Plant Guide to Punta Mesa Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau

Mile	s	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin trail at jct. with Adobe Loop Trail; elevation 1800 feet (550 m)
0.00	b	1		holly-leaf navarretia	Navarretia atractyloides	99 / 9	9
0.00	l	2		*Crete weed	Hedypnois cretica	99 / 5	20
0.00	l	3		*short-fruited filaree	Erodium brachycarpum	99 / 9	14
0.00	l	4		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	/	57
0.00	l	5		*windmill pink	Silene gallica	/	33
0.00	l	6		San Diego birdsfoot lotus	Lotus hamatus	/	24
0.00	l	7		rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	99 / 9	30
0.00	b	8		*tiny bedstraw	Galium murale	/	2
0.00	l	9		*smooth cat's ear	Hypochaeris glabra	/	35
0.00	l	10		dwarf lupine	Lupinus bicolor	/	29
0.00	l	11		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	20 / 9	50
0.00	r	12		black sage	Salvia mellifera	20 / 9	40
0.00	b	13		miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata	/	22
0.00	r	14		*common chickweed	Stellaria media	/	25
0.00	l			Sign: "Adobe Loop / Punta Mesa Trail"
0.00	b	15		California sagebrush	Artemisia californica	99 / 9	47
0.00	r	16		San Diego pea	Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii	2 / 2	21
0.00	b	17		*soft chess	Bromus hordeaceus	20 / 3	40
0.00	b	18		saw-toothed goldenbush	Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides	5 / 5	35
0.00	r	19		southern Indian pink	Silene laciniata ssp. major	10 / 1	20
0.00	r	20		chamise	Adenostoma fasciculatum	50 / 9	37
0.00	r	21		coast live oak	Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia	20 / 9	42
0.00	b	22		bush monkeyflower	Mimulus aurantiacus	20 / 9	42
0.00	r	23		white everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum	10 / 5	37
0.00	r	24		silver puffs	Uropappus lindleyi	10 / 1	26
0.00	r	25		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	30 / 3	51
0.00	r	26		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	30 / 9	40
0.00	r	27		deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. scoparius	30 / 9	29
0.00	r	28		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	20 / 9	56
0.00	l	29		*rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. myuros	/	20
0.00	l	30		purple clarkia	Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera	30 / 3	26
0.00	r	31		*hedge parsley	Torilis nodosa	99 / 9	14
0.00	r	32		Pacific sanicle	Sanicula crassicaulis	20 / 9	20
0.00	r	33		California everlasting	Gnaphalium californicum	50 / 9	43
0.00	l	34		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	20 / 9	44
0.00	l	35		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	/	55
0.00	l			(canchalagua, Centaurium venustum)
0.00	r			Bench with back, built by Daniel Pavoni and Murrieta Boy Scout Troop 304
0.00	b	36		*nit grass	Gastridium ventricosum	99 / 9	27
0.00	b	37		Pomona locoweed	Astragalus pomonensis	5 / 3	11
0.00	r	38		coast-range melic	Melica imperfecta	30 / 9	43
0.00	l	39		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum	10 / 5	51
0.00	r	40		*Australian brass-buttons	Cotula australis	10 / 1	17
0.00	r	41		*scarlet pimpernel	Anagallis arvensis	50 / 9	34
0.00	r	42		*narrowleaf filago	Filago gallica	50 / 9	45
0.00	l			(bicolored everlasting, Gnaphalium bicolor)
0.00	r	43		basketbush	Rhus trilobata	1 / 1	25
0.00	r	44		wild-cucumber	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	10 / 9	45
0.00	r	45		checkerbloom	Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia	/	25
0.00	r	46		Torrey's scrub oak	Quercus acutidens	5 / 3	26
0.00	l	47		rusty-haired popcorn flower	Plagiobothrys nothofulvus	10 / 2	13
0.00	l	48		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	/	27
0.00	r	49		climbing bedstraw	Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii	3 / 3	31
0.00	r	50		Rainbow manzanita	Arctostaphylos rainbowensis	4 / 3	2
0.00	b	51		canchalagua	Centaurium venustum	99 / 9	15
0.00	r	52	sp	canyon clarkia?	Clarkia epilobioides?	2 / 1
0.00				Gate
0.01	r	53		heartleaf penstemon	Keckiella cordifolia	30 / 9	28
0.01	c	54		*pineapple weed	Chamomilla suaveolens	1 / 1	19
0.01	r	55		*mouse-ear chickweed	Cerastium glomeratum	/	19
0.01	l	56		bicolored everlasting	Gnaphalium bicolor	2 / 1	32
0.01	r	57		white-flowering currant	Ribes indecorum	3 / 3	24
0.01	r	58		popcorn flower	Cryptantha intermedia	/	27
0.01	r	59		bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus	30 / 9	28
0.01	r	60		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	/	46
0.02	l	61		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	/	31
0.02	l			Trail is now lined with fringed spineflower, Chorizanthe fimbriata
0.02	l	62		fringed spineflower	Chorizanthe fimbriata var. fimbriata	99 / 9	8
0.02	l	63		combseed	Pectocarya penicillata	/	4
0.02	c	64		angel's gilia	Gilia angelensis	1 / 1	13
0.02	b	65		collar lupine	Lupinus truncatus	/	24
0.02	b	66		goldback fern	Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis	30 / 3	24
0.03				Trail is now additionally lined with hooked skunkweed, Navarretia hamata, as well as lesser numbers of canchalagua, Centaurium venustum:
0.03	l	67		hooked skunkweed	Navarretia hamata ssp. hamata	99 / 9	11
0.03	r	68		coyote bush	Baccharis pilularis	2 / 2	25
0.04	r			Second occurrence of Rainbow manzanita, Arctostaphylos rainbowensis.
0.05				Trail is now on Bedford Canyon Formation, which has many exposures along nearly the entire trail.
0.05	l	69		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	2 / 2	31
0.06	b	70		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis	99 / 9	45
0.06	l	71		mission manzanita	Xylococcus bicolor	1 / 1	14
0.07	l	72		*goldentop	Lamarckia aurea	/	22
0.07	l	73		fragrant everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens	2 / 2	25
0.07	l	74		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	20 / 9	42
0.07	l	75		*prickly lettuce	Lactuca serriola	50 / 9	42
0.09	r	76		laurel sumac	Malosma laurina	5 / 5	42
0.10	r	77		*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	10 / 9	34
0.11	r	78	~	Vasey's prickly-pear	Opuntia vaseyi	4 / 4	24
0.12	r			Arborescent form of Tucker's scrub oak, Q. acutidens
0.13	l	79		slender tarweed	Hemizonia fasciculata	50 / 9	18
0.13	r	80		sapphire woolly-star	Eriastrum sapphirinum	20 / 3	7
0.13	r	81		*common cudweed	Gnaphalium luteo-album	10 / 2	18
0.14	b	82		hoaryleaf ceanothus	Ceanothus crassifolius	40 / 9	12
0.15	c	83		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	/	24
0.17	l			(wild canterbury bells, Phacelia minor)
0.17	r	84		San Diego wreathplant	Stephanomeria diegensis	20 / 7	24
0.20	l	85		yellow mariposa lily	Calochortus weedii var. weedii	3 / 1	12
0.21	l	86		*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	10 / 9	42
0.21	l	87		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	5 / 5	44
0.23	l	88		Jepson's blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii	50 / 9	12
0.23	b	89		cotton-batting plant	Gnaphalium stramineum	/	20
0.23	r			Fencepost
0.25	l			Opening in chaparral, formerly with large "X" for aerial photographs.
0.25	b	90		sharp-toothed sanicle	Sanicula arguta	/	16
0.25	l	91		graceful tarplant	Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata	40 / 9	15
0.25	b	92		Spanish clover	Lotus purshianus var. purshianus	10 / 3	31
0.25	l	93	~	tree clover	Trifolium ciliolatum	/	12
0.25	l	94		balloon clover	Trifolium depauperatum var. truncatum	/	7
0.25	l	95	~	splendid mariposa lily	Calochortus splendens+	/	20
0.25	r	96		purple needlegrass	Nassella pulchra	/	20
0.25	l	97		red maids	Calandrinia ciliata	/	17
0.25	b	98		Indian milkweed	Asclepias eriocarpa	/	18
0.25	l	99		short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	10 / 2	24
0.28	l	100		vinegar weed	Trichostema lanceolatum	20 / 9	15
0.29				Best view of 8 million year old river valley filled by Santa Rosa Basalt, at 2 o'clock.
0.33	r	101		Engelmann oak	Quercus engelmannii	2 / 2	23
0.33	l	102		white sage	Salvia apiana	10 / 9	38
0.34				Long switchback right.
0.39	l	103		*little horseweed	Conyza bonariensis	4 / 4	20
0.39	r	104		chaparral bush mallow	Malacothamnus fasciculatus	5 / 3	14
0.40				Trail curves slightly left
0.41	l	105		three spot	Osmadenia tenella	20 / 1	15
0.41	l	106		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	/	40
0.41	r	107		soap plant	Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum	10 / 9	19
0.41	r	108		purple snapdragon	Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum	/	19
0.42	r	109		slim vetch	Vicia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana	/	9
0.45	l	110		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	20 / 9	52
0.45	r	111		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	1 / 1	30
0.46	r			(wood rat's nest)
0.48				Long switchback left.
0.48	r			(blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.50	r			Jct. use trail
0.50	b	112		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	/	53
0.50	r	113		San Diego mountain mahogany	Cercocarpus minutiflorus	1 / 1	12
0.50	l	114		sticky false-gilia	Allophyllum glutinosum	10 / 1	8
0.52	r			(California dodder, Cuscuta californica var. californica; silky lotus, Lotus heermannii var. heermannii)
0.52	r			(Check for black willow, Salix gooddingii)
0.53	l	115		*horehound	Marrubium vulgare	50 / 9	33
0.53	l	116		poison oak	Toxicodendron diversilobum	10 / 3	43
0.53	r	117		western sycamore	Platanus racemosa	1 / 1	28
0.57	r			(California wood fern, Dryopteris arguta)
0.57	r			splendid mariposa lily	Calochortus splendens+	/
0.58	r	118		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	/	43
0.58	l	119		autumn willowweed	Epilobium brachycarpum	1 / 1	5
0.60	r			Third occurrence of Rainbow manzanita, Arctostaphylos rainbowensis, whacked on 2/26/06
0.60	l	120		California thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. californicum	20 / 5	11
0.60	l			(Parish's purple nightshade, Solanum parishii)
0.60	l			Beautiful set of weathered Bedford Canyon Formation boulders
0.62	l	121		California oxalis	Oxalis albicans ssp. californica	3 / 1	4
0.64	r			Vasey's prickly-pear	Opuntia vaseyi+	/
0.64	r	122		slender madia	Madia gracilis	/	19
0.66	r	123		California four o'clock	Mirabilis californica	/	23
0.67	r	124		*hedge mustard	Sisymbrium officinale	/	20
0.68	b	125		*cut-leaved geranium	Geranium dissectum	99 / 3	13
0.70	l	126		coffee fern	Pellaea andromedifolia	1 / 1	22
0.70	r	127		*bull thistle	Cirsium vulgare	20 / 9	20
0.70	l	128		California bee plant	Scrophularia californica ssp. floribunda	5 / 2	17
0.71	r	129		giant wild-rye	Leymus condensatus	5 / 1	28
0.71	l	130		milk maids	Cardamine californica var. californica	20 / 1	6
0.71	b	131		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	10 / 2	39
0.71	b	132		mugwort	Artemisia douglasiana	20 / 1	28
0.71	b	133		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha	/	40
0.71	l	134		eucrypta	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia	/	25
0.71	l	135		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	3 / 2	21
0.72	b	136		*sourclover	Melilotus indicus	10 / 1	25
0.72	r	137		*knotweed	Polygonum arenastrum	20 / 5	21
0.72	b	138		rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	10 / 1	15
0.72				Beginning of bridge to cross creek, a tributary of the De Luz River; low point on trail, elevation 1605 feet (490 m)
0.72	b	139		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	1 / 1	36
0.72	l	140		red willow	Salix laevigata	1 / 1	23
0.72	b	141		*fennel	Foeniculum vulgare+	4 / 1	13
0.72	r			(narrow-leaf milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis)
0.72	b	142		*Himalaya blackberry	Rubus discolor	5 / 1	3
0.72	r	143	sp	short sedge	Carex sp.	1 / 1
0.72	r	144		*grass poly	Lythrum hyssopifolia	10 / 1	15
0.72	l	145	~	leather root	Hoita macrostachya	1 / 1	2
0.72	l	146		*bristly ox-tongue	Picris echioides	3 / 1	12
0.72	b	147		*common plantain	Plantago major	3 / 1	9
0.72	l	148		*dallis grass	Paspalum dilatatum	10 / 1	10
0.72	l	149		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	10 / 1	16
0.72	b	150		*spearmint	Mentha spicata var. spicata	10 / 1	4
0.72	b	151		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	10 / 1	26
0.72	l	152		water cress	Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum	5 / 1	12
0.72	l	153		common spikerush	Eleocharis macrostachya	1 / 1	12
0.72	l	154		sand spikerush	Eleocharis montevidensis	2 / 1	7
0.72	l	155		*whorled dock	Rumex conglomeratus	5 / 2	12
0.72	l	156		*green bentgrass	Agrostis viridis	1 / 1	5
0.72	l	157		*curly dock	Rumex crispus	5 / 2	23
0.72	l	158		knot grass	Paspalum distichum	3 / 1	7
0.72	l	159		wrinkled rush	Juncus rugulosus	1 / 1	14
0.72	l			(long-leaved rush, Juncus macrophyllus; Pacific rush, Juncus effusus var. pacificus)
0.72	b	160		sticky cinquefoil	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa	3 / 2	17
0.72	l	161		clustered toad rush	Juncus bufonius var. congestus	1 / 1	9
0.72				End bridge
0.72	l	162		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	3 / 2	39
0.72	l	163		*winter vetch	Vicia villosa ssp. varia	10 / 1	19
0.72	l			(goldenrod, Solidago californica)
0.73	r			Concrete slab; from former Arizona crossing?
0.73	r	164		cocklebur	Xanthium strumarium	1 / 1	17
0.73	l	165		nodding needlegrass	Nassella cernua	/	17
0.73	l	166		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	/	24
0.75	l	167		branching phacelia	Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia	5 / 1	34
0.76				Trail curves left 90°
0.78	l	168		stinging lupine	Lupinus hirsutissimus	1 / 1	15
0.82	r	169		goldenrod	Solidago californica	10 / 1	35
0.83	l	170		*English plantain	Plantago lanceolata	50 / 9	20
0.85	r	171		triangular-fruit sedge	Carex triquetra	/	17
0.86	r	172		southern miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana	/	25
0.90	r	173		*Italian rye-grass	Lolium multiflorum	/	19
0.90	r	174		*field hedge-parsley	Torilis arvensis	50 / 2	6
0.92	l	175		grand mountain dandelion	Agoseris grandiflora	/	11
0.92	l	176	~	wild celery	Apiastrum angustifolium	10 / 1	13
0.92	l	177		common bedstraw	Galium aparine	10 / 1	39
0.95	l	178		purple sanicle	Sanicula bipinnatifida	/	11
0.95	l	179	sp	owl's clover	Castilleja sp.	/
0.95	b	180		bush lupine	Lupinus excubitus var. hallii	10 / 5	10
0.95	l			Housing for wildlife camera
0.99	l	181		coastal goldenbush	Isocoma menziesii+	1 / 1	17
1.11	c	182		*Mediterranean pygmy-weed	Crassula tillaea	20 / 1	7
1.12	c	183		common fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	10 / 2	15
1.16	r			Jct. road to Punta Mesa Research area, closed to the public, with a gate across it.
1.16	r			(stinking gourd, Cucurbita foetidissima)
1.19	r			(Field of rigid hedge-nettle, Stachys ajugoides var. rigida, in drainage)
1.24	l	184	~	California chicory	Rafinesquia californica	1 / 1	22
1.28	l	185		*yellow salsify	Tragopogon dubius+	1 / 1	13
1.28	b	186		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	20 / 1	17
1.28	r	187		*olive	Olea europaea	1 / 1	10
1.29	l	188		southern California morning-glory	Calystegia macrostegia ssp. arida+	2 / 2	15
1.29	r			(Some very old and very large western sycamore trees, Platanus racemosa.)
1.33	l	189		*Italian thistle	Carduus pycnocephalus	10 / 1	21
1.34	c	190		California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	30 / 9	29
1.37	r			(California fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. canum)
1.38				Cross main drainage; creek is now on your left
1.39	r	191		Ramona-lilac	Ceanothus tomentosus var. olivaceus	4 / 2	9
1.41	r	192		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	1 / 1	48
1.42	r	193		Parish's purple nightshade	Solanum parishii	/	20
1.45				Cross main drainage; creek is now on your right again
1.46	r	194		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. canum	3 / 1	22
1.46				(slender sunflower, Helianthus gracilentus)
1.47	r	195		western marsh cudweed	Gnaphalium palustre	10 / 1	5
1.47	r	196		*tumble pigweed	Amaranthus albus	10 / 1	14
1.47				Cross main drainage; creek is now on your left again
1.47	r	197		purple everlasting	Gnaphalium purpureum	10 / 1	5
1.51				Cross small side drainage; main creek is still on your left
1.52	r	198		slender sunflower	Helianthus gracilentus	1 / 1	13
1.53	c	199		telegraph weed	Heterotheca grandiflora	2 / 2	37
1.58	r	200		dove weed	Eremocarpus setigerus	10 / 3	26
1.59	r	201		Palmer's goldenbush	Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis	2 / 2	10
1.62	r			Field of solid tocalote, Centaurea melitensis for next 0.05 miles
1.72	r			Field of solid prickly lettuce, Lactuca serriola, and shortpod mustard, Hirschfeldia incana, for next 0.11 miles
1.72	r	202		*wild oats	Avena fatua	20 / 9	27
1.86	r	203		western vervain	Verbena lasiostachys var. lasiostachys	2 / 1	10
1.89	r			(Tenaja with year-round water)
1.89	r	204		*white-stemmed filaree	Erodium moschatum	/	21
1.90				Cross drainage from tenaja
1.90	r	205		creeping wild rye	Leymus triticoides	10 / 1	12
1.90				Cross through open gate
1.94	c	206		*shepherd's purse	Capsella bursa-pastoris	20 / 1	10
1.94				Jct. Monument Hill / Faultline Roads; elevation 1800 feet (550 m); turn left onto Monument Hill Road
1.95				Cross main drainage
2.04	l	207		long-stemmed buckwheat	Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum	3 / 1	29
2.08	r	208		rattlesnake weed	Chamaesyce albomarginata	5 / 1	11
2.13	r			Jct. Vista Grande Trail; elevation 1920 feet (585 m); end this plant guide.

http://tchester.org/srp/plants/guides/punta_mesa.html
Updated 3 March 2006.