Plant Guide for Waterline / Monument / Fault Road Loop, Santa Rosa Plateau

Plant Guide for Waterline / Monument / Fault 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!

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 is a 4.3 mile loop, with ~300 feet of elevation gain and loss, beginning and ending at the Visitor Center. The guide and loop traverses the entire length of the public portion of Waterline Road, and then returns via Monument Hill and Fault Roads. At the junction of the Vista Grande Trail and Waterline Road, one can return via Waterline Road, or via the Vista Grande Trail (see its separate plant guide).
The trailhead is the gate across Waterline Road immediately southeast of the Visitor Center.
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
1 5 3%
2 4 2%
3 5 3%
4 2 1%
5 3 2%
----
1-5 19 11%
6-10 28 16%
11-15 30 17%
16-20 28 16%
21-25 21 12%
26-30 15 8%
31-35 8 4%
36-40 11 6%
41-45 11 6%
46-50 2 1%
51-55 7 4%
Total Taxa 180 100%

We found 3 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"
11/2/2002 1 67 3 7 6 1
12/22/2003 2 77 4 5 9 3
6/19/2004 3 82 4 6 10 3
12/26/2004 4 134 5 12 28 3
7/1/2005 5 170 2 8 15 2
7/5/2005 6 171 2 5 15 2
9/8/2005 7 177 2 5 11 2
11/15/2005 8 180 2 4 10 2
3/23/2006 9 183 1 1 10 1

In addition, one species was picked up on a quick walk of the first 0.83 miles on 10/15/05, and the identification of the Ribes was made on a special trip on 2/4/06.
Only the drainage at mile 0.54 was surveyed on 6/19/04; only the first 0.54 miles was covered on 7/5/05, primarily just to check a few species.
Prior to 12/26/2004, the route in this plant trail guide was different. At the junction of Waterline Road with Tenaja Road, the route turned right and surveyed Tenaja Road to its junction with the Lomas Trail. The number of taxa on 12/26/04 would have been 120 without the addition of the new route.
We thank Dick Newell for assistance with the 3/23/06 fieldwork.
The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (9 pages), or pdf Clickbook booklet (2 double-sided pages) (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)
The mileages have been rectified to ones measured from Topo!, using a GPS route to identify the portions not on the topo map. They should be accurate to 0.01-0.02 miles.

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Beginning of Waterline Road next to Visitor Center at Gate; elevation ~1780 feet (542 m)
0.00 l 1 toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia⁺ 2 / 2 44
0.00 r 2 chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum 30 / 9 37
0.00 r 3 Torrey's scrub oak Quercus acutidens⁺ 30 / 9 26
0.00 c 4 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 99 / 9 55
0.00 b 5 horseweed Conyza canadensis 50 / 9 36
0.00 l 6 *scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis 99 / 9 33
0.00 b 7 *tocalote Centaurea melitensis 99 / 9 45
0.00 l 8 *prickly sow thistle Sonchus asper ssp. asper 99 / 9 30
0.00 l 9 false monkeyflower Mimulus pilosus 10 / 4 7
0.00 l 10 creeping spurge Chamaesyce serpens 2 / 1 1
0.00 b 11 *narrowleaf filago Filago gallica 99 / 9 45
0.00 r 12 rattlesnake weed Daucus pusillus 99 / 9 29
0.00 b 13 *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 10 / 1 22
0.00 r 14 *hairy rattail fescue Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta 99 / 9 19
0.00 r 15 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 99 / 9 53
0.00 r 16 saw-toothed goldenbush Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides 30 / 9 35
0.00 b 17 *soft chess Bromus hordeaceus 99 / 9 40
0.00 r 18 triangular-fruit sedge Carex triquetra 5 / 2 17
0.00 r 19 pygmy-weed Crassula connata 10 / 2 28
0.00 r 20 checkerbloom Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia 50 / 9 25
0.00 b 21 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum 20 / 9 51
0.00 r 22 bristly bird's beak Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus 20 / 4 27
0.00 l 23 *rabbits-foot grass Polypogon monspeliensis 50 / 9 24
0.00 r 24 San Diego tarweed Hemizonia paniculata 99 / 9 8
0.00 b 25 holly-leaf navarretia Navarretia atractyloides 50 / 9 9
0.00 l (blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium bellum; horehound, Marrubium vulgare; cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium; California everlasting, Gnaphalium californicum; common cudweed, Gnaphalium luteo-album; Spanish clover, Lotus purshianus var. purshianus)
0.00 l (a showy penstemon, Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis, planted in ~2002, was dead in 2005)
0.00 b 26 ? ash? Fraxinus sp.?⁺ 2 / 1
0.00 l 27 coyote bush Baccharis pilularis⁺ 1 / 1 26
0.00 l 28 *London rocket Sisymbrium irio⁺ 1 / 1 11
0.00 b 29 *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana 99 / 9 51
0.00 b 30 canchalagua Centaurium venustum 99 / 9 15
0.00 r 31 hooked skunkweed Navarretia hamata ssp. hamata 99 / 9 11
0.00 r 32 California-aster Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia 50 / 9 51
0.00 r 33 *nit grass Gastridium ventricosum 99 / 9 26
0.00 r (southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata; redberry, Rhamnus crocea; threadstem, Pterostegia drymarioides)
0.00 r 34 blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus 20 / 5 21
0.00 r (seashore bentgrass, Agrostis pallens)
(Emory's baccharis, Baccharis emoryi⁺)
0.00 r 35 climbing bedstraw Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii 10 / 9 30
0.00 r 36 basketbush Rhus trilobata 3 / 3 24
0.00 r 37 coast live oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia 3 / 3 42
0.00 l 38 cocklebur Xanthium strumarium 30 / 4 17
0.00 l 39 dove weed Eremocarpus setigerus 99 / 9 25
0.01 l (pineapple weed, Chamomilla suaveolens; rattlesnake weed, Chamaesyce albomarginata)
0.01 r 40 toad rush Juncus bufonius var. bufonius 99 / 9 14
0.01 r 41 matchweed Gutierrezia sarothrae⁺ 30 / 5 9
0.01 r 42 vinegar weed Trichostema lanceolatum 99 / 9 15
0.01 r 43 ~ *short-fruited filaree Erodium brachycarpum 99 / 9 14
0.01 r 44 ~ rusty-haired popcorn flower Plagiobothrys nothofulvus 99 / 9 14
0.01 r (slender buckwheat, Eriogonum gracile var. gracile)
0.01 l A tree-like Torrey's scrub oak, Quercus acutidens, which has ~30 "trunks" and no Engelmann hairs on its leaves.
0.01 l (poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum)
0.01 b Look for first wild oats, Avena sp. on trail before mile 0.68
0.01 r 45 slender wreathplant Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei 1 / 1 14
0.01 r (leafy daisy, Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus)
0.02 r (coast-range melic, Melica imperfecta; golden yarrow, Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum)
0.02 b (southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata)
0.02 l 46 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 30 / 9 55
0.02 l (non-planted toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia)
0.02 r 47 purple clarkia Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera 99 / 9 26
0.02 r (southern Indian pink, Silene laciniata ssp. major)
0.02 r (hollyleaf redberry, Rhamnus ilicifolia)
0.02 r 48 dwarf lupine Lupinus bicolor 99 / 9 29
0.03 l 49 *prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola 99 / 9 42
0.03 l 50 southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 10 / 9 40
0.03 r 51 narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium 10 / 3 49
0.03 l 52 *California burclover Medicago polymorpha 99 / 9 40
0.03 r 53 Pacific sanicle Sanicula crassicaulis 30 / 9 20
0.03 r 54 coast-range melic Melica imperfecta 5 / 5 43
0.04 r 55 deerweed Lotus scoparius var. scoparius 10 / 2 29
0.04 r 56 leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus 4 / 4 44
0.04 l 57 splendid mariposa lily Calochortus splendens / 20
0.04 l 58 Pomona locoweed Astragalus pomonensis 20 / 9 11
0.04 r 59 San Diego birdsfoot lotus Lotus hamatus / 24
0.04 r (tomcat clover, Trifolium willdenovii)
0.04 l 60 needlegrass Nassella sp. 99 / 9
0.04 r (California lace fern, Aspidotis californica; goldback fern, Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis)
0.05 r 61 common bedstraw Galium aparine 99 / 9 38
0.05 r 62 *pineapple weed Chamomilla suaveolens 30 / 3 19
0.05 r 63 southern Indian pink Silene laciniata ssp. major 10 / 2 20
0.05 r 64 ~ San Diego pea Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii 1 / 1 21
0.06 r Jct. use trail
0.06 r nodding needlegrass Nassella cernua⁺ / 17
0.06 l 65 three spot Osmadenia tenella 99 / 9 15
0.06 l 66 Spanish clover Lotus purshianus var. purshianus 99 / 9 31
0.06 l 67 *grass poly Lythrum hyssopifolia 99 / 9 15
0.06 l 68 deergrass Muhlenbergia rigens 3 / 2 21
0.07 l Jct. shortcut to Granite Loop Trail
0.07 l 69 common spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya 99 / 9 12
0.07 b 70 wrinkled rush Juncus rugulosus 20 / 3 13
0.07 r (giant wild-rye, Leymus condensatus)
0.08 r 71 *hedge parsley Torilis nodosa 20 / 2 14
0.08 r (common chickweed, Stellaria media)
0.08 r 72 *bull thistle Cirsium vulgare 1 / 1 19
0.08 r Jct. animal path
0.08 (Field with three big patches of seasonal color: nearest (and in distance) is white / green of Spanish clover, Lotus purshianus var. purshianus; middle is red of wrinkled rush, Juncus rugulosus; farthest is white of three spot, Osmadenia tenella)
0.09 r 73 *yellow salsify Tragopogon dubius⁺ 40 / 5 13
0.10 r 74 clustered toad rush Juncus bufonius var. congestus 50 / 3 9
0.10 l 75 *curly dock Rumex crispus 20 / 9 23
0.11 r 76 slender madia Madia gracilis 30 / 5 19
0.12 r 77 *sourclover Melilotus indicus 20 / 2 24
0.14 b 78 western ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya 50 / 9 37
0.14 l 79 *sand spurrey Spergularia bocconei 99 / 9 14
0.15 r 80 San Diego wreathplant Stephanomeria diegensis 3 / 2 21
0.16 l (~30 unusual plants of purple clarkia, Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera, with a densely-clustered inflorescence lacking petals)
0.18 From here to the creek crossing, graceful tarplant, Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata, is mixed with San Diego tarweed, Hemizonia paniculata. After that, it is all San Diego tarweed again.
0.18 b 81 graceful tarplant Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata 99 / 9 15
0.18 r 82 creeping wild rye Leymus triticoides 5 / 1 12
0.18 r 83 Engelmann oak Quercus engelmannii 5 / 5 23
0.19 r 84 ssp *foxtail barley Hordeum murinum 20 / 2
0.19 b Jct. Granite Loop Trail.
0.19 l 85 *windmill pink Silene gallica / 33
0.19 r Sign: "Mountain Lion..."
0.20 b 86 sharp-toothed sanicle Sanicula arguta 5 / 1 16
0.20 r 87 Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus 20 / 3 16
0.20 r (Palmer's goldenbush, Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis)
0.21 r 88 hybrid wild-rye Leymus Xmultiflorus (L. condensatus X L. triticoides) 50 / 9 6
0.21 l 89 *horehound Marrubium vulgare 3 / 1 32
0.21 l 90 arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis 2 / 2 35
0.21 l 91 willow-leaved dock Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus 10 / 2 9
0.22 l (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana, hidden behind arroyo willow)
0.22 r 92 goldenrod Solidago californica 20 / 3 35
0.22 r 93 western vervain Verbena lasiostachys var. lasiostachys 5 / 2 10
0.22 r 94 thyme-leafed spurge Chamaesyce serpyllifolia ssp. serpyllifolia 2 / 2 2
0.22 r 95 narrow-leaf milkweed Asclepias fascicularis 10 / 2 8
0.22 r 96 *Italian rye-grass Lolium multiflorum 99 / 9 18
0.22 l 97 mugwort Artemisia douglasiana 5 / 1 28
0.22 r 98 *common cudweed Gnaphalium luteo-album 20 / 5 17
0.22 r 99 umbrella sedge Cyperus eragrostis 5 / 2 11
0.22 r 100 floriferous monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus 10 / 2 6
0.22 Cross drainage; elevation ~1755 feet (535 m )
0.22 l (mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia)
0.22 l 101 *common dandelion Taraxacum officinale⁺ 1 / 1 6
0.22 b 102 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus 99 / 9 52
0.22 c 103 *tumble pigweed Amaranthus albus 5 / 2 14
0.22 r 104 cotton-batting plant Gnaphalium stramineum 5 / 1 20
0.22 l (long-stemmed buckwheat, Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum)
0.23 l (bristly goldenaster, Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. echioides)
0.23 b 105 telegraph weed Heterotheca grandiflora 10 / 1 36
0.24 l 106 *knotweed Polygonum arenastrum 99 / 9 20
0.25 b 107 saltgrass Distichlis spicata 50 / 3 16
0.25 r 108 Palmer's goldenbush Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis 5 / 2 10
0.26 r 109 Indian milkweed Asclepias eriocarpa 10 / 4 18
0.27 r 110 ~ *cut-leaved geranium Geranium dissectum 30 / 2 13
0.28 b Large field of hybrid wild-rye, Leymus Xmultiflorus (L. condensatus X L. triticoides)
0.28 r (branching phacelia, Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia)
0.29 r 111 miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata 20 / 2 22
0.29 r 112 *common chickweed Stellaria media 20 / 2 25
0.29 r 113 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia 3 / 3 43
0.30 l 114 *shepherd's purse Capsella bursa-pastoris 30 / 3 10
0.30 l 115 chick lupine Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus 50 / 9 9
0.31 r (Check for western thistle, Cirsium occidentale)
0.31 r 116 California everlasting Gnaphalium californicum 5 / 3 43
0.33 r 117 ~ baby Vasey's prickly-pear Opuntia vaseyi 2 / 2 24
0.35 l 118 ~ soap plant Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum⁺ 2 / 2 19
0.35 l 119 *smooth cat's ear Hypochaeris glabra 99 / 9 36
0.36 r 120 small-flowered fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii 20 / 2 10
0.36 l 121 ~ Chinese houses Collinsia heterophylla 20 / 1 12
0.37 r 122 *annual blue grass Poa annua 10 / 1 15
0.38 l 123 ~ *winter vetch Vicia villosa ssp. varia / 19
0.38 l (fragrant everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens)
0.39 l (California peony, Paeonia californica)
0.39 l (closest branching phacelia, Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia)
0.39 l (purple snapdragon, Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum)
0.40 l (giant wild-rye, Leymus condensatus)
0.44 r (big patch of giant wild-rye, Leymus condensatus)
0.44 r (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.45 r (sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa)
0.46 l Vent for water pipe
0.46 l Shrubs with beautiful oakmoss lichen, Evernia prunastri, on left.
0.48 l 124 giant wild-rye Leymus condensatus 2 / 2 27
0.49 r 125 purple needlegrass Nassella pulchra 99 / 9 20
0.50 b 126 *goldentop Lamarckia aurea 50 / 5 22
0.51 r 127 meadow-rue Thalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum 1 / 1 6
0.51 r 128 California fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. canum 10 / 1 21
0.52 l (annual sunflower, Helianthus annuus)
0.52 l 129 seaside heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum 3 / 1 10
0.52 l 130 Hooker's evening-primrose Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima 2 / 1 10
0.53 l 131 *bermuda grass Cynodon dactylon 50 / 9 31
0.53 l Sign: "Sensitive Wetland Area; Do Not Enter"
0.53 r 132 *quackgrass Elytrigia repens 10 / 1 1
0.53 r 133 spike primrose Epilobium densiflorum 10 / 1 5
0.53 b 134 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 5 / 2 39
0.53 Begin bridge across drainage; elevation ~1740 feet (530 m ); lowest elevation on route
0.53 b 135 clover fern Marsilea vestita ssp. vestita 5 / 1 3
0.53 b 136 common monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus 10 / 1 15
0.53 r 137 common tule Scirpus acutus var. occidentalis 10 / 1 2
0.53 l 138 knot grass Paspalum distichum 1 / 1 7
0.53 r 139 water cress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum 2 / 1 11
0.53 l 140 winged water-starwort Callitriche marginata 10 / 1 5
0.53 r 141 sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis 10 / 1 7
0.53 b 142 sp cattail Typha sp. 2 / 1
0.53 b (red willow, Salix laevigata)
0.53 b 143 *whorled dock Rumex conglomeratus 5 / 1 11
0.53 l 144 needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis var. bella 50 / 1 1
0.53 l 145 *dallis grass Paspalum dilatatum 5 / 1 9
0.53 r 146 rigid hedge-nettle Stachys ajugoides var. rigida 5 / 1 12
0.53 r 147 brown-headed rush Juncus phaeocephalus var. phaeocephalus 3 / 1 2
0.53 r 148 southern skullcap Scutellaria bolanderi ssp. austromontana 20 / 1 3
0.53 r 149 witchgrass Panicum capillare 10 / 1 3
0.53 r 150 *common plantain Plantago major 5 / 1 7
0.53 r 151 *spearmint Mentha spicata var. spicata 5 / 1 4
0.56 l 152 rattlesnake weed Chamaesyce albomarginata 20 / 9 10
0.58 l 153 *hedge mustard Sisymbrium officinale 5 / 1 21
0.59 l (johnny jump-up, Viola pedunculata)
0.60 l 154 *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus 20 / 5 42
0.60 l Tree growing in 6" crack in large boulder. The crack was probably significantly widened by the tree's roots.
0.61 l (white-flowering currant, Ribes indecorum)
0.61 l Jct. use trail
0.66 l 155 blue dicks Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum 99 / 9 46
0.66 Begin having only graceful tarplant, Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata, for the next ~0.5 miles.
0.68 r 156 johnny jump-up Viola pedunculata 20 / 5 16
0.68 c 157 *slender wild oats Avena barbata 99 / 9 40
0.69 l (Tree with ~8 big [crown galls??], looking like large cancer tumors)
0.71 r (Rainbow manzanita, Arctostaphylos rainbowensis)
0.73 l Fire hydrant
0.75 l 158 fragrant everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens 3 / 3 23
0.75 c 159 *wild oats Avena fatua 99 / 9 26
0.80 l 160 poison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum 1 / 1 43
0.83 l Jct. beautiful old Coast Live Oak defaced in 2002 by large initials in bark. This may seriously hurt the tree by interrupting its vascular flow.
0.83 l 161 purple sanicle Sanicula bipinnatifida 99 / 9 11
0.83 Jct. Tenaja Truck Trail; elevation ~1780 feet (542 m); go left to continue on Waterline Road. Sign: "Waterline Road (back and to left); to Visitor Center 0.8 mi".
0.84 r Check for different annual lupine
0.87 l Cross head of small drainage
0.87 b 162 red maids Calandrinia ciliata 30 / 9 17
0.89 l 163 common hareleaf Lagophylla ramosissima ssp. ramosissima 50 / 1 3
0.90 r (Excavated area - "borrow pit" for road construction?)
0.92 l 164 *Crete weed Hedypnois cretica 99 / 9 20
0.95 b Jct. Vista Grande Trail; elevation 1770 feet (539 m); cross drainage
0.95 r 165 *Mediterranean barley Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum 99 / 3 6
1.09 Local high point on road
1.11 Local low point on road; former Tenaja Truck Trail shown on USGS Map
1.19 l 166 long-stemmed buckwheat Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum / 29
1.24 Jct. Tenaja Road / Fault Road; elevation 1840 feet (561 m); go straight; sign: "Fault Road [left-right]; Monuement (sic) Hill Road [right] 0.7 mi"
1.24 l 167 coastal goldenbush Isocoma menziesii⁺ 2 / 1 17
Check for muilla somewhere past here
1.28 r (Field of slender tarweed, Hemizonia fasciculata)
1.29 l (Field of chocolate lilies, Fritillaria biflora var. biflora)
1.34 l 168 slender tarweed Hemizonia fasciculata 99 / 9 18
1.34 l Check if this annual is not red maids
1.39 l 169 blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium bellum 50 / 9 19
1.52 Local high point on road; elevation ~1875 feet (572 m)
1.53 l Jct. closed road to Tenaja Truck Trail
1.58 l 170 *little horseweed Conyza bonariensis 1 / 1 21
1.63 l 171 southern California morning-glory Calystegia macrostegia ssp. arida⁺ 4 / 4 7
1.64 l 172 ~ small-head field clover Trifolium microcephalum 10 / 1 10
1.65 Local low point on road; elevation 1860 feet (567 m); cross small drainage; now on Clay Hill
1.66 r (Field of shooting stars, Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii; please don't trample plants and go off-trail, there is a bigger and better patch on trail farther along)
1.74 l 173 tawny popcorn flower Plagiobothrys fulvus 5 / 1 4
1.74 l 174 California lotus Lotus wrangelianus 20 / 2 5
1.77 r Jct. Monument Hill Road; go right on it; elevation ~1870 feet (570 m)
1.77 r (California sagebrush, Artemisia californica, prior to 2005)
1.79 r (perc pit, from 1984 when land was slated for development)
r 175 small-flowered morning-glory Convolvulus simulans 5 / 1 2
1.88 r 176 shooting star Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii 30 / 2 11
1.88 b Beautiful field of hundreds of shooting stars, Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii, the best display of it at the SRPER.
1.90 Highest point on route; elevation 1890 feet (575 m)
1.91 r 177 shining peppergrass Lepidium nitidum var. nitidum 50 / 9 6
2.09 r soap plant Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum⁺ /
2.25 r (white everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum)
2.28 l 178 *cheeseweed Malva parviflora 10 / 1 17
2.28 l (Old metal structure, associated with cattle)
2.31 c 179 *little-seed canarygrass Phalaris minor 10 / 1 1
2.33 r Jct. Fault Road; go right on it; local low point; elevation 1800 feet (549 m)
2.33 l Cattle water trough; this is perhaps the weediest area on the Reserve, where cattle were stationed year-round by the Kaiser Development Company from 1964 to 1984.
2.40 r 180 elk thistle Cirsium scariosum 4 / 3 11
2.41 r Cross small drainage; road curves left then right
2.49 b Many young glaucous shortpod mustard, Hirschfeldia incana, in road!
2.50 b 181 *Russian knapweed Acroptilon repens 20 / 1 1
2.80 High point on road; elevation ~1850 feet (565 m)
2.86 r ~ (common lomatium, Lomatium utriculatum)
2.88 r 182 western buttercup Ranunculus occidentalis 10 / 1 6
2.88 Cross the famous swale, filled with red-skinned onion and Western buttercups in 2001
2.88 b 183 red-skinned onion Allium haematochiton 5 / 1 3
2.98 Jct. Waterline Road; go left to return to Visitor Center; end plant guide
3.27 Jct. Vista Grande Trail; take it to the right to return via a different route.
4.08 End Vista Grande Trail; go left to Waterline Road
4.10 Jct. Waterline Road; go right to return to Visitor Center
4.29 End trip at Visitor Center.

Comments On Specific Species

Heteromeles arbutifolia, Baccharis pilularis, Baccharis emoryi, and Fraxinus sp.?. These specimens are planted.
Quercus acutidens. Most botanists would call the scrub oaks at the Santa Rosa Plateau Q. berberidifolia and hybrids with Q. engelmannii, without actually keying them out or studying them, since that is the conventional wisdom. However, that identification is unsatisfactory in a number of ways:

There are very few plants that key to Q. berberidifolia using either the JM or Roberts key, due to the size, shape and toothedness of the leaves. Further, some of the plants that do key to Q. berberidifolia turn out to have Q. engelmannii hairs on their leaves! The presence of those hairs is naturally explained by the putative origin of Q. acutidens as an ancient cross, or multiple ancient crosses, of an ancient scrub oak with Q. engelmannii. The species itself is then simply naturally variable in how it expresses the Engelmann hairs.
Invoking the magic wand of the word hybridization with Q. engelmannii to explain the vast majority of the plants that don't key to Q. berberidifolia is a very poor fit to the observed plants. In addition to the problem posed by the most scrub-oak-like specimens having Englemann hairs in their leaves, some of the most tree-like specimens with the most Engelmann-like leaves have no Engelmann hairs on their leaves.
These plants cannot be hybrids in the traditional sense of resulting from a single cross between Q. berberidifolia and Q. engelmannii, since they are not few in number resulting from a cross between nearby parents. The alternative explanation, that of a hybrid swarm, is also untenable, since there is no gradation in form over all of Southern California. That is, there is no portion of the physical distribution swarm that is more Engelmann-like, and no portion that is more scrub-oak-like.
These plants behave like a single species all over their range in Southern California, with the full range of variation in this species seen in small areal patches.

In contrast, these plants all fit perfectly with all the other Q. acutidens we've observed in Southern California. See Tom's unfinished article on Scrub Oaks for more information.
Gutierrezia sarothrae. The species G. sarothrae and G. californicum apparently intergrade extensively in Southern California; these plants are on the G. sarothrae side. See Plants of Southern California: Analysis Pages: Matchweed (Gutierrezia)
Nassella cernua . These species are not counted as new species unless the previous Nassella sp. turn out to be different taxa.
Sisymbrium irio, Tragopogon dubius, Taraxacum officinale. We are trying to eliminate this infestation here, so we hope you don't find any specimens of this species.
Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum . The first specimen on the trail, so far seen only with young leaves, is a bit unusual. It has wider leaves than normal for this species, and the margins are straight, not wavy. The second specimen was confirmed from blooms, and is also noted in the guide.
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.
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.
Tom thanks Jane Strong for her considerable assistance with helping him learn the plants of the Santa Rosa Plateau.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	5	3%
2	4	2%
3	5	3%
4	2	1%
5	3	2%
----
1-5	19	11%
6-10	28	16%
11-15	30	17%
16-20	28	16%
21-25	21	12%
26-30	15	8%
31-35	8	4%
36-40	11	6%
41-45	11	6%
46-50	2	1%
51-55	7	4%
Total Taxa	180	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
11/2/2002	1	67	3	7	6	1
12/22/2003	2	77	4	5	9	3
6/19/2004	3	82	4	6	10	3
12/26/2004	4	134	5	12	28	3
7/1/2005	5	170	2	8	15	2
7/5/2005	6	171	2	5	15	2
9/8/2005	7	177	2	5	11	2
11/15/2005	8	180	2	4	10	2
3/23/2006	9	183	1	1	10	1

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Beginning of Waterline Road next to Visitor Center at Gate; elevation ~1780 feet (542 m)
0.00	l	1		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia⁺	2 / 2	44
0.00	r	2		chamise	Adenostoma fasciculatum	30 / 9	37
0.00	r	3		Torrey's scrub oak	Quercus acutidens⁺	30 / 9	26
0.00	c	4		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9	55
0.00	b	5		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	50 / 9	36
0.00	l	6		*scarlet pimpernel	Anagallis arvensis	99 / 9	33
0.00	b	7		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis	99 / 9	45
0.00	l	8		*prickly sow thistle	Sonchus asper ssp. asper	99 / 9	30
0.00	l	9		false monkeyflower	Mimulus pilosus	10 / 4	7
0.00	l	10		creeping spurge	Chamaesyce serpens	2 / 1	1
0.00	b	11		*narrowleaf filago	Filago gallica	99 / 9	45
0.00	r	12		rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	99 / 9	29
0.00	b	13		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	10 / 1	22
0.00	r	14		*hairy rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta	99 / 9	19
0.00	r	15		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	99 / 9	53
0.00	r	16		saw-toothed goldenbush	Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides	30 / 9	35
0.00	b	17		*soft chess	Bromus hordeaceus	99 / 9	40
0.00	r	18		triangular-fruit sedge	Carex triquetra	5 / 2	17
0.00	r	19		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	10 / 2	28
0.00	r	20		checkerbloom	Sidalcea malviflora ssp. sparsifolia	50 / 9	25
0.00	b	21		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum	20 / 9	51
0.00	r	22		bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus	20 / 4	27
0.00	l	23		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	50 / 9	24
0.00	r	24		San Diego tarweed	Hemizonia paniculata	99 / 9	8
0.00	b	25		holly-leaf navarretia	Navarretia atractyloides	50 / 9	9
0.00	l			(blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium bellum; horehound, Marrubium vulgare; cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium; California everlasting, Gnaphalium californicum; common cudweed, Gnaphalium luteo-album; Spanish clover, Lotus purshianus var. purshianus)
0.00	l			(a showy penstemon, Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis, planted in ~2002, was dead in 2005)
0.00	b	26	?	ash?	Fraxinus sp.?⁺	2 / 1
0.00	l	27		coyote bush	Baccharis pilularis⁺	1 / 1	26
0.00	l	28		*London rocket	Sisymbrium irio⁺	1 / 1	11
0.00	b	29		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	99 / 9	51
0.00	b	30		canchalagua	Centaurium venustum	99 / 9	15
0.00	r	31		hooked skunkweed	Navarretia hamata ssp. hamata	99 / 9	11
0.00	r	32		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	50 / 9	51
0.00	r	33		*nit grass	Gastridium ventricosum	99 / 9	26
0.00	r			(southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata; redberry, Rhamnus crocea; threadstem, Pterostegia drymarioides)
0.00	r	34		blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus	20 / 5	21
0.00	r			(seashore bentgrass, Agrostis pallens)
				(Emory's baccharis, Baccharis emoryi⁺)
0.00	r	35		climbing bedstraw	Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii	10 / 9	30
0.00	r	36		basketbush	Rhus trilobata	3 / 3	24
0.00	r	37		coast live oak	Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia	3 / 3	42
0.00	l	38		cocklebur	Xanthium strumarium	30 / 4	17
0.00	l	39		dove weed	Eremocarpus setigerus	99 / 9	25
0.01	l			(pineapple weed, Chamomilla suaveolens; rattlesnake weed, Chamaesyce albomarginata)
0.01	r	40		toad rush	Juncus bufonius var. bufonius	99 / 9	14
0.01	r	41		matchweed	Gutierrezia sarothrae⁺	30 / 5	9
0.01	r	42		vinegar weed	Trichostema lanceolatum	99 / 9	15
0.01	r	43	~	*short-fruited filaree	Erodium brachycarpum	99 / 9	14
0.01	r	44	~	rusty-haired popcorn flower	Plagiobothrys nothofulvus	99 / 9	14
0.01	r			(slender buckwheat, Eriogonum gracile var. gracile)
0.01	l			A tree-like Torrey's scrub oak, Quercus acutidens, which has ~30 "trunks" and no Engelmann hairs on its leaves.
0.01	l			(poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum)
0.01	b			Look for first wild oats, Avena sp. on trail before mile 0.68
0.01	r	45		slender wreathplant	Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei	1 / 1	14
0.01	r			(leafy daisy, Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus)
0.02	r			(coast-range melic, Melica imperfecta; golden yarrow, Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum)
0.02	b			(southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata)
0.02	l	46		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	30 / 9	55
0.02	l			(non-planted toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia)
0.02	r	47		purple clarkia	Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera	99 / 9	26
0.02	r			(southern Indian pink, Silene laciniata ssp. major)
0.02	r			(hollyleaf redberry, Rhamnus ilicifolia)
0.02	r	48		dwarf lupine	Lupinus bicolor	99 / 9	29
0.03	l	49		*prickly lettuce	Lactuca serriola	99 / 9	42
0.03	l	50		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	10 / 9	40
0.03	r	51		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	10 / 3	49
0.03	l	52		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha	99 / 9	40
0.03	r	53		Pacific sanicle	Sanicula crassicaulis	30 / 9	20
0.03	r	54		coast-range melic	Melica imperfecta	5 / 5	43
0.04	r	55		deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. scoparius	10 / 2	29
0.04	r	56		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	4 / 4	44
0.04	l	57		splendid mariposa lily	Calochortus splendens	/	20
0.04	l	58		Pomona locoweed	Astragalus pomonensis	20 / 9	11
0.04	r	59		San Diego birdsfoot lotus	Lotus hamatus	/	24
0.04	r			(tomcat clover, Trifolium willdenovii)
0.04	l	60		needlegrass	Nassella sp.	99 / 9
0.04	r			(California lace fern, Aspidotis californica; goldback fern, Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis)
0.05	r	61		common bedstraw	Galium aparine	99 / 9	38
0.05	r	62		*pineapple weed	Chamomilla suaveolens	30 / 3	19
0.05	r	63		southern Indian pink	Silene laciniata ssp. major	10 / 2	20
0.05	r	64	~	San Diego pea	Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii	1 / 1	21
0.06	r			Jct. use trail
0.06	r			nodding needlegrass	Nassella cernua⁺	/	17
0.06	l	65		three spot	Osmadenia tenella	99 / 9	15
0.06	l	66		Spanish clover	Lotus purshianus var. purshianus	99 / 9	31
0.06	l	67		*grass poly	Lythrum hyssopifolia	99 / 9	15
0.06	l	68		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	3 / 2	21
0.07	l			Jct. shortcut to Granite Loop Trail
0.07	l	69		common spikerush	Eleocharis macrostachya	99 / 9	12
0.07	b	70		wrinkled rush	Juncus rugulosus	20 / 3	13
0.07	r			(giant wild-rye, Leymus condensatus)
0.08	r	71		*hedge parsley	Torilis nodosa	20 / 2	14
0.08	r			(common chickweed, Stellaria media)
0.08	r	72		*bull thistle	Cirsium vulgare	1 / 1	19
0.08	r			Jct. animal path
0.08				(Field with three big patches of seasonal color: nearest (and in distance) is white / green of Spanish clover, Lotus purshianus var. purshianus; middle is red of wrinkled rush, Juncus rugulosus; farthest is white of three spot, Osmadenia tenella)
0.09	r	73		*yellow salsify	Tragopogon dubius⁺	40 / 5	13
0.10	r	74		clustered toad rush	Juncus bufonius var. congestus	50 / 3	9
0.10	l	75		*curly dock	Rumex crispus	20 / 9	23
0.11	r	76		slender madia	Madia gracilis	30 / 5	19
0.12	r	77		*sourclover	Melilotus indicus	20 / 2	24
0.14	b	78		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	50 / 9	37
0.14	l	79		*sand spurrey	Spergularia bocconei	99 / 9	14
0.15	r	80		San Diego wreathplant	Stephanomeria diegensis	3 / 2	21
0.16	l			(~30 unusual plants of purple clarkia, Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera, with a densely-clustered inflorescence lacking petals)
0.18				From here to the creek crossing, graceful tarplant, Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata, is mixed with San Diego tarweed, Hemizonia paniculata. After that, it is all San Diego tarweed again.
0.18	b	81		graceful tarplant	Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata	99 / 9	15
0.18	r	82		creeping wild rye	Leymus triticoides	5 / 1	12
0.18	r	83		Engelmann oak	Quercus engelmannii	5 / 5	23
0.19	r	84	ssp	*foxtail barley	Hordeum murinum	20 / 2
0.19	b			Jct. Granite Loop Trail.
0.19	l	85		*windmill pink	Silene gallica	/	33
0.19	r			Sign: "Mountain Lion..."
0.20	b	86		sharp-toothed sanicle	Sanicula arguta	5 / 1	16
0.20	r	87		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	20 / 3	16
0.20	r			(Palmer's goldenbush, Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis)
0.21	r	88		hybrid wild-rye	Leymus Xmultiflorus (L. condensatus X L. triticoides)	50 / 9	6
0.21	l	89		*horehound	Marrubium vulgare	3 / 1	32
0.21	l	90		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	2 / 2	35
0.21	l	91		willow-leaved dock	Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus	10 / 2	9
0.22	l			(blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana, hidden behind arroyo willow)
0.22	r	92		goldenrod	Solidago californica	20 / 3	35
0.22	r	93		western vervain	Verbena lasiostachys var. lasiostachys	5 / 2	10
0.22	r	94		thyme-leafed spurge	Chamaesyce serpyllifolia ssp. serpyllifolia	2 / 2	2
0.22	r	95		narrow-leaf milkweed	Asclepias fascicularis	10 / 2	8
0.22	r	96		*Italian rye-grass	Lolium multiflorum	99 / 9	18
0.22	l	97		mugwort	Artemisia douglasiana	5 / 1	28
0.22	r	98		*common cudweed	Gnaphalium luteo-album	20 / 5	17
0.22	r	99		umbrella sedge	Cyperus eragrostis	5 / 2	11
0.22	r	100		floriferous monkeyflower	Mimulus floribundus	10 / 2	6
0.22				Cross drainage; elevation ~1755 feet (535 m )
0.22	l			(mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia)
0.22	l	101		*common dandelion	Taraxacum officinale⁺	1 / 1	6
0.22	b	102		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	99 / 9	52
0.22	c	103		*tumble pigweed	Amaranthus albus	5 / 2	14
0.22	r	104		cotton-batting plant	Gnaphalium stramineum	5 / 1	20
0.22	l			(long-stemmed buckwheat, Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum)
0.23	l			(bristly goldenaster, Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. echioides)
0.23	b	105		telegraph weed	Heterotheca grandiflora	10 / 1	36
0.24	l	106		*knotweed	Polygonum arenastrum	99 / 9	20
0.25	b	107		saltgrass	Distichlis spicata	50 / 3	16
0.25	r	108		Palmer's goldenbush	Ericameria palmeri var. pachylepis	5 / 2	10
0.26	r	109		Indian milkweed	Asclepias eriocarpa	10 / 4	18
0.27	r	110	~	*cut-leaved geranium	Geranium dissectum	30 / 2	13
0.28	b			Large field of hybrid wild-rye, Leymus Xmultiflorus (L. condensatus X L. triticoides)
0.28	r			(branching phacelia, Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia)
0.29	r	111		miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata	20 / 2	22
0.29	r	112		*common chickweed	Stellaria media	20 / 2	25
0.29	r	113		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	3 / 3	43
0.30	l	114		*shepherd's purse	Capsella bursa-pastoris	30 / 3	10
0.30	l	115		chick lupine	Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus	50 / 9	9
0.31	r			(Check for western thistle, Cirsium occidentale)
0.31	r	116		California everlasting	Gnaphalium californicum	5 / 3	43
0.33	r	117	~	baby Vasey's prickly-pear	Opuntia vaseyi	2 / 2	24
0.35	l	118	~	soap plant	Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum⁺	2 / 2	19
0.35	l	119		*smooth cat's ear	Hypochaeris glabra	99 / 9	36
0.36	r	120		small-flowered fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii	20 / 2	10
0.36	l	121	~	Chinese houses	Collinsia heterophylla	20 / 1	12
0.37	r	122		*annual blue grass	Poa annua	10 / 1	15
0.38	l	123	~	*winter vetch	Vicia villosa ssp. varia	/	19
0.38	l			(fragrant everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens)
0.39	l			(California peony, Paeonia californica)
0.39	l			(closest branching phacelia, Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia)
0.39	l			(purple snapdragon, Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum)
0.40	l			(giant wild-rye, Leymus condensatus)
0.44	r			(big patch of giant wild-rye, Leymus condensatus)
0.44	r			(blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.45	r			(sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa)
0.46	l			Vent for water pipe
0.46	l			Shrubs with beautiful oakmoss lichen, Evernia prunastri, on left.
0.48	l	124		giant wild-rye	Leymus condensatus	2 / 2	27
0.49	r	125		purple needlegrass	Nassella pulchra	99 / 9	20
0.50	b	126		*goldentop	Lamarckia aurea	50 / 5	22
0.51	r	127		meadow-rue	Thalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum	1 / 1	6
0.51	r	128		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. canum	10 / 1	21
0.52	l			(annual sunflower, Helianthus annuus)
0.52	l	129		seaside heliotrope	Heliotropium curassavicum	3 / 1	10
0.52	l	130		Hooker's evening-primrose	Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima	2 / 1	10
0.53	l	131		*bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	50 / 9	31
0.53	l			Sign: "Sensitive Wetland Area; Do Not Enter"
0.53	r	132		*quackgrass	Elytrigia repens	10 / 1	1
0.53	r	133		spike primrose	Epilobium densiflorum	10 / 1	5
0.53	b	134		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	5 / 2	39
0.53				Begin bridge across drainage; elevation ~1740 feet (530 m ); lowest elevation on route
0.53	b	135		clover fern	Marsilea vestita ssp. vestita	5 / 1	3
0.53	b	136		common monkeyflower	Mimulus guttatus	10 / 1	15
0.53	r	137		common tule	Scirpus acutus var. occidentalis	10 / 1	2
0.53	l	138		knot grass	Paspalum distichum	1 / 1	7
0.53	r	139		water cress	Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum	2 / 1	11
0.53	l	140		winged water-starwort	Callitriche marginata	10 / 1	5
0.53	r	141		sand spikerush	Eleocharis montevidensis	10 / 1	7
0.53	b	142	sp	cattail	Typha sp.	2 / 1
0.53	b			(red willow, Salix laevigata)
0.53	b	143		*whorled dock	Rumex conglomeratus	5 / 1	11
0.53	l	144		needle spikerush	Eleocharis acicularis var. bella	50 / 1	1
0.53	l	145		*dallis grass	Paspalum dilatatum	5 / 1	9
0.53	r	146		rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	5 / 1	12
0.53	r	147		brown-headed rush	Juncus phaeocephalus var. phaeocephalus	3 / 1	2
0.53	r	148		southern skullcap	Scutellaria bolanderi ssp. austromontana	20 / 1	3
0.53	r	149		witchgrass	Panicum capillare	10 / 1	3
0.53	r	150		*common plantain	Plantago major	5 / 1	7
0.53	r	151		*spearmint	Mentha spicata var. spicata	5 / 1	4
0.56	l	152		rattlesnake weed	Chamaesyce albomarginata	20 / 9	10
0.58	l	153		*hedge mustard	Sisymbrium officinale	5 / 1	21
0.59	l			(johnny jump-up, Viola pedunculata)
0.60	l	154		*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	20 / 5	42
0.60	l			Tree growing in 6" crack in large boulder. The crack was probably significantly widened by the tree's roots.
0.61	l			(white-flowering currant, Ribes indecorum)
0.61	l			Jct. use trail
0.66	l	155		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	99 / 9	46
0.66				Begin having only graceful tarplant, Holocarpha virgata ssp. elongata, for the next ~0.5 miles.
0.68	r	156		johnny jump-up	Viola pedunculata	20 / 5	16
0.68	c	157		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	99 / 9	40
0.69	l			(Tree with ~8 big [crown galls??], looking like large cancer tumors)
0.71	r			(Rainbow manzanita, Arctostaphylos rainbowensis)
0.73	l			Fire hydrant
0.75	l	158		fragrant everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens	3 / 3	23
0.75	c	159		*wild oats	Avena fatua	99 / 9	26
0.80	l	160		poison oak	Toxicodendron diversilobum	1 / 1	43
0.83	l			Jct. beautiful old Coast Live Oak defaced in 2002 by large initials in bark. This may seriously hurt the tree by interrupting its vascular flow.
0.83	l	161		purple sanicle	Sanicula bipinnatifida	99 / 9	11
0.83				Jct. Tenaja Truck Trail; elevation ~1780 feet (542 m); go left to continue on Waterline Road. Sign: "Waterline Road (back and to left); to Visitor Center 0.8 mi".
0.84	r			Check for different annual lupine
0.87	l			Cross head of small drainage
0.87	b	162		red maids	Calandrinia ciliata	30 / 9	17
0.89	l	163		common hareleaf	Lagophylla ramosissima ssp. ramosissima	50 / 1	3
0.90	r			(Excavated area - "borrow pit" for road construction?)
0.92	l	164		*Crete weed	Hedypnois cretica	99 / 9	20
0.95	b			Jct. Vista Grande Trail; elevation 1770 feet (539 m); cross drainage
0.95	r	165		*Mediterranean barley	Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum	99 / 3	6
1.09				Local high point on road
1.11				Local low point on road; former Tenaja Truck Trail shown on USGS Map
1.19	l	166		long-stemmed buckwheat	Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum	/	29
1.24				Jct. Tenaja Road / Fault Road; elevation 1840 feet (561 m); go straight; sign: "Fault Road [left-right]; Monuement (sic) Hill Road [right] 0.7 mi"
1.24	l	167		coastal goldenbush	Isocoma menziesii⁺	2 / 1	17
				Check for muilla somewhere past here
1.28	r			(Field of slender tarweed, Hemizonia fasciculata)
1.29	l			(Field of chocolate lilies, Fritillaria biflora var. biflora)
1.34	l	168		slender tarweed	Hemizonia fasciculata	99 / 9	18
1.34	l			Check if this annual is not red maids
1.39	l	169		blue-eyed grass	Sisyrinchium bellum	50 / 9	19
1.52				Local high point on road; elevation ~1875 feet (572 m)
1.53	l			Jct. closed road to Tenaja Truck Trail
1.58	l	170		*little horseweed	Conyza bonariensis	1 / 1	21
1.63	l	171		southern California morning-glory	Calystegia macrostegia ssp. arida⁺	4 / 4	7
1.64	l	172	~	small-head field clover	Trifolium microcephalum	10 / 1	10
1.65				Local low point on road; elevation 1860 feet (567 m); cross small drainage; now on Clay Hill
1.66	r			(Field of shooting stars, Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii; please don't trample plants and go off-trail, there is a bigger and better patch on trail farther along)
1.74	l	173		tawny popcorn flower	Plagiobothrys fulvus	5 / 1	4
1.74	l	174		California lotus	Lotus wrangelianus	20 / 2	5
1.77	r			Jct. Monument Hill Road; go right on it; elevation ~1870 feet (570 m)
1.77	r			(California sagebrush, Artemisia californica, prior to 2005)
1.79	r			(perc pit, from 1984 when land was slated for development)
	r	175		small-flowered morning-glory	Convolvulus simulans	5 / 1	2
1.88	r	176		shooting star	Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii	30 / 2	11
1.88	b			Beautiful field of hundreds of shooting stars, Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. clevelandii, the best display of it at the SRPER.
1.90				Highest point on route; elevation 1890 feet (575 m)
1.91	r	177		shining peppergrass	Lepidium nitidum var. nitidum	50 / 9	6
2.09	r			soap plant	Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum⁺	/
2.25	r			(white everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum)
2.28	l	178		*cheeseweed	Malva parviflora	10 / 1	17
2.28	l			(Old metal structure, associated with cattle)
2.31	c	179		*little-seed canarygrass	Phalaris minor	10 / 1	1
2.33	r			Jct. Fault Road; go right on it; local low point; elevation 1800 feet (549 m)
2.33	l			Cattle water trough; this is perhaps the weediest area on the Reserve, where cattle were stationed year-round by the Kaiser Development Company from 1964 to 1984.
2.40	r	180		elk thistle	Cirsium scariosum	4 / 3	11
2.41	r			Cross small drainage; road curves left then right
2.49	b			Many young glaucous shortpod mustard, Hirschfeldia incana, in road!
2.50	b	181		*Russian knapweed	Acroptilon repens	20 / 1	1
2.80				High point on road; elevation ~1850 feet (565 m)
2.86	r		~	(common lomatium, Lomatium utriculatum)
2.88	r	182		western buttercup	Ranunculus occidentalis	10 / 1	6
2.88				Cross the famous swale, filled with red-skinned onion and Western buttercups in 2001
2.88	b	183		red-skinned onion	Allium haematochiton	5 / 1	3
2.98				Jct. Waterline Road; go left to return to Visitor Center; end plant guide
3.27				Jct. Vista Grande Trail; take it to the right to return via a different route.
4.08				End Vista Grande Trail; go left to Waterline Road
4.10				Jct. Waterline Road; go right to return to Visitor Center
4.29				End trip at Visitor Center.

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Plant Trail Guides For The Santa Rosa Plateau
Field Guide to the Santa Rosa Plateau: Plants

Copyright © 2002-2006 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/waterline_loop.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 4 April 2006.