Baltimore Canyon Open Space: 37.940362, -122.56146

Baltimore Canyon Open Space is a 193-acre preserve in Marin County, with an approximate elevation of 160-400 feet. One can easily park at the trailhead and enjoy an easy 2.2 mile hike, ending with a view of Dawn Falls and a short loop back to the trailhead. Larkspur Creek runs through the preserve and flows vibrantly during the winter.

This area can be characterized as a coastal redwood forest, as it is dominated by redwoods. It also includes California bay, big leaf maple, and tan oak trees. There were also many organisms growing on fallen trees (such as moss and lichen) due to the increased moisture.

Aesculus californica (California buckeye)

  

A. californica is a deciduous shrub/tree species that grows to be 4-12 meters tall. Its leaflets are palmately compound and appear in groups of 5-7 leaflets. They are finely serrate and oblong. We observed these leaflets just emerging from buds, as most of the tree was bare. All of its parts are toxic, and no flowers were present. When flowers are present, they are in a panicle-like inflorescence with fine hairs and white/pale rose flowers 12-18 millimeters in size. This specimen was found on the side of a well-lit, open hill covered in grass.

Scoliopus bigelovii (Slink pod)

This species was a short and relatively compact angiosperm. It had elliptic, mottled leaves with parallel venation. Its flower was white with purple lines, with umbel inflorescence and 3 stamens attached to its sepals. Also known as adder’s tongue, when its flower withers and goes to seed, it digs down into the earth and plants its own seeds. It is also a specialist in redwood forests and flowers very early in the year (February-March). It was found on a moist hillside underneath redwood species, surrounded by many other plants of short status and fallen redwood materials.

Trillium ovatum (Western wakerobin)

T. ovatum is a short rhizome species with three leaves in a whorled orientation. It has one flower per stem, and these tend to be bisexual with three sepals. Flowers can be white, pink, yellow, or purple with six stamens. They have ascending petals that can be linear to widely obovate. The leaves are 4-20 centimeters long and acute to acuminate at their tips. This specimen was found at the edge of a well shaded hillside and the trail.