UPPER ZUMA CANYON, SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS
FEBRUARY 2009
PAGE ONE
Photographs by Michael Charters




These pictures were taken on a 5-mile out-and-back along a section of the Backbone Trail from Encinal Road to Kanan Road in the Santa Monica Mts. I didn't expect much in the way of blooming plants, this being only the 2nd of February, but this is a beautiful area and I was eager to begin reaquainting myself with the flora of the Santa Monicas since it has been a few years since I did much there. The hills were covered with a glorious display of bigpod ceanothus in full bloom, but the best treat was the dozens and dozens of milkmaids spotting the shadier parts of the trail. Since this was not a "blooms" hike, many of the pictures that are included here are intended to show what these species look like before they begin bearing lovely flowers. As always, an asterisk next to the common name indicates a non-native species.


   
Redshanks
Adenostoma sparsifolium
Rosaceae
 
California aster
Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia
Asteraceae

[Named for Christian Friedrich Lessing, 1809-1862]
 
San Diego wreathplant
Stephanomeria diegensis
Asteraceae
   


 
Bigpod ceanothus
Ceanothus megacarpus var. megacarpus
Rhamnaceae
 



 
 
Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Rosaceae
 
 
 
 
Laurel sumac
Malosma laurina
Anacardiaceae
Canyon sunflower
Venegasia carpesioides
Asteraceae

[Named for Miguel Venegas, 1680-1764]
 
 


 
Greenbark ceanothus
Ceanothus spinosus
Rhamnaceae


 
 
Purple nightshade
Solanum xanti
Solanaceae

[Named for János Xántus (de Vesey) 1825-1894]
 
 
Short-leaved cliff aster
Malacothrix saxatilis var. tenuifolia
Asteraceae
Hollyleaf redberry
Rhamnus ilicifolia
Rhamnaceae
Slender cinquefoil
Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glandulosa
Rosaceae
Maidenhair fern
Adiantum capillus-veneris
Pteridaceae


 
Milkmaids
Cardamine californica var. californica
Brassicaceae


   
Bush mallow
Malacothamnus fasciculatus
Malvaceae
 
Coastal woodfern
Dryopteris arguta
Dryopteridaceae


 
Wild peony
Paeonia californica
Paeoniaceae


PHOTO GALLERIES
INDEX
CALFLORA.NET PAGE TWO
OF TWO
CALIFORNIA PLANT NAMES: LATIN AND GREEK MEANINGS AND DERIVATIONS
VIRGINIA PLANT NAMES: LATIN AND GREEK MEANINGS AND DERIVATIONS

Copyright © 2009 by Michael L. Charters.
The photographs contained on these web pages may not be reproduced without the express consent of the author.
Comments and/or questions may be addressed to: mmlcharters[at]gmail.com.