Natural History Wanderings

Plant List has been updated 7/6/14

It may be July but the Bay Area wildflower season is still going strong at Abbotts Lagoon.

We hiked out to the lagoon, went over the bridge, hiked around the dunes and then went up to the bluff  just before the bridge and continued a short distance along the fence  and managed to  find many wildflowers in bloom today. Most plentiful were Marsh Hedge Nettle, Yarrow, California Poppies ( smaller this time of year and the very yellow coastal form), Yellow Sand-verbena and Gum Plant.

Twenty-one birds were identified. Most interesting were the White Pelicans flying back and forth, two Northern Harriers interacting and the many White-crowned Sparrows singing (to establish their territory I am guessing).

Butterflies and Dragonflies were also active. Butterflies identified were Mylitta Crescent, Coronis Fritillary, Cabbage White, either a West Coast or Painted Lady, and a dark Checkerspot.

Click Read More  below for a detailed plant list and more information on visiting Pt. Reyes.

To see the bird list go to Abbott’s Lagoon Bird List 7/5/14

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ABBOTTS LAGOON Plant list for July 5,2014

As a reference, I used a list comes  the Marin CNPS list for Abbott’s Lagoon which can be found at the following link: (http://www.marin.edu/cnps/ABBOTTS_LAGOON_PUBLIC_TRAIL2009.html).  I have only listed the plants seen. I have not updated the list to include the changes in plant families and genera in the new Jespon flora. Alien species, or weeds, are marked  *.  All other plants are Californian natives.

Update: I just learned that the Marin CNPS has updated many of its plant lists including those for Abbott’s Lagoon using the  2012 version of Jepson at Marin County Plant Lists

ANACARDIACEAE (SUMAC FAMILY)
Toxicodendron diversilobum            Poison Oak (not in bloom but lots of it be careful)

APIACEAE/UMBELLIFERAE (PARSLEY FAMILY)
Conium maculatum                            Poison Hemlock            *
Oenanthe sarmentosa                        Water Parsley

ASTERACEAE/COMPOSITAE (SUNFLOWER/COMPOSITE FAMILY)
Achillea millefolium                                     Yarrow
Agoseris apargioides                              Seaside Dandelion
Anaphalis margaritacea                        Pearly Everlasting            *
Artemisia pycnocephala                        Beach Sagebrush
Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale            Cobweb Thistle
Eriophyllum staechadifolium                       Lizard Tail
Erigeron glaucus                                               Seaside Daisy
Eriophyllum staechadifolium             Lizard Tail
Grindelia stricta var. platyphylla            Dune Gumplant
Lasthenia californica                        Gold Fields
an unidentified aster or erigeron

BORAGINACEAE (BORAGE FAMILY)
Heliotropium curassavicum         Heliotrope

BRASSICACEAE/CRUCIFERAE (MUSTARD FAMILY)
Brassica sp.                                        Mustard            *
Cakile maritima                                 Sea Rocket            *
Raphanus sativus/ R. raphanistrum            Wild Radish            *

CAMPANULACEAE (BELLFLOWER FAMILY)

CARYOPHYLLACEAE (PINK FAMILY)
Silene scouleri ssp grandis               Pink–flowered Catchfly            *

CONVOLVULACEAE (MORNING-GLORY FAMILY)
Calystegia purpurata ssp. purpurata            Trailing Morning-glory

CRASSULACEAE (STONE-CROP FAMILY)
Dudleya farinosa                                    Sea-bluff-lettuce

FABACEAE/LEGUMINOSAE (PEA FAMILY)
Lotus scoparius                                    Deer-weed (prostrate form on dunes)
Lupinus arboreus                                 Yellow Bush Lupine
Lupinus bicolor                                    Coastal form Annual Lupine
Lupinus albifrons                                Silverleaf Lupine

GENTIANACEAE (GENTIAN FAMILY)
Gentiana affinis var. ovata                        Coastal Gentian

LAMIACEAE/LABIATAE (MINT FAMILY)
Monardella undulata var. undulata            Curly-leaved Monardella            LIST4.2
Monardella villosa var. franciscana            Franciscan Pennyroyal
Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata            Large-flowered Self-heal
Stachys ajugoides var.  ajugoides            Marsh Hedge-nettle
Stachys ajugoides var.  rigida            Dryland Hedge-nettle

NYCTAGINACEAE (FOUR O’CLOCK FAMILY)
Abronia latifolia            Yellow Sand-verbena

ONAGRACEAE (EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY
Camissonia cheiranthifolia                        Beach Suncup

PAPAVERACEAE (POPPY FAMILY)
Eschscholzia californica                        California Poppy, coastal yellow

POLYGONACEAE (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY
Chorizanthe cuspidata ssp.cuspida San Francisco Bay Spineflower
Eriogonum latifolium                        Coast Buckwheat
Persicaria amphibia var. emersa     Pink Aquatic Knotweed
Polygonum paronychia                     Dune Knotweed
Rumex crispus                                    Curly Dock

PORTULACEAE (PURSLANE FAMILY)
Claytonia sibirica                                    Candy Flower

POTAMOGETONACEAE (PONDWEED FAMILY)
Potamogeton nodosus                        Broad-leaved Pondweed

PRIMULACEAE (PRIMROSE FAMILY)
Anagallis arvensis                                    Scarlet Pimpernel            *

ROSACEAE (ROSE FAMILY)
Potentilla anserina ssp. pacifica     Shore Cinquefoil
Rubus ursinus                                    California Blackberry

SCROPHULARIACEAE (FIGWORT FAMILY)
Castilleja sp.                                          Paintbrush
Mimulus moschatus                             Musk Monkey-flower
Mimulus guttatus                                   Monkey-flower

For more information on Pt. Reyes and Abbotts Lagoon click on this link:  Pt. Reyes Posts on Natural History Wanderings