Baltimore Canyon 2/7/19

February 7th 2019

Baltimore Canyon is 193-acre park with trails through forests with many species of large trees, flowers and creek and waterfall located at 37.9369° N, 122.5609° W. It is 28.5 miles away from the school. We departed at the Koret gym parking lot around 1pm. The weather was perfect as the sun came up when we stepped out of the school. The traffic was not too bad and it took about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there. There were some awkward silence in between on our way but everyone started to get excited as we got there. We started walking on the trails.

Artemisia californica

Also known as its common name Coastal sage brush, it is a part of the family Asteraceae. This is the first plant we found on the trail. It grows at the steep slope on the side of the trailroad. It branches from the base and grows 1.5-2.5 meters tall. Shrub 6-25 dm rounded from base. The stem is slender, flexible wand-lke, glabrous to canescent. The color of the leaves is light green, and they can range from one to 10 centimeters long. The pine leaves are pinnately divided into threadlike lobes. Inflorescence of the plant is leafy, narrow, panicle-like cluster. The smell was very strong, fresh and minty. It was a very pleasant smell.

Umbellularia californica

The common name known as California bay, is a part of the family Lauraceae. This was the third plant we found at the beginning of our way in the trail. It grows in open meadow with many invasive grasses. It has green to red-brown stem and the dark yellow stamen at the base. It is basal dicot and the leave ranges from 1.5-3cm wide, narrowly ovate to oblong, shiny, and deep yellow-green. The inflorescence of the plant is umbel-like, in upper axils, and peduncled. It has very cute little sepals and petals with yellowish green color. It is one of the earlier flowering ones. It also has fruits look like a tiny avocado. It isn’t avocado, but It looks similar because they’re in the same family.

Cardamine Californica

Also known as its common name Bitter cress, is a part of family Brassicaceae. It grows in a wet soil. It has alternate leaves that is palmately lobed or compound. Inflorescence of the plant is elongated, having 4 petals and sepals with white flowers. It does not have tepals since it has distinctive separation between petals and sepals. It is more like cyme shape. The flower has relatively long ray and pedicle compared to common flowers. The smell was not too strong, not so memorable. It is one of the earlier flowering plants of the season.

There were many tall and slim trees!

Waterfall we found on our way climbing back up.

Beautiful San Francisco city view!

On our way back to school. There was some traffic but music on!

 

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