On April 27th, we embarked on our 8th field trip to Ring Mountain, which is just located 30 minutes away from the University of San Francisco. This scenic location near San Quentin state prison in San Francisco offers a unique hiking experience, with stunning views of enormous houses, probably owned by the millionaires of San Francisco 👀. On this day the temperature reached up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the hottest day of the week. Despite the heat and sweating, we were treated with some In N Out on our way back to campus, which was an amazing way to end the day. During the hike, we were able to spot a range of plant species, again from old to new. I hope you enjoy the pictures I took from the trip!

• Taxon: Layia platyglossa
• Taxon Common Name:  Tidy Tips
• Parent Taxon: Asteraceae
• Description:

  • Habit: Annual wildflower. Leaf & Stem: rough, hair leaves; the upper part of the stem are short and have a pilous texture; the leaves at the basal part of the stem can be dentate to pinnate shaped to rotund short lobes; the lower leaves are generally lobed and the upper leaves are entire; leaves are usually alternate or opposite; blades are usually simple. Flower: individual heads are borne on a peduncle; the flower heads are composed of 5 to 18 yellow ray flowers with white tips and many central yellow disk flowers. Fruit: the seeds are one per fruit, embryos straight.

• Taxon: Calystegia macrostegia
• Taxon Common Name:  Morning Glory
• Parent Taxon: Convolvulaceae
• Description:

  • Habit: Woody perennial herb or small shrub which may be a low herbaceous vine or a stout, woody, climbing plant. Leaf & Stem: slender, weakly, climbing to woody; leaves are generally widely triangular, lobed. Flower: inflorescence is peduncle; flowers are white or fading pink

• Taxon: Lepidium nitidum
• Taxon Common Name: Shining Pepper Grass or Shining Pepperweed
• Parent Taxon: Brassicaceae
• Description:

  • Habit: Annual herb. Leaf & Stem: slender stem; small leaves along the stem and larger ones at the base and divided into many narrow lobes. Flower: the flowers give way to flattened, rounded to oval-shaped disc-like fruits up to about half a centimeter long; at the top of the stem appear tiny flowers with spoon-shaped white petals. Fruit: each green to pink shiny fruit is divided down the center into 2 chambers containing seeds