On March 2nd, we decided to explore San Pedro Valley Park and hike up to nearly the top of Montara Mountain. San Pedro Valley Park is located near Pacifica, and it was about a 40 minute car ride from the University of San Francisco. The drive was scenic as we got to see the beautiful beaches along the coast. During this hike, there were some California plant species that we had previously learned about from our previous excursions. Professor Paul asked us to recall the names of these species, which made the hike more engaging.
Although the hike was a bit challenging as it was mainly uphill, the views overlooking Pacifica were absolutely breath-taking and made the effort worthwhile. Below are the plant species that I thought was memorable on the hike.
- Taxon: Trillium Sessile
- Taxon Common Name: Toadshade
- Parent Taxon: Liliaceae
- Description:
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Ecology: Common. Edges of redwood or mixed-evergreen forest, coastal shrub, chaparral, moist canyon slopes, ravine banks. Elevation: < 2000 m. Leaf: usually have 3, green, often mottled sessile, oval, rounded. Flower: are erect, sessile; petals three; base occasionally purple
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- Taxon: Trillium Albidum
- Taxon Common Name: Giant White Wakerobin
- Parent Taxon: Liliaceae
- Description:
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Ecology: Common. Edges of redwood or mixed-evergreen forest, coastal shrub, chaparral, moist canyon slopes, ravine banks. Elevation: < 2000 m. Leaf: very big (7–20 cm), sessile, rounded to obtuse at the tip, mottled(brown or green spotted). Flower: sessile; petals erect to ascending, oblanceolate to obovate, white to pink, base occasionally purple
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- Taxon: Solanum Umbelliferum Calflora
- Taxon Common Name:Bluewitch nightshade
- Parent Taxon: Solanaceae
- Description:
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Ecology: Shrub-land, mixed-evergreen forest, woodland. Elevation: < 1600 m. Habit: Perennial herb to subshrub. Leaf: generally entire, elliptic to obovate. Flower: lavender to blue-purple, simple leaves, attached petals, 5 petals. Inflorescence: +- umbel-like, forked or not
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