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Something...Observer
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fivecreeksDate
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Blue Elder (Sambucus cerulea)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Cut elderberry stump sprouting, and another clump just downhill. Common in this area, which recently became sunny clearing as huge oaks fell and were cut up. Whatwill future bring?
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Coastal Woodfern (Dryopteris arguta)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Coastal woodfern at west edge of highest part of newly sunny meadow, near poison oak, seedling elderberry, and Coast Live Oak. This new clearing recently created by fall and removal of huge old oaks. My memory is of many more natives before. New cover is heavy bermuda buttercup, with erharta. These were present before, with some Italian thistle. The future will be interesting, as increasing numbers of oaks seem to be falling.
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Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Oxalis pes-caprae now dominant ground cover, with considerable Erharta, in upper part of sunny meadow created by oak blow-downs. Also some seedling oaks, coastal woodferns, native blackberry, and elderberry, I think I remember many more natives.
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Blue Elder (Sambucus cerulea)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Blue elderberries, looks like three in a clump, just leafing out, south of small seedling bay at W. edge of highest level of meadow recently created by oak blow-downs and removal.
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Pink Honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
South of small bay and next to dense Stachys that are growing it the bay's shade. There used to be more honeysuckle in this newly created meadow (due to oak blowdown and removal). may not be seeing them, and/or they may make a comeback.
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Panic Veldtgrass (Ehrharta erecta)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Earharta scattered in newly sunny meadow. It was here before. It will be interesting to see what dominates over time
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Forked Nightshade (Solanum furcatum)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Solenum widely scattered, not large and just scattered plants, in area newly sunnier due to oak blowdowns. This common pioneer may spread. area now.
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Pacific Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Poison oak pretty dense with native blackberry from where photo taken (near lowest large oak) southwest down to steep drop of creek canyon.
Some poison oak higher up may have been removed in course to removing fallen oaks.
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Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
From this point, just above lowest large oak, trailing blackberry dominates down to the dropoff to the creek, with lots of poison oak. Some blackberry in bare area where broom re-sprouts recently removed; it may fill in. Downslope to the west, below the large oak, looks like recent clearing -- possibly for fire hazard, maybe on private land. I remember large old hazelnuts, gone now.
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Coastal Woodfern (Dryopteris arguta)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Three in lower part of area now getting much more sun due to oak blowdowns. I may have missed others.
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Catchweed Bedstraw (Galium aparine)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
This small non-native Galium (I think) is most abundant ground cover, on lower part of newly sunny area due to oak blow-downs. Also some bermuda buttercup (dominant nearer serviceroad), chickweed, erharta, few of usual non-native geraniums. Future will be interesting.
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Pacific Sanicle (Sanicula crassicaulis)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
At least a dozen in area just below oakblowdowns, now sunnnier. Future will be interesting; these are common throughout HNA so expected to spread
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Australian Cheesewood (Pittosporum undulatum)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Large tree loaded with berries in steep creek canyon, at least 75 ft. SW, downstream, from where photo was taken, in newly sunny area of oak blowdowns at steep edge of canyon. However, GPS in photo may be somewhat off.
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Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Seedling Coast Live oaks in area where huge old trees blew down. It will be interesting to see what happens in this new clearing north of creeklet. Surviving large oaks do not look very healthy.
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Coffeeberry (Frangula californica)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
ID uncertain. Large shrub at edge of extremely deep creek canyon, about 50 ft SW of where this photo was taken. Leaves look right, but spot can't be reached. This is about closer than the large pittosporum mapped. Other trees in canyon are willows. I
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Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Large shrub at N. edge of steep creek Bank near large oak blowdowns. Coffeeberry and another toyon visible downstream, large pittosporum, then tall willows.
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Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Trailing into hollow created by one of the big oak blowdowns. Future of this clearing will be interesting. Many Stachys coming up nearby.
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Tiny Bedstraw (Galium murale)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Very small common gallium, maybe murale but very uncertain. Need to observe again in flower.
Also herb robert.
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Hedgenettles (Genus Stachys)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Many in shade of small bay tree in area where fallen oaks fairly recently removed, ending most shade. Almost none nearby under abundant chips.
It will be interesting to see how vegetation here changes now that it is a clearing. There were many natives -- monkeyflower, honeysuckle, wood fern, toyon, poison oak, sanicle, stachys, native blackberry.
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Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
One of many, large and small, though scattered, in area where fallen oaks recently removed, leaving a fairly sunny clearing. Lots of chips on ground.
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Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Several small in area downhill from service road just past where it turns south, suddenly relatively sunny after oaks have fallen and been cut. Worth tracing future here.
Remaining large oak doesn't look very healthy.
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California Bay (Umbellularia californica)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Blooming Jan. 16 in area formerly shaded by large oaks that have now fallen or been cut. This will become first large tree here except one surviving oak downhill. What will happen to small blue elderberry wood ferns, monkey flower , etc.?
Broom seedlings still abundant despite years of control, larger ones beginning to bloom, perhas due to sun?.
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Ground Rose (Rosa spithamea)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Low-growing rose with very small leaves and distinctive closely spaced thorns/prickles, varying n size and length. I am confused about this. Neither Calflora nor Jepson now lists it. But some floras do -- a "ground rose" and even "Jepson rose." One example is http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250100425.
In the Hillside Natural Area, I have seen it only in this area of the woods, but it has been there for many years -- Greg Weber pointed it out. It is really very different from Rosa californica. A number of people unfamiliar with it spotted it here given only my description.
Thoughts?
Plants generally on gentle slopes to nearly level ground, scattered or in small groups, with abundant wood fern, stachys, trailing blackberry, honeysuckle, and yerba buena, some sticky monkeyflower, shaded by large oaks but good number of seedling bay trees around.
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Field Sedge (Carex praegracilis)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
ID highly uncertain. Isolated clump with slender, graceful leaves up to 2' long. Fruiting bodies look right, and I have guessed that other widely scattered sedges in the Hillside Natural Area were praegracilis. But this one is strikingly larger than any I have seen. Suggestions welcome!
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Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii)Observer
fivecreeksDescription
Largest patch of Yerba buena I have seen in this patch of woods, but there are many. With Ribes, sticky monkeyflower, Stachys, honeysuckle, unknown vetch with small narrow leaves (probably non-native), in oak shade.