Learn about the many rare and beautiful native plants of the San Francisco Bay Area through this series of informative and well written articles.
Dune Tansy (Tanacetum camphoratum)
In several previous issues, I’ve written about San Francisco’s coastal dunes and some of the plant species that inhabit them. Many of the beautiful, intriguing, […]
Coastal Terrace Prairie
California, which is known for its phenomenal diversity of plant and animal life, is equally remarkable for its diversity of distinct and not-so-distinct plant communities. […]
Bryophytes – Those Fascinating Mosses and Liverworts
Mosses and liverworts are bryophytes, non-vascular green plants. Having no vascular, or circulatory, system, these small plants must absorb their moisture from the atmosphere through […]
Purple Needlegrass (Nassella pulchra)
(Note: legislation was signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger Aug.23, 2004 recognizing purple needlegrass as the official State Grass of California.) As promised (or threatened, depending on […]
Pacific reedgrass (Calamagrostis nutkaensis)
I was reading two excellent articles about native grasslands in the April issue of Bay Nature magazine, when it dawned on me! In nearly 11 […]
Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia californica)
An interesting and not-so-obvious native vine is Dutchman’s pipe. Also called California pipevine, this species is most recognizable by its one- to six-inch long, heart-shaped, […]
Skunkweed (Navarretia squarrosa)
Anyone who has ever hiked with a botanist has probably been witness to the peculiar ritual of picking small pieces of plants, rubbing them between […]
Yerba Buena (Satureja douglasii)
As a departure from the usual theme of this column, I’m writing today about a plant that is neither restricted in its distribution nor at […]
Michael’s rein orchid (Piperia michaelii)
About ten years ago our chapter Rare Plants Committee did an extensive but vain search for Piperia michaelii, Michael’s rein orchid, on Brotherhood Way, a […]
Coastal dune scrub
I’ve just returned from a spring break jaunt to one of my favorite places in California – the coastal dunes of central California. While attending […]
Stinging Phacelia (Phacelia malvifolia)
Stinging phacelia is a member of the water leaf family (Hydrophyllaceae). The family name is derived from the Greek words hydro (water)and phyllon (leaf). The […]
Rare Plant Species Rediscovered in Presidio
Author: Michael Chasse & Marie Fontaine & Emily Magnaghi During the past few years, some interesting plant species have been rediscovered in the Presidio’s natural […]
California Broom-Rape (Orobanche californica)
Here’s an obscure little group of plants with which you might not be familiar. The Orobanchaceae is a family of flowering plants (dicots) consisting entirely […]
Spreading Wood Fern (Dryopteris expansa)
There is something about ferns that is naturally soothing to the human eye. Long popular with houseplant enthusiasts, ferns seem to radiate tranquillity. Whether it […]
Fiesta Flower (Pholistoma auritum var. auritum)
Continuing our exploration of local rarities, there is one species that was, until recently, thought to have completely vanished from San Francisco County. Fiesta flower, […]
California Croton (Croton californicus)
The Endangered Species Act (ESA), which was signed by President Nixon in 1973, was a much more robust piece of legislation than any of its […]
Endemism in the California flora, Part II
To understand how geology affects biology one needs first to consider the forces that influence the edaphic environment. Jenny (1941, 1980) described soil formation as […]
Endemism in the California flora, Part I
A couple of issues ago I wrote about some of the concepts of rarity in plants. One of the most fascinating aspects of California botany […]
Alkali Milk Vetch (Astragalus tener var.tener)
Along with the sunflower (Asteraceae) and the grass (Poaceae) families, the legume family (Fabaceae-also called Leguminosae) ranks among the most species-rich families of flowering plants, […]
Meanings Of Rarity Part II
Continuing our discussion of the meanings and causes of rarity in plants, I’d like to briefly explore some of the historical concepts of rarity. Especially […]