Plant Guide to Vista Grande / Monument Hill Road / N. Lomas / Tenaja Truck Trail 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!

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 covers the following route:

Walking this route from the Visitor Center requires an additional 0.20 miles to reach the beginning of this guide (along Waterline Road and Granite Loop Trail), and an additional 0.83 miles to return to the Visitor Center along Waterline Road. The additional segments have their own plant guides: see Waterline Loop and Granite Loop Trail.

Thus the total walking distance is 5.23 miles for the entire loop from the Visitor Center, with an elevation gain and loss of 400 feet.

Prior to 11 June 2005, this Loop was defined differently. Instead of heading west on Monument Hill Road, the loop headed east, and then returned to the Visitor Center via Fault and Waterline Roads.

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 Taxon
Number Of Taxa
On This Trail
% of Taxa
On This Trail
131%
231%
3115%
452%
573%
 
1-52913%
6-103717%
11-153717%
16-203315%
21-252712%
26-30146%
31-35115%
36-4094%
41-45136%
46-5031%
51-5563%
56-6010%
All220100%

We found 0 additional species not in the above table, since it has 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 DateVisit ## taxa# "?"# "sp"# "~"# "ssp"
1/30/200317478103
10/11/200328378104
12/4/2004310777125
12/9/2004412578137
3/30/20055     
4/5/200561296796
5/3/200571392376
6/11/200581980383
8/14/200592010173
10/8/2005102060163
1/7/2006112040053
3/14/2006122110053
5/27/2006132190031
11/8/2007142200031

The trail was only walked to mile 0.29 on 1/30/03, to mile 0.34 on 10/11/03, to mile 0.44 on 12/4/04, and to mile 0.25 on 5/3/05. The first complete survey of the old loop (returning via Fault Road) was on 12/9/04.

The walk on 3/30/05 was fast-paced, and only a few updates were made. They weren't tracked separately from the 4/5/05 updates. The walk on 1/7/06 was just to check the identification of the Ribes at mile 0.45. The drop in number of taxa by two then was due to combining the three Calystegia macrostegia subspecies formerly given in the guide.

Prior to 6/11/05, the numbers above referred to the previous loop returning from Monument Hill Road via Fault Road.

In addition to the above dates, the N. Vista Grande trail was covered on a quick walk on 9/8/05, with two new species found.

We thank Darryl Medley for assistance with the 5/27/06 fieldwork.

The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (10 pages), pdf Clickbook booklet (3 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

MileS#id?Common NameLatin Name#here#all
0.00   Begin at the jct. of the Granite Loop and N. Vista Grande Trails; elevation 1760 feet (536 m). Sign: "Granite Loop Trail [ahead]; To Visitor Center 0.6 mile; Vista Grande Trail [right]; Tenaja Truck Trail 0.9 mile". Go right, on the Vista Grande Trail.
0.00b1 *windmill pinkSilene gallica99 / 933
0.00l2 *smooth cat's earHypochaeris glabra99 / 935
0.00b3 purple needlegrassNassella pulchra99 / 919
0.00l4 *scarlet pimpernelAnagallis arvensis99 / 932
0.00b5 *short-fruited filareeErodium brachycarpum99 / 914
0.00b6 variegated cloverTrifolium variegatum10 / 25
0.00l7 *narrowleaf filagoFilago gallica99 / 945
0.00b8 *nit grassGastridium ventricosum99 / 924
0.00l9 *ripgut bromeBromus diandrus99 / 951
0.00b10 purple clarkiaClarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera99 / 925
0.00r11 nodding needlegrassNassella cernua / 16
0.00b12 San Diego tarweedHemizonia paniculata99 / 97
0.00b13 graceful tarplantHolocarpha virgata ssp. elongata99 / 914
0.00l14 *rattail fescueVulpia myuros var. myuros99 / 920
0.00l15 tree cloverTrifolium ciliolatum50 / 911
0.00b16 Spanish cloverLotus purshianus var. purshianus99 / 931
0.00b17 *California burcloverMedicago polymorpha99 / 940
0.00b18 *soft chessBromus hordeaceus99 / 940
0.00r19 vinegar weedTrichostema lanceolatum50 / 914
0.00b20 *yellow salsifyTragopogon dubius10 / 312
0.00l21 toad rushJuncus bufonius var. bufonius99 / 913
0.00b22 canchalaguaCentaurium venustum50 / 514
0.00b23 rattlesnake weedDaucus pusillus99 / 928
0.00l24 rattlesnake weedChamaesyce albomarginata20 / 59
0.00l25~sharp-toothed sanicleSanicula arguta+3 / 216
0.00l26 California-asterLessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia99 / 951
0.00b27 checkerbloomSidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia99 / 925
0.00r28 balloon cloverTrifolium depauperatum var. truncatum / 7
0.00l29ssp*foxtail barleyHordeum murinum ssp. glaucum+30 / 413
0.00r30 *prickly sow thistleSonchus asper ssp. asper20 / 929
0.00l31 Mexican rushJuncus mexicanus99 / 516
0.00r32 wrinkled rushJuncus rugulosus99 / 911
0.00r33 horseweedConyza canadensis99 / 935
0.00r34 cockleburXanthium strumarium50 / 715
0.00r35 *shortpod mustardHirschfeldia incana99 / 951
0.00b36 *grass polyLythrum hyssopifolia99 / 714
0.00b37 common spikerushEleocharis macrostachya50 / 711
0.00r38 *prickly lettuceLactuca serriola50 / 942
0.00b39 deergrassMuhlenbergia rigens50 / 921
0.00r40 common bedstrawGalium aparine99 / 938
0.00l41 owl's-cloverCastilleja densiflora10 / 27
0.00r42 *weak blue grassPoa infirma5 / 16
0.00b43 hybrid wild-ryeLeymus Xmultiflorus (L. condensatus X L. triticoides)10 / 94
0.00r44 dove weedEremocarpus setigerus50 / 924
0.00l45 wire rushJuncus balticus10 / 22
0.00r46 angel's giliaGilia angelensis99 / 914
0.00r47 dwarf lupineLupinus bicolor99 / 929
0.01r48 pin-point cloverTrifolium gracilentum var. gracilentum / 8
0.01r  (goldenrod, Solidago californica)
0.01r49 *redstem filareeErodium cicutarium99 / 955
0.01l50 *cut-leaved geraniumGeranium dissectum99 / 913
0.01   Leave grassland; enter oak woodland
0.01l51 southern miner's lettuceClaytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana / 25
0.01r52 *slender wild oatsAvena barbata99 / 939
0.01l53 blue wildryeElymus glaucus ssp. glaucus30 / 921
0.01l54 *hedge mustardSisymbrium officinale50 / 420
0.01l55 coast live oakQuercus agrifolia var. agrifolia30 / 942
0.01l56 *mouse-ear chickweedCerastium glomeratum30 / 419
0.01l57 *sow thistleSonchus oleraceus10 / 941
0.01l58 *bull thistleCirsium vulgare3 / 217
0.02r  (hollyleaf redberry, Rhamnus ilicifolia)
0.02l59 wild-cucumberMarah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus10 / 944
0.02l  Benches without backs under coast live oak
0.02r60 southern honeysuckleLonicera subspicata var. denudata20 / 940
0.02b61 *tocaloteCentaurea melitensis99 / 945
0.02r62 western ragweedAmbrosia psilostachya99 / 936
0.03b63 poison oakToxicodendron diversilobum30 / 943
0.03r  (Vasey's prickly-pear, Opuntia vaseyi)
0.03l64 hollyleaf redberryRhamnus ilicifolia30 / 943
0.03r65 collar lupineLupinus truncatus5 / 124
0.03b66 blue dicksDichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum50 / 946
0.03r  (long-stemmed buckwheat, Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum)
0.03r67 leafy daisyErigeron foliosus var. foliosus50 / 943
0.04l68 climbing bedstrawGalium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii30 / 930
0.04r  (mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia; arroyo willow, Salix lasiolepis; scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis; Durango root, Datisca glomerata; rabbits-foot grass, Polypogon monspeliensis; pit-seed goosefoot, Chenopodium berlandieri)
0.04l69 Pacific sanicleSanicula crassicaulis20 / 520
0.05l70 coast-range melicMelica imperfecta20 / 943
0.05l71 American vetchVicia americana var. americana5 / 28
0.05l72 California buckwheatEriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum2 / 251
0.05l73 purple sanicleSanicula bipinnatifida50 / 911
0.05l74 goldenrodSolidago californica20 / 935
0.05l75 Indian milkweedAsclepias eriocarpa30 / 917
0.05r76 Fish's milkwortPolygala cornuta var. fishiae5 / 25
0.07l77 slender madiaMadia gracilis30 / 518
0.07b78 saltgrassDistichlis spicata99 / 915
0.07l79 basketbushRhus trilobata10 / 924
0.08b80 chick lupineLupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus50 / 99
0.10   Trail turns 90° left.
0.10l  (California everlasting, Gnaphalium californicum; saw-toothed goldenbush, Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides)
0.11r  (California peony, Paeonia californica)
0.11r81 *hedge parsleyTorilis nodosa99 / 914
0.11l82 California chicoryRafinesquia californica2 / 222
0.11l83 silver puffsUropappus lindleyi5 / 326
0.11l84 Chinese housesCollinsia heterophylla50 / 311
0.11   Trail turns 90° right.
0.11l85 johnny jump-upViola pedunculata99 / 916
0.11l86 chamiseAdenostoma fasciculatum5 / 237
0.11   Y-junction for alternate trail section; go right (see end of guide for two species found only on the alt trail)
0.12r87 *common chickweedStellaria media10 / 125
0.12r88 California peonyPaeonia californica5 / 517
0.14r  (toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia)
0.14r89 soap plantChlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum+2 / 218
0.14r90 meadow nemophilaNemophila pedunculata30 / 32
0.15l91 Vasey's prickly-pearOpuntia vaseyi7 / 724
0.16l92 long-stemmed buckwheatEriogonum elongatum var. elongatum10 / 227
0.17l93 Pomona locoweedAstragalus pomonensis5 / 311
0.17r94 basket rushJuncus textilis5 / 15
0.18r95 fringe-podThysanocarpus curvipes10 / 19
0.19r96 *wild oatsAvena fatua99 / 926
0.19   Trail curves left; low bridge under fallen tree limb
0.23l97 fragrant everlastingGnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens50 / 923
0.23l  Jct. with other branch of loop; go right.
0.23b98 holly-leaf navarretiaNavarretia atractyloides1 / 18
0.23b99 slender buckwheatEriogonum gracile var. gracile20 / 13
0.23l100 creeping wild ryeLeymus triticoides3 / 311
0.23b101 strigose lotusLotus strigosus10 / 233
0.23l  Field of angel's gilia, Gilia angelensis
0.23r102 purple owl's cloverCastilleja exserta ssp. exserta10 / 213
0.23r103 strigose sun-cupCamissonia strigulosa10 / 16
0.23r104 *winter vetchVicia villosa ssp. varia30 / 319
0.24l105 *Mediterranean schismusSchismus barbatus10 / 122
0.24   Trail curves right toward bridge.
0.24l106 bristly goldenasterHeterotheca sessiliflora ssp. echioides3 / 27
0.25l  Sign: "Sensitive Wetland Area; Do Not Enter".
0.25l  (California poppy, Eschscholzia californica; floriferous monkeyflower, Mimulus floribundus; false monkeyflower, Mimulus pilosus; *sweet alyssum, Lobularia maritima; western marsh cudweed, Gnaphalium palustre; slender wreathplant, Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei; mugwort, Artemisia douglasiana)
0.25l  Check unusual Leymus hybrid down drainage with lobed lemmas in 2005
0.25r107 San Diego birdsfoot lotusLotus hamatus30 / 924
0.25b108 willow-leaved dockRumex salicifolius var. denticulatus2 / 17
0.25r109 *tumble pigweedAmaranthus albus5 / 110
0.25r110 spike primroseEpilobium densiflorum20 / 35
0.25r111 *sourcloverMelilotus indicus20 / 224
0.25r112 *rabbits-foot grassPolypogon monspeliensis10 / 222
0.25r113 *Italian rye-grassLolium multiflorum99 / 917
0.25r114 common monkeyflowerMimulus guttatus5 / 115
0.25r115 pit-seed goosefootChenopodium berlandieri2 / 14
0.25r116 *common cudweedGnaphalium luteo-album5 / 116
0.25r117 hooked skunkweedNavarretia hamata ssp. hamata / 11
0.25r  (tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea; sand spikerush, Eleocharis montevidensis; southern skullcap, Scutellaria bolanderi ssp. austromontana; mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia)
0.25b  (arroyo willow, Salix lasiolepis; rigid hedge-nettle, Stachys ajugoides var. rigida)
0.25b118 umbrella sedgeCyperus eragrostis5 / 110
0.25b119 *curly dockRumex crispus3 / 223
0.25l120 narrow-leaf milkweedAsclepias fascicularis5 / 17
0.25   Beginning of bridge over Cole Creek; elevation 1730 feet (527 m)
0.26l121 cotton-batting plantGnaphalium stramineum2 / 117
0.26b122 clover fernMarsilea vestita ssp. vestita20 / 13
0.26r123 southern cattailTypha domingensis5 / 11
0.26r  (needle spikerush, Eleocharis acicularis var. bella)
0.26l124 brown-headed rushJuncus phaeocephalus var. phaeocephalus10 / 11
0.26b125 knot grassPaspalum distichum5 / 16
0.26b126 *whorled dockRumex conglomeratus5 / 18
0.26r127 *dallis grassPaspalum dilatatum5 / 19
0.26r128 Bolander's water-starwortCallitriche heterophylla var. bolanderi5 / 13
0.26   End of bridge
0.26r129 Siskiyou asterAster lanceolatus ssp. hesperius+10 / 23
0.26r130 witchgrassPanicum capillare5 / 13
0.26r131 Hooker's evening-primroseOenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima2 / 110
0.26r  (annual sunflower, Helianthus annuus; red willow, Salix laevigata)
0.26l132~narrow-leaved miner's lettuceClaytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora20 / 219
0.26r133 California sagebrushArtemisia californica3 / 147
0.26r  Jct short path to bench overlooking Cole Creek; take it
0.26l134 chaparral currantRibes malvaceum var. viridifolium+1 / 14
0.26l135 California maidenhair fernAdiantum jordanii10 / 36
0.27l136 giant wild-ryeLeymus condensatus10 / 927
0.27l137 cobwebby thistleCirsium occidentale var. occidentale2 / 19
0.27b138 blue larkspurDelphinium parryi ssp. parryi50 / 813
0.27r  (white sage, Salvia apiana; western sycamore, Platanus racemosa; common tule, Scirpus acutus var. occidentalis; olive, Olea europaea)
0.27   Bench; turnaround and rejoin trail
0.28   Turn right on main trail; trail briefly climbs steeply uphill.
0.28l139 seashore bentgrassAgrostis pallens10 / 110
0.28r140 Torrey's scrub oakQuercus acutidens5 / 226
0.28r141 rusty-haired popcorn flowerPlagiobothrys nothofulvus10 / 912
0.28r142 one-sided bluegrassPoa secunda ssp. secunda10 / 123
0.28l143 splendid mariposa lilyCalochortus splendens99 / 919
0.30r144 toyonHeteromeles arbutifolia2 / 244
0.30r145 Parish's purple nightshadeSolanum parishii10 / 520
0.30   Top of steep uphill; elevation 1760 feet (536 m). Trail now descends gently.
0.30b  Oak moss lichen, Evernia prunastri, is the unusual foliose (leaf-like) lichen growing on the hollyleaf redberry, Rhamnus ilicifolia and chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum.
0.30l146 goldfieldsLasthenia californica5 / 114
0.30r147 goldback fernPentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis2 / 125
0.31b148 three spotOsmadenia tenella5 / 113
0.31b149 slender cottonweedMicropus californicus var. californicus20 / 19
0.31   Trail jags left.
0.31l150 golden yarrowEriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum / 55
0.31l  Jct. closed trail signed: "Trail closed to protect habitat ..." (sign gone in 2006)
0.32r  (California lace fern, Aspidotis californica; many California maidenhair ferns, Adiantum jordanii, at base of beautiful boulder)
0.32r  (milk maids, Cardamine californica var. californica)
0.33b151 branching phaceliaPhacelia ramosissima var. latifolia2 / 234
0.33l152 Ramona clarkiaClarkia similis2 / 24
0.33l153 bush monkeyflowerMimulus aurantiacus2 / 142
0.33l154 California everlastingGnaphalium californicum20 / 542
0.33l155 saw-toothed goldenbushHazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides1 / 135
0.33r156 purple headAcourtia microcephala1 / 119
0.33l157 ground pinkLinanthus dianthiflorus5 / 19
0.34r158 redberryRhamnus crocea1 / 115
0.35l  Jct. view rock on left. Take ten steps to the top of the rock and enjoy the view down into a deeper branch of Cole Creek.
0.35b159 narrowleaf bedstrawGalium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium20 / 948
0.35l  Top of overlook rock
0.35   Back on trail.
0.35r160 deerweedLotus scoparius var. scoparius5 / 129
0.35r161 bristly bird's beakCordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus10 / 226
0.36l162 bird's-foot fernPellaea mucronata var. mucronata1 / 130
0.37l163 purple snapdragonAntirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum1 / 118
0.37   Leave chapparal / oak woodland; enter grassland
0.38r164 earth brodiaeaBrodiaea terrestris ssp. kernensis10 / 27
0.38l  Cross creek on wood-plank bridge
0.38r  (dense sedge, Carex densa)
0.38l  Field of deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens.
0.38l165 western vervainVerbena lasiostachys var. lasiostachys5 / 110
0.38l166 elk thistleCirsium scariosum3 / 311
0.38l167 blue-eyed grassSisyrinchium bellum30 / 919
0.39l168 clustered field sedgeCarex praegracilis10 / 14
0.39r  (sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa)
0.43r169 Palmer's goldenbushEricameria palmeri var. pachylepis6 / 410
0.45l  (white-flowering currant, Ribes indecorum)
0.45   Cross creek on wood-plank bridge
0.46l  (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.47l170 miner's lettuceClaytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata40 / 221
0.48r171 *Italian thistleCarduus pycnocephalus10 / 121
0.49r172 Engelmann oakQuercus engelmannii23 / 923
0.51l  (Hundreds of Italian thistle, Carduus pycnocephalus)
0.52r  Jct. loop around rocks for trail maintenance mower
0.53l173 threadstemPterostegia drymarioides2 / 130
0.53l174 *red bromeBromus madritensis ssp. rubens40 / 956
0.53r  Jct. other end of loop
0.59   Trail curves left 20°
0.59l  (white everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum)
0.61   Trail curves left 20°
0.66   Trail curves right 45°
0.71l175 rough-seeded blue toad-flaxLinaria canadensis var. texana1 / 110
0.72   Trail turns left 90°
0.73l176 big squirreltailElymus multisetus2 / 27
0.75b177 *goldentopLamarckia aurea99 / 921
0.79r  (California fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. canum)
0.82l  Sign: "Vista Grande Trail; to Granite Loop Trail .9 mi (back); to Monument Hill Road .6 mi (forward)"
0.82c178 *knotweedPolygonum arenastrum99 / 918
0.82r179 mule fatBaccharis salicifolia2 / 140
0.82   Jct. Waterline Road; elevation 1770 feet (539 m); Vista Grande Trail jogs right; continue on it
0.82l180 *Mediterranean barleyHordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum20 / 15
0.82r181 common hareleafLagophylla ramosissima ssp. ramosissima10 / 13
0.85r182 common fiddleneckAmsinckia menziesii var. intermedia10 / 121
0.89l183 *Bermuda grassCynodon dactylon99 / 930
0.93r  Sign: "Area Closed"; trail begins ascending
0.95b184 shooting starDodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii50 / 911
1.13r185 white everlastingGnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum10 / 936
1.17l186 *little horseweedConyza bonariensis2 / 217
1.18   Huge field of purple needlegrass, Nassella pulchra, with few weeds other than an understory of ripgut, Bromus diandrus.
1.18b187 coast jepsoniaJepsonia parryi99 / 915
1.19   End steepest ascent; trail now gently ascending
1.19r  (California four o'clock, Mirabilis californica; imbricate phacelia, Phacelia imbricata ssp. patula)
1.23r  Boulders of Bedford Canyon Formation; note how different they are from the white smooth rounded Woodson Mountain Granodiorite boulders
1.23r  (southern California morning-glory, Calystegia macrostegia ssp. arida)
1.24   The ridge here separates the Cole Creek drainage to the north from the Sandia Creek / De Luz Creek drainage to the south
1.27   Minor local low point on trail
1.32   Local high point on trail; elevation 1940 feet (591 m).
1.33l  soap plantChlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum /  
1.35r  Good field of purple needlegrass, Nassella pulchra
1.37r  Check for different rhizomed Agrostis
1.40l188 *hairy rattail fescueVulpia myuros var. hirsuta99 / 920
1.45r189 southern California morning-gloryCalystegia macrostegia ssp. arida+5 / 418
1.47   Cross drainage; local low point on trail
1.50   Local high point on trail
1.52r  Jct. shortcut use trail to Monument Hill Road
1.53l190 California four o'clockMirabilis californica1 / 124
1.53   End Vista Grande Trail at T-Jct. with Monument Hill Road, go right; elevation 1920 feet (585 m); sign (directions as you face the sign on Vista Grande Trail from Monument Hill Road): "(ahead) Vista Grande Trail; To Visitor Center 1.7 mi; (right) To Punta Mesa Trail 0.2 mi; (left) To Monument Hill 0.5 mi"
1.54b191 *Crete weedHedypnois cretica50 / 519
1.57r192 *long-beaked filareeErodium botrys50 / 911
1.67   Road curves left 90°
1.68r  Sign: "Area Closed; Wildlife habitat area"
1.71l  An unusual Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii, tag #0417, with entire to toothed leaves with only Engelmann trichomes underneath
1.77r  An unusual Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii with all leaves oblanceolate and with only Engelmann trichomes underneath
1.79b193 *sand spurreySpergularia bocconei99 / 913
1.97l  Jct. Monument Hill Spur Road; go left on it
2.04b194 bush lupineLupinus excubitus var. hallii3 / 110
2.05r195 California fuchsiaEpilobium canum ssp. canum3 / 120
2.07   Monument Hill; two benches with backs; elevation 2046 feet (624 m); enjoy the view and then return to Monument Hill Road
2.07r  (laurel sumac, Malosma laurina; San Diego pea, Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii; bicolored everlasting, Gnaphalium bicolor)
2.17   Jct. Monument Hill Road; go left on it
2.18c196 shining peppergrassLepidium nitidum var. nitidum2 / 17
2.21l197 telegraph weedHeterotheca grandiflora10 / 535
2.23   Local low point
2.26   Local high point
2.37c198 red maidsCalandrinia ciliata30 / 919
2.48   Local low point
2.48c199 *annual blue grassPoa annua5 / 114
2.48b  foxtail barleyHordeum murinum ssp. glaucum /  
2.50r  (Tin shade structure)
2.58l200 *horehoundMarrubium vulgare1 / 132
2.60   Local high point
2.62l  Local low point; note curving linear granite (~apalite) dike on two hills
2.69   Local high point
2.81r  Jct. N. Lomas Trail; go right on it
2.81l  Sign: "(left) Lomas Trail to Adobes .9 mi; (left) to Ranch Road 0.5 mi; (ahead) to Visitor Center 2.2 mi"
2.82l  
2.92   Trail turns right
2.93   Local high point
2.94   Switchback left.
2.98r  An unusual Engelmann oak, Quercus engelmannii with most leaves entire and oblanceolate and with only Engelmann trichomes underneath
3.02r201~Indian cloverTrifolium albopurpureum var. albopurpureum10 / 13
3.02   Begin steep downhill
3.03   Switchback right.
3.07l  leafy daisy, Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus, plants with deformed inflorescence, very crowded near top
3.18   Trail curves left
3.21   Trail curves right
3.26   Trail curves left
3.27b202 *brome fescueVulpia bromoides20 / 16
3.30 203 California meadow barleyHordeum brachyantherum ssp. californicum10 / 13
3.32   Jct. Ranch Road; go right on it, then right again on Tenaja Truck Trail
3.32r204 seaside heliotropeHeliotropium curassavicum30 / 310
3.33c205 *pineapple weedChamomilla suaveolens30 / 521
3.40r  Siskiyou asterAster lanceolatus ssp. hesperius+ /  
3.41   Local low point
3.44r  Wide turnout at local high point
3.47   Local low point
3.54r206 *dog-fennelAnthemis cotula+1 / 12
3.55   Minor local high point
3.58   Minor local low point
3.98   Local high point
3.98l207 hook three-awnAristida ternipes var. hamulosa3 / 11
4.02l  Jct. Waterline Road; go left on it to return to Visitor Center; see its plant trail guide for additional species on that trail
4.87   End Plant Trail Guide at Visitor Center
    
    Additional species on alternate trail not found elsewhere on guide; mileage from jct at mile 0.11
0.11l208 mustang mintMonardella lanceolata10 / 26
0.11l209 papillate dodderCuscuta californica var. papillosa3 / 23
0.12r210 canyon clarkiaClarkia epilobioides10 / 112
0.13b211 southern Indian pinkSilene laciniata ssp. major10 / 220
0.14l212 virgin's bowerClematis pauciflora1 / 112
0.14   Trail descends slightly
0.15r213 slender vetchVicia hassei1 / 17
0.15r214 warty spurgeEuphorbia spathulata5 / 15
0.16r215 Venus looking-glassTriodanis biflora3 / 13
0.16r216 showy plectritisPlectritis ciliosa ssp. insignis20 / 13
0.16l217 willowherbEpilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum1 / 119
0.16   Trail turns right 90°
0.16l218 *shepherd's purseCapsella bursa-pastoris1 / 111
0.17r  (Tejon cryptantha, Cryptantha microstachys)
0.17l219 purple everlastingGnaphalium purpureum1 / 16
0.21c220 thyme-leafed spurgeChamaesyce serpyllifolia ssp. serpyllifolia1 / 15
0.21   Jct. with other branch of loop

Comments On Specific Species

Sanicula arguta. Definite identification at mile 0.12.

Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum. The first plant on the trail has not yet been keyed to a subspecies; the specimens at mile 2.48 have been keyed to this subspecies, and are given in the guide without a number.

Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum. The first plant on the trail died between 2003 and 2005; the second plant is given in the guide without a number.

Calystegia macrostegia ssp. arida. About half the plants at the SRP appear to be ssp. arida, with the other half split between sspp. "intermedia" and "tenuifolia". It has long troubled Tom to be finding three subspecies in the small area of the SRP. Worse, the classification of a given plant has changed with time, which was extremely puzzling.

These difficulties were resolved when Tom found clear evidence that subspecies "intermedia" and "tenuifolia" are bogus. Hence we assign all the SRP plants to ssp. arida.

Aster lanceolatus ssp. hesperius. The first occurrence at mile 0.26 wasn't seen in 2005; the other occurrence at mile 3.35 is thus noted, but not numbered.

Ribes malvaceum var. viridifolium. This single specimen died in 2006. This was the only specimen of this species on all the trails at the Santa Rosa Plateau.

Anthemis cotula. The single occurrence of this non-native plant was weeded out.


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Copyright © 2002-2007 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/vista_grande_loop.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 10 November 2007