / 20 0.17 c 67 *knotweed Polygonum arenastrum 50 / 9 19 0.17 r Culvert 0.18 r 68 red maids Calandrinia ciliata 10 / 3 22 0.18 69 fragrant everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens 10 / 5 23 0.18 l (Dead tree, looking like a Chinese New Year Dragon) 0.19 Field of purple needlegrass, Nassella pulchra 0.19 r (Palmer's goldenbush, Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis) 0.20 r 70 long-stemmed buckwheat Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum 1 / 1 28 0.20 r 71 common lomatium Lomatium utriculatum 10 / 2 5 0.20 r (leafy daisy, Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus) 0.20 l Jct. use connector trail to Nighthawk Loop Trail 0.22 l Sign: "Nighthawk Loop Trail [left]; Mortero Trail [ahead and back]" 0.22 l Jct. connector trail to Nighthawk Loop Trail 0.23 l Sign: "No Trespassing", facing Tenaja Road, from prior to construction of this trail 0.24 r 72 western ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya 50 / 5 37 0.24 b 73 Palmer's goldenbush Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis 20 / 4 10 0.25 l (Telephone Pole) 0.27 r 74 coastal goldenbush Isocoma menziesii+ 10 / 4 15 0.30 l (coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia) 0.38 b 75 Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus 99 / 4 16 0.44 r 76 *rose clover Trifolium hirtum 50 / 3 13 0.45 r 77 goldenrod Solidago californica 5 / 1 35 0.45 l 78 *yellow salsify Tragopogon dubius 3 / 1 13 0.45 l (western sycamore, Platanus racemosa) 0.46 b 79 autumn willowweed Epilobium brachycarpum 10 / 2 4 0.46 r (on road shoulder and usually whacked: mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia; across road: blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana) 0.49 b 80 hybrid wild-rye Leymus Xmultiflorus (L. condensatus X L. triticoides) 20 / 2 5 0.51 Trail curves left around a coast live oak 0.52 r 81 coast live oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia 10 / 5 42 0.52 r 82 *common chickweed Stellaria media 30 / 2 25 0.52 r 83 narrow-leaved miner's lettuce Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora 20 / 2 19 0.52 r 84 Jepson's blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii 20 / 5 11 0.52 r (poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum; hollyleaf redberry, Rhamnus ilicifolia) 0.52 l 85 Pacific sanicle Sanicula crassicaulis 1 / 1 20 0.54 l (deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens; big leaf mistletoe, Phoradendron macrophyllum; clustered field sedge, Carex praegracilis) 0.54 l 86 California popcorn flower Plagiobothrys collinus var. fulvescens 99 / 9 5 0.57 l (California fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. canum) 0.57 l (tenaja with seasonal water) 0.58 b 87 giant wild-rye Leymus condensatus 2 / 1 27 0.58 l (wild-cucumber, Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus) 0.60 r 88 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia 5 / 5 43 0.60 r 89 poison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum 2 / 2 43 0.61 b Field of prickly lettuce, Lactuca serriola, interspersed with huge field of creeping wild rye, Leymus triticoides 0.62 b 90 creeping wild rye Leymus triticoides 40 / 2 11 0.63 l 91 chick lupine Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus 20 / 5 9 0.63 Trail curves left 45° 0.65 b (bull thistle, Cirsium vulgare) 0.65 Beginning of bridge over this branch of Cole Creek; local low point on trail, elevation ~1800 feet (549 m) 0.65 b 92 *whorled dock Rumex conglomeratus 3 / 1 10 0.65 b 93 willowherb Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum 5 / 1 18 0.65 l 94 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 3 / 3 39 0.65 r 95 *milk thistle Silybum marianum+ 5 / 1 9 0.65 b 96 common monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus 5 / 1 15 0.65 b 97 deergrass Muhlenbergia rigens 5 / 2 21 0.65 l 98 California sagebrush Artemisia californica+ 1 / 1 47 0.65 l 99 willow-leaved dock Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus 2 / 1 8 0.65 b 100 common spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya 10 / 2 12 0.65 b 101 wrinkled rush Juncus rugulosus 50 / 5 12 0.66 End bridge 0.67 r (white sage, Salvia apiana, dead in late 2004) 0.68 Jct. Sylvan Meadows Road; go left. Sign: "Mortero Trail [back]; to Sylvan Meadows Trailhead 0.5 mi [back]" 0.70 l 102 *shepherd's purse Capsella bursa-pastoris 2 / 1 10 0.71 l 103 *goose grass Eleusine indica 5 / 1 1 0.71 Local low point 0.73 l 104 young arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis 1 / 1 35 0.73 l 105 canchalagua Centaurium venustum 50 / 9 15 0.73 l 106 holly-leaf navarretia Navarretia atractyloides 99 / 9 9 0.74 Road curves left 45° 0.78 l 107 San Diego tarweed Hemizonia paniculata 99 / 9 8 0.84 r 108 short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus 5 / 2 23 0.84 r Jct. old use trail, now closed by a fence a bit farther on that trail 0.85 b (Torrey's scrub oak, Quercus acutidens) 0.85 l 109 three spot Osmadenia tenella 50 / 9 14 0.85 l 110 chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum 20 / 9 37 0.86 r 111 slender combseed Pectocarya linearis ssp. ferocula 50 / 9 6 0.87 b 112 prickly cryptantha Cryptantha muricata 99 / 9 16 0.87 r 113 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 3 / 3 55 0.88 l 114 strigose lotus Lotus strigosus 10 / 3 34 0.88 l 115 *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 20 / 2 25 0.88 l 116 pygmy-weed Crassula connata 20 / 2 28 0.89 r 117 *goldentop Lamarckia aurea 10 / 1 22 0.89 r 118 San Diego birdsfoot lotus Lotus hamatus 99 / 9 24 0.89 r 119 goldfields Lasthenia californica 50 / 5 13 0.90 r 120 everlasting nest-straw Stylocline gnaphaloides 20 / 3 12 0.90 r 121 Torrey's scrub oak Quercus acutidens 10 / 4 26 0.90 r 122 ~ blue larkspur Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi 2 / 1 14 0.90 r 123 climbing bedstraw Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii 10 / 9 30 0.90 r (southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata) 0.91 l 124 narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium 4 / 3 49 0.91 r 125 wild-cucumber Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus 3 / 3 44 0.92 r 126 coast-range melic Melica imperfecta 10 / 2 43 0.92 r (California sagebrush, Artemisia californica) 0.92 r 127 collar lupine Lupinus truncatus 10 / 1 24 0.92 l 128 miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata 20 / 1 22 0.94 l (California peony, Paeonia californica) 0.95 Road curves right 0.95 l (horehound, Marrubium vulgare) 0.96 l 129 California squirreltail Elymus elymoides ssp. californicus / 1 12 0.97 Road jags right 0.98 r (bird's-foot fern, Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata) 1.02 l Jct. bicycle use trail 1.03 l (goldback fern, Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis) 1.04 Local high point on road, elevation ~1840 feet (561 m) 1.04 r 130 California peony Paeonia californica 10 / 3 17 1.04 r 131 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides 10 / 1 30 1.04 r 132 baby blue eyes Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii 5 / 2 8 1.04 Jct. other end of bicycle use trail 1.04 l 133 sp clover Trifolium sp. 3 / 1 1.06 r (Note thick vines of poison oak that have grown up the trunk of the Engelmann oak) 1.06 Long curve right; road is in deep sand; local low point on road 1.08 l Sign: "Trail closed" at use trail 1.09 r Jct. east connector to Torino Trail 1.10 r Sign: "Torino Trail [right], to Visitor Center 0.8 mi; Sylvan Meadows Road [ahead and back], to Clinton Keith 0.5 mi, to Sylvan Meadows Trailhead 1.6 mi" 1.10 l Jct. use trail 1.10 r Jct. west connector to Torino Trail 1.11 l 134 goldback fern Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis 10 / 2 24 1.11 l 135 coast jepsonia Jepsonia parryi 20 / 2 15 1.11 r 136 southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 3 / 2 40 1.14 r (Vasey's prickly-pear, Opuntia vaseyi) 1.14 r Local high point on road; road curves right 1.14 r 137 triangular-fruit sedge Carex triquetra 1 / 1 17 1.14 r 138 foothill needlegrass Nassella lepida 1 / 1 21 1.16 r Jct. use trail 1.17 Begin long switchback left. 1.20 Cross wide shallow drainage at center of switchback 1.23 l Jct. use trail 1.23 r (Beautiful outcrop of Woodson Mountain granodiorite) 1.24 l (white-flowering currant, Ribes indecorum) 1.27 r (Note huge boulder "holding up" a tree!) 1.28 Local high point on road 1.32 Local low point on road; road is in sand; begin long switchback right. 1.34 l Jct. use trail 1.35 l (branching phacelia, Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia) 1.35 l (laurel sumac, Malosma laurina) 1.36 r Check for different popcorn flower 1.36 r 139 white sage Salvia apiana 5 / 1 38 1.36 r 140 woolly-fruited lomatium Lomatium dasycarpum ssp. dasycarpum 3 / 1 8 1.36 r 141 bristly bird's beak Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus 3 / 1 27 1.36 Road turns left 90° 1.37 l ~ (Chinese houses, Collinsia heterophylla) 1.37 r 142 yellow mariposa lily Calochortus weedii var. weedii 5 / 1 11 1.38 l 143 redberry Rhamnus crocea 1 / 1 15 1.40 Local high point on road, elevation ~1875 feet (572 m) 1.41 l (meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum) 1.42 l Jct. use trail 1.43 Local low point on road 1.45 Local high point on road 1.47 r Jct. use trail to Tovashal Trail 1.49 l 144 *tumble pigweed Amaranthus albus 1 / 1 13 1.49 l Jct. use trail 1.49 r Jct. Tovashal Trail; sign: "Tovashal Trail [right], to visitor center 0.9 mi; Sylvan Meadows Road [ahead and back], to Clinton Keith Road 0.9 mi [back], to Sylvan Meadows Trailhead 1.2 mi [ahead]" 1.60 Road jags right; highest elevation on road, 1920 feet (585 m) 1.63 Local high point 1.66 r (black sage, Salvia mellifera) 1.68 Cross small drainage with culvert; the open drainage is lined with yellow mariposa lily, Calochortus weedii var. weedii 1.70 l 145 rattlesnake weed Chamaesyce albomarginata 3 / 1 10 1.72 r Small pit (origin?) 1.75 r 146 soap plant Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum 1 / 1 18 1.77 r Closed use trail to Sylvan Ranch homes 1.77 l 147 common hareleaf Lagophylla ramosissima ssp. ramosissima 20 / 3 2 1.78 Cross wide drainage 1.81 l Sign: "Trail [ahead]" 1.81 r 148 elk thistle Cirsium scariosum 3 / 3 11 1.83 r Jct. Manzanita Trail, opened in 2006, which leads to La Cresta homes 1.88 Cross drainage with culvert 1.88 l 149 female clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis 10 / 1 8 1.88 r 150 slender tarweed Hemizonia fasciculata 99 / 9 18 1.88 r 151 saltgrass Distichlis spicata 99 / 9 16 1.91 r (Engelmann oak X valley oak, Quercus engelmannii X Q. lobata; the third or fourth tree to the right, about 100 feet off-trail) 1.93 l 152 *Mediterranean barley Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum 99 / 3 6 1.94 Road curves left to cross drainage 1.95 b 153 muilla Muilla maritima 30 / 1 9 2.00 Cross drainage with culvert 2.01 l 154 silver puffs Uropappus lindleyi 1 / 1 27 2.03 r Jct. Shivela Trail; end formal plant trail guide since remaining road is covered in another guide. New species are still noted, but not numbered 2.19 Cross drainage with culvert 2.21 r (Coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia, died in early 2006; it fell right over) 2.22 r California meadow barley Hordeum brachyantherum ssp. californicum 10 / 1 2.29 Cross drainage 2.30 l (Planted toyons, Heteromeles arbutifolia, with chicken wire around them at base) 2.35 r Jct. old road; Sign: "Authorized personnel only" 2.36 r Coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia, died in early 2005, probably from a weak crotch 2.46 (Granite outcrop on top of hill directly ahead) 2.50 (Dam on drainage) 2.50 Cross drainage with culvert 2.60 Cross seasonally-wet drainage 2.62 End guide back at Sylvan Meadows Parking Area
Comments On Specific Species Isocoma menziesii. In our experience, the subspecies are not separable in Southern California. See Comments on the Jepson Manual and A Flora of Southern California by Munz: Isocoma menziesii.
Artemisia californica. This specimen was alive in December 2004, but dead (and still present) in July 2005, presumably killed by high water from the very wet early 2005 rains.
Silybum marianum. We try to remove this noxious weed regularly, so we hope that you will not encounter any specimens of this species here!
Go to:
Copyright © 2004-2006 by Tom Chester and Kay Madore
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/srp/plants/guides/mortero_sylvan_road_loop.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 15 April 2006.