Plant Guide to Sylvan Meadows Road / Shivela / Stevenson Canyon / Fenceline Trails, 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!
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 Sylvan Meadows parking area, which is across Clinton Keith Road from the Hidden Valley parking area. This is on the north side of Clinton Keith, and is where the horse trailers park. This parking area is 0.7 miles southwest from the Visitor Center along Clinton Keith Road.
The guide includes the first 0.60 miles of the Sylvan Meadows Road, to its junction with the Shivela Trail. The Shivela Trail meets the Stevenson Canyon Trail after 0.39 miles. This guide then follows the Stevenson Canyon Trail to near its end, including the alternate trail in the middle, and then resumes on the Shivela Trail to its end at Sierra Elena Road. It crosses Clinton Keith Road, and then takes the Fenceline Trail back to the parking area.
The entire loop trip is ~3.9 miles, with about 500 feet of elevation gain. Most of that gain, 400 feet, is on the Stevenson Canyon Trail.
Ranger Kevin Smith pronounces Shivela as shiv a lah, and we follow his lead.
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 2 1% 2 3 1% 3 2 1% 4 8 3% 5 6 3% 1-5 21 9% 6-10 29 13% 11-15 43 19% 16-20 37 16% 21-25 31 13% 26-30 21 9% 31-35 12 5% 36-40 12 5% 41-45 14 6% 46-50 3 1% 51-55 7 3% Total Taxa 230 100% We found 1 additional species not in the above table, since it has not been positively 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 Date Visit # # taxa # "?" # "sp" # "~" # "ssp" 11/27/2004 1 114 6 15 16 4 12/23/2004 2 115 6 14 17 4 5/10/2005 3 200 2 0 6 1 7/29/2005 4 213 0 0 6 1 9/19/2005 5 219 0 1 5 1 1/7/2006 6 220 0 2 3 1 3/27/2006 7 231 0 2 7 0 The fieldwork was incomplete after mile 2.25 on 11/27/04, since it began raining on us then. Only the last 0.84 miles was covered on 12/23/04. The walk on 1/7/06 was fast-paced, so little botanical work was done.
The Plant Guide Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (10 pages), or pdf Clickbook booklet (3 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)
The mileages have been adjusted to GPS measurements of these trails, up to mile 3.02. Typical errors should be 0.01-0.02 miles.
Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all 0.00 Begin Sylvan Meadows Road on nw side of parking lot; elevation 1880 feet (573 m). Guide begins at gate. The first three off-trail species are best seen just before the gate. 0.00 r (California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum; Emory's baccharis, Baccharis emoryi; mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia) 0.00 l (California peony, Paeonia californica) 0.00 b 1 *soft chess Bromus hordeaceus 99 / 9 40 0.00 b 2 *wild oats Avena fatua 99 / 9 26 0.00 b 3 *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana 99 / 9 51 0.00 r 4 California-aster Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia 50 / 9 51 0.00 b 5 *foxtail barley Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum 50 / 3 15 0.00 l 6 Spanish clover Lotus purshianus var. purshianus 99 / 9 31 0.00 l 7 *short-fruited filaree Erodium brachycarpum 99 / 9 14 0.00 r 8 small-flowered fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii 50 / 9 8 0.00 b 9 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 99 / 9 53 0.00 l 10 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus 99 / 9 52 0.00 b 11 *prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola 99 / 9 42 0.00 l 12 rusty-haired popcorn flower Plagiobothrys nothofulvus 99 / 9 13 0.00 l 13 *narrowleaf filago Filago gallica 99 / 9 45 0.00 l 14 sharp-toothed sanicle Sanicula arguta 20 / 9 16 0.00 r 15 vinegar weed Trichostema lanceolatum 40 / 9 15 0.00 l 16 California poppy Eschscholzia californica 10 / 2 29 0.00 l 17 checkerbloom Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia 99 / 9 25 0.00 l 18 graceful tarplant Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata 99 / 9 15 0.00 l (splendid mariposa lily, Calochortus splendens) 0.00 l 19 purple needlegrass Nassella pulchra 99 / 9 20 0.00 r 20 *knotweed Polygonum arenastrum 30 / 9 21 0.00 r 21 *sand spurrey Spergularia bocconei / 14 0.00 l 22 coast-range melic Melica imperfecta 50 / 9 43 0.00 r 23 *scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis 99 / 9 33 0.00 l 24 California fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. canum 20 / 4 21 0.00 l 25 *smooth cat's ear Hypochaeris glabra 99 / 9 35 0.00 r 26 *windmill pink Silene gallica 99 / 9 33 0.00 b 27 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 99 / 9 55 0.00 l 28 *California burclover Medicago polymorpha 99 / 9 40 0.00 l 29 *hairy rattail fescue Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta 99 / 9 19 0.00 l 30 common bedstraw Galium aparine 99 / 7 38 0.00 l 31 low barley Hordeum depressum 10 / 2 1 0.00 l 32 purple clarkia Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera 99 / 9 26 0.00 l 33 johnny jump-up Viola pedunculata 99 / 9 16 0.00 r 34 Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus 99 / 5 16 0.00 b 35 western ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya 50 / 9 38 0.00 l 36 *Italian rye-grass Lolium multiflorum 99 / 9 18 0.00 l 37 *rose clover Trifolium hirtum 10 / 1 13 0.01 l 38 *smilo grass Piptatherum miliaceum+ 1 / 1 20 0.01 b 39 *cut-leaved geranium Geranium dissectum 99 / 5 13 0.01 b 40 clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis 99 / 5 5 0.01 c 41 toad rush Juncus bufonius var. bufonius 99 / 9 14 0.01 l 42 *weak blue grass Poa infirma 10 / 1 6 0.01 b 43 *curly dock Rumex crispus 50 / 9 23 0.01 b 44 *grass poly Lythrum hyssopifolia 99 / 9 15 0.01 l 45 *prickly sow thistle Sonchus asper ssp. asper 20 / 9 30 0.01 l 46 wrinkled rush Juncus rugulosus 20 / 3 13 0.01 r 47 *Bermuda grass Cynodon dactylon 30 / 3 32 0.01 l 48 *whorled dock Rumex conglomeratus 20 / 3 11 0.01 r Check for saltgrass 0.01 l 49 common spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya 99 / 5 12 0.01 Cross drainage, seasonally wet and very muddy 0.01 r 50 *common cudweed Gnaphalium luteo-album 2 / 2 17 0.01 l 51 wire rush Juncus balticus 10 / 1 2 0.01 l 52 *goldentop Lamarckia aurea 30 / 5 22 0.01 l 53 *rabbits-foot grass Polypogon monspeliensis 20 / 2 24 0.01 l (Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii) 0.02 l 54 common fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia 30 / 9 15 0.03 l 55 San Diego birdsfoot lotus Lotus hamatus 20 / 5 24 0.03 l 56 dove weed Eremocarpus setigerus 10 / 3 25 0.03 l Check for wild celery, Apiastrum angustifolium 0.03 l 57 rattlesnake weed Daucus pusillus / 29 0.04 l 58 dwarf lupine Lupinus bicolor 99 / 9 29 0.05 l 59 Indian milkweed Asclepias eriocarpa 30 / 9 18 0.05 l 60 tree clover Trifolium ciliolatum / 12 0.08 r 61 elk thistle Cirsium scariosum 50 / 9 12 0.08 l 62 long-stemmed buckwheat Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum 50 / 9 28 0.08 l 63 Pomona locoweed Astragalus pomonensis 30 / 9 11 0.09 l Sign: "Trail closed" 0.10 r 64 *slender wild oats Avena barbata / 40 0.10 l 65 saltgrass Distichlis spicata 50 / 3 16 0.11 l 66 deergrass Muhlenbergia rigens 30 / 5 21 0.11 Cross drainage (check trees upstream for id, cottonwood or willows) 0.11 l (willow-leaved dock, Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus) 0.11 l 67 seaside heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum 10 / 1 10 0.11 l (Vasey's prickly-pear, Opuntia vaseyi) 0.11 l 68 ~ Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum 10 / 1 5 0.11 r 69 *hedge mustard Sisymbrium officinale 99 / 5 20 0.11 70 *horehound Marrubium vulgare 1 / 1 32 0.12 r (Palmer's goldenbush, Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis) 0.14 c 71 *pineapple weed Chamomilla suaveolens 5 / 1 19 0.15 l 72 Engelmann oak Quercus engelmannii 20 / 9 23 0.15 l 73 miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata 99 / 4 22 0.17 l About 30 plants of the unusual purple clarkia, Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera, variant without petals and with a very congested terminal inflorescence. 0.19 r (mouse-ear chickweed, Cerastium glomeratum) 0.22 r (western sycamore, Platanus racemosa; big leaf mistletoe, Phoradendron macrophyllum) 0.22 r A dense field of long-stemmed buckwheat, Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum 0.24 r 74 western sycamore Platanus racemosa 3 / 3 27 0.24 r 75 chaparral yucca Yucca whipplei 3 / 3 31 0.25 l Jct. old road; Sign: "Authorized personnel only" 0.25 l 76 pin-point clover Trifolium gracilentum var. gracilentum / 8 0.25 l 77 chick lupine Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus 50 / 9 9 0.25 l 78 silver puffs Uropappus lindleyi / 26 0.26 l 79 California lotus Lotus wrangelianus / 4 0.27 l 80 Palmer's goldenbush Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis 10 / 3 10 0.30 Cross drainage 0.30 b 81 *bull thistle Cirsium vulgare 20 / 4 20 0.30 r 82 *milk thistle Silybum marianum+ 1 / 1 11 0.30 r (weeded out gazania, Gazania X (mounding hybrid)) 0.31 r 83 splendid mariposa lily Calochortus splendens 50 / 9 20 0.39 l 84 variegated clover Trifolium variegatum / 5 0.39 l 85 balloon clover Trifolium depauperatum var. truncatum / 7 0.42 l 86 *annual blue grass Poa annua / 12 0.42 Cross drainage 0.42 l 87 clustered toad rush Juncus bufonius var. congestus 20 / 1 9 0.44 l 88 owl's-clover Castilleja densiflora 10 / 1 7 0.46 l 89 blue dicks Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum 50 / 9 46 0.49 l 90 slender tarweed Hemizonia fasciculata 99 / 9 18 0.60 l Jct. Shivela Trail; go left on it; elevation 1920 feet (585 m). Sign: "Shivela Trail to Sierra Elena Road 1.2 mi (left); Sycamore Meadows Road to Visitor Center 1.4 mi (right)" 0.63 r (yerba mansa, Anemopsis californica) 0.63 r 91 horseweed Conyza canadensis 30 / 9 39 0.64 r 92 *nit grass Gastridium ventricosum 99 / 9 26 0.64 r (A field of rigid hedge-nettle, Stachys ajugoides var. rigida, in the drainage) 0.64 Long switchback left 0.67 r 93 soap plant Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum 50 / 9 19 0.69 r (chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum) 0.71 r (black sage, Salvia mellifera) 0.77 r 94 Gambel's dwarf milk-vetch Astragalus gambelianus 10 / 1 4 0.77 r 95 *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus 3 / 1 42 0.78 r 96 leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus 20 / 9 44 0.79 The bush lupine makes a fabulous display here when it is in full bloom: 0.79 r 97 bush lupine Lupinus excubitus var. hallii 30 / 9 10 0.79 b 98 *tocalote Centaurea melitensis 99 / 9 45 0.79 r 99 angel's gilia Gilia angelensis 20 / 3 14 0.82 r (coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia) 0.82 l 100 black sage Salvia mellifera 20 / 5 40 0.82 r 101 strigose lotus Lotus strigosus / 33 0.83 Cross drainage 0.86 r 102 California sagebrush Artemisia californica 20 / 5 47 0.86 Cross small drainage and curve right 0.86 l 103 *hedge parsley Torilis nodosa 99 / 9 14 0.87 l 104 stinking gourd Cucurbita foetidissima 3 / 2 8 0.87 r 105 southern miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana 30 / 3 27 0.87 r 106 coast live oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia 10 / 9 42 0.87 r 107 chaparral beard-tongue Keckiella antirrhinoides var. antirrhinoides 2 / 2 10 0.88 Trail curves left 0.89 r (purple head, Acourtia microcephala) 0.91 (closest California peony, Paeonia californica, so far) 0.91 r 108 tomcat clover Trifolium willdenovii / 17 0.94 r (short-winged deerweed, Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus) 0.94 r 109 San Diego tarweed Hemizonia paniculata 30 / 5 8 0.94 r 110 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum 20 / 5 51 0.94 Cross small wide drainage 0.95 r 111 popcorn flower Cryptantha intermedia 10 / 1 27 0.95 r 112 red maids Calandrinia ciliata 1 / 1 20 0.97 b 113 small-head field clover Trifolium microcephalum / 10 0.97 Leave last of grassland; enter solid chaparral 0.97 r 114 chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum 50 / 9 37 0.97 r 115 *common chickweed Stellaria media 10 / 1 27 0.98 r 116 wild-cucumber Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus 10 / 4 44 0.98 r 117 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia 10 / 5 43 0.98 b 118 Pacific sanicle Sanicula crassicaulis 40 / 9 20 0.98 r 119 purple everlasting Gnaphalium purpureum 5 / 1 5 0.98 r 120 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides 20 / 5 30 0.99 r Jct. Stevenson Canyon Trail; go right on it; elevation ~1960 feet (597 m). 0.99 l Sign: "Shivela Trail (to left and to right); to Sylvan Meadows Road 0.4 mi (right); to Sierra Elena Road 0.8 mi (left): Stevenson Canyon Trail (forward); to Calle de Suenos Road 0.8 mi" 1.00 l 121 short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus 20 / 9 23 1.00 l 122 Torrey's scrub oak Quercus acutidens 5 / 2 26 1.00 l 123 poison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum 30 / 9 43 1.01 r 124 foothill needlegrass Nassella lepida 20 / 9 21 1.01 r 125 intermediate sun-cups Camissonia intermedia / 6 1.01 r 126 California filago Filago californica / 21 1.02 r 127 ~ woolly-fruited lomatium Lomatium dasycarpum ssp. dasycarpum 3 / 1 7 1.02 r 128 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 20 / 7 55 1.02 r 129 prostrate spineflower Chorizanthe procumbens 10 / 1 4 1.02 r 130 everlasting nest-straw Stylocline gnaphaloides / 12 1.02 r 131 climbing bedstraw Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii 10 / 9 30 1.02 r 132 southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 3 / 3 40 1.03 r 133 sapphire woolly-star Eriastrum sapphirinum 50 / 3 7 1.04 r 134 white sage Salvia apiana 5 / 5 38 1.04 l 135 saw-toothed goldenbush Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides 10 / 3 35 1.04 Switchback left. 1.04 l 136 white-flowering currant Ribes indecorum 8 / 5 23 1.04 r ~ (poison sanicle, Sanicula bipinnata) 1.04 r 137 ~ seashore bentgrass Agrostis pallens 10 / 1 12 1.04 r 138 goldenrod Solidago californica 50 / 5 35 1.04 r 139 purple snapdragon Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum / 19 1.06 l 140 *crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis+ 1 / 1 1 1.06 Cross drainage 1.06 b 141 *sourclover Melilotus indicus / 24 1.08 b 142 bristly bird's beak Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus 30 / 5 28 1.08 Cross old fenceline 1.09 r 143 redberry Rhamnus crocea 2 / 2 15 1.09 r 144 fragrant everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens 5 / 3 23 1.10 l 145 three spot Osmadenia tenella 20 / 1 15 1.10 b 146 fringed spineflower Chorizanthe fimbriata var. fimbriata 30 / 4 8 1.11 l Jct. old lower end of alternate trail, now closed. 1.14 l Jct. new lower end of alternate trail; stay right. 1.15 l 147 bush monkeyflower Mimulus aurantiacus 10 / 9 42 1.20 r 148 ~ *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 20 / 2 22 1.22 l 149 prickly cryptantha Cryptantha muricata / 16 1.25 b 150 hooked skunkweed Navarretia hamata ssp. hamata 99 / 7 11 1.28 r 151 canchalagua Centaurium venustum 40 / 5 15 1.28 r 152 purple head Acourtia microcephala 2 / 2 19 1.31 l 153 goldfields Lasthenia californica 3 / 1 12 1.34 Local high point on trail 1.35 l 154 yellow pincushion Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula 3 / 1 13 1.36 l (California chicory, Rafinesquia californica) 1.36 l 155 slender woolly marbles Psilocarphus tenellus var. tenellus 10 / 1 5 1.36 l 156 common skullcap Scutellaria tuberosa 10 / 1 4 1.36 l 157 *mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium glomeratum / 19 1.36 l 158 pygmy-weed Crassula connata 10 / 1 28 1.36 l 159 *Italian thistle Carduus pycnocephalus+ 1 / 1 20 1.36 l 160 Tejon cryptantha Cryptantha microstachys / 6 1.36 Local low point on trail 1.36 l 161 California peony Paeonia californica 5 / 2 17 1.36 l 162 blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus 30 / 9 21 1.36 r 163 canyon clarkia Clarkia epilobioides 5 / 1 11 1.36 r 164 California chicory Rafinesquia californica 1 / 1 22 1.36 r 165 snapdragon campion Silene antirrhina 5 / 1 7 1.36 r 166 eucrypta Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia 5 / 1 25 1.37 b 167 laurel sumac Malosma laurina 5 / 5 42 1.38 l Jct. upper end of alternate trail; stay right 1.38 l 168 *little horseweed Conyza bonariensis 1 / 1 23 1.38 r 169 toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia 5 / 5 44 1.38 b 170 San Diego pea Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii 10 / 3 21 1.38 r 171 slender madia Madia gracilis 20 / 9 19 1.40 Trail turns left 90° 1.40 r 172 California everlasting Gnaphalium californicum 20 / 9 43 1.40 r 173 narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium 3 / 3 50 1.40 b 174 grand mountain dandelion Agoseris grandiflora 3 / 2 11 1.40 Fencepost and old fence 1.40 r 175 California chalk lettuce Dudleya pulverulenta ssp. pulverulenta 5 / 1 10 1.40 r 176 goldback fern Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis 5 / 2 24 1.40 r 177 Bigelow's spike-moss Selaginella bigelovii 2 / 2 19 1.40 r 178 bird's-foot fern Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata 3 / 2 30 1.40 r 179 caterpillar phacelia Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida 20 / 2 16 1.40 r 180 California four o'clock Mirabilis californica 1 / 1 23 1.40 r 181 purple owl's clover Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta / 13 1.40 r (wild canterbury bells, Phacelia minor) 1.40 r 182 gray sage Salvia apiana X S. mellifera 1 / 1 5 1.42 r 183 coffee fern Pellaea andromedifolia 2 / 2 22 1.43 Local high point on trail 1.43 r 184 wide-throated yellow monkeyflower Mimulus brevipes 5 / 1 12 1.43 r 185 wild canterbury bells Phacelia minor 2 / 1 21 1.43 r 186 mustang mint Monardella lanceolata 10 / 1 7 1.43 r 187 Ramona clarkia Clarkia similis 5 / 1 3 1.44 r 188 meadow-rue Thalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum 50 / 5 6 1.44 l 189 California brome Bromus carinatus var. carinatus 10 / 3 24 1.44 r 190 *tumble pigweed Amaranthus albus+ 1 / 1 14 1.44 r 191 witchgrass Panicum capillare 5 / 1 3 1.44 Begin first of three Stevenson Canyon Stream crossings on wooden planks. 1.44 r 192 *Crete weed Hedypnois cretica 2 / 1 20 1.44 l The arroyo willows at each of the next 3 stream crossings are extremely old. Note their very thick trunks and height. 1.44 l 193 arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis 20 / 2 35 1.44 r 194 willowherb Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum 1 / 1 18 1.44 End first Stream crossing 1.44 b Many green 6 inch to 1 foot high baby arroyo willow plants in July 2005, but most were dead in September 2005 and 2 were left on 3/27/06. 1.44 r 195 *green bentgrass Agrostis viridis 5 / 1 4 1.46 Second Stevenson Canyon Stream crossing 1.46 r 196 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 2 / 2 39 1.49 r 197 slender sunflower Helianthus gracilentus 1 / 1 14 1.49 Third Stevenson Canyon Stream crossing 1.49 l 198 sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis 1 / 1 7 1.49 l 199 rigid hedge-nettle Stachys ajugoides var. rigida 3 / 1 13 1.49 l (sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa) 1.49 b 200 basketbush Rhus trilobata 1 / 1 24 1.53 l 201 *English plantain Plantago lanceolata 1 / 1 19 1.53 l 202 ~ wild celery Apiastrum angustifolium 5 / 1 13 1.53 l 203 heartleaf penstemon Keckiella cordifolia 5 / 3 28 1.53 l 204 giant wild-rye Leymus condensatus 5 / 5 27 1.54 l Cross through open gate; sign: "Stephenson Canyon Trail (facing other direction)"; stake: "Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve Boundary". 1.55 Trail curves left 45° 1.55 r 205 *purple wild radish Raphanus sativus 2 / 1 11 1.57 r Sign: "Harold Davis Hill" 1.59 Large infestation of bull thistle, Cirsium vulgare 1.59 l Sign: End Sylvan Meadows; Private Property Ahead"; elevation ~2200 feet (670 m). Turnaround here and descend the way you came. 1.80 r Jct. upper end of alternate trail; take it to the right. 1.80 Fourth Stevenson Canyon Stream crossing 1.80 l Check for different clover r 206 coast jepsonia Jepsonia parryi 30 / 3 15 1.82 l (common monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus) 1.84 r 207 slender vetch Vicia hassei / 6 1.84 l 208 ~ poison sanicle Sanicula bipinnata 99 / 9 2 1.85 l 209 sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa 1 / 1 17 1.86 l 210 long-leaved rush Juncus macrophyllus 5 / 1 6 1.90 Fifth Stevenson Canyon Stream crossing 1.93 l 211 California oxalis Oxalis albicans ssp. californica 1 / 1 4 1.95 l 212 Parish's purple nightshade Solanum parishii 1 / 1 20 1.96 Cross first of two small side drainages 1.97 Cross second of two small side drainages 1.97 l 213 southern Indian pink Silene laciniata ssp. major 2 / 1 20 2.00 l 214 triangular-fruit sedge Carex triquetra 1 / 1 17 2.06 r (An infestation of ~200 soap aloe, Aloe saponaria, was removed in 2005, that probably came from a single plant just 5-11 years earlier.) 2.07 T-jct. with main Stevenson Canyon Trail; go right on it. 2.22 T-jct. with Shivela Trail; go right on it; elevation ~1960 feet (597 m). 2.25 Large bridge; sixth Stevenson Canyon Stream crossing 2.25 l 215 willow-leaved dock Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus 1 / 1 9 2.26 r 216 Chinese houses Collinsia heterophylla / 12 2.27 r 217 sp spurge Euphorbia sp. 1 / 1 2.30 b 218 *darnel Lolium temulentum / 4 2.30 r 219 sp vetch Vicia villosa ssp. varia or V. sativa / 2.32 Cross small drainage 2.32 r 220 blue larkspur Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi 10 / 1 14 2.35 l (A huge western sycamore with 5 big trunks) 2.35 Trail curves right 90° 2.45 Trail curves right and briefly goes uphill 2.47 Local high point on trail 2.48 Trail curves left 2.53 l 221 nodding needlegrass Nassella cernua / 18 Trail is close to Tenaja Road now; trail curves right 2.56 Local low point on trail 2.63 l 222 *Australian brome Bromus arenarius 10 / 1 4 2.65 Cross seasonally-wet drainage 2.65 r 223 bicolored everlasting Gnaphalium bicolor 1 / 1 34 2.69 l Second patch of jepsonia 2.74 Local low point on trail 2.75 Local high point on trail; second common skullcap, Scutellaria tuberosa location 2.79 Local low point on trail 2.80 Local high point on trail 2.86 Cross seasonally-moist drainage and go uphill 2.90 Local high point on trail 2.92 Trail turns left 90° and crosses bridge over another drainage 2.92 b 224 common monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus 10 / 1 15 3.02 End Shivela Trail at T-jct. with Sierra Elena Road. Go left; elevation ~1975 feet (600 m). 3.05 c 225 pit-seed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri 3 / 2 8 3.06 Cross Tenaja Road 3.07 Jct. Fenceline Trail; go left 3.13 l 226 telegraph weed Heterotheca grandiflora 10 / 5 37 3.18 b *winter vetch Vicia villosa ssp. varia+ 50 / 3 19 3.23 r (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana) 3.33 Cross small drainage from right 3.34 l (Large patch of Italian thistle, Carduus pycnocephalus) 3.36 b 227 *spring vetch Vicia sativa ssp. sativa 10 / 1 6 3.44 Begin short uphill on trail 3.48 Second of two closely-spaced local high points on trail 3.53 r 228 *Russian thistle Salsola tragus 1 / 1 25 3.55 r 229 coyote bush Baccharis pilularis 1 / 1 25 3.58 r 230 *yellow salsify Tragopogon dubius+ 1 / 1 13 3.62 l 231 *Harding grass Phalaris aquatica 2 / 1 2 3.78 Cross wood-plank bridge at drainage 3.83 Pass through open gate; jct. Hidden Valley Parking Lot; cross Tenaja Road to return to trailhead 3.86 End guide back at Sylvan Meadows Parking Area
Comments On Specific Species Piptatherum miliaceum, Silybum marianum, Digitaria sanguinalis, Carduus pycnocephalus, Amaranthus albus, Tragopogon dubius. These weeds are eliminated when seen, so we hope you do not see any of them. If you do, yank them out!
Vicia villosa ssp. varia. This specimen is not numbered, since it is highly likely that the previous Vicia sp. is this species.
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Copyright © 2004-2006 by Tom Chester and Kay Madore.
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Updated 4 April 2006.