Plants (A-Z) - Punta Banda

Families: A-B \| C \| F-J \| O-P
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)
Helianthus niveus Dune sunflower, Margarita de las dunas The leaves are silvery gray, helping it to reflect the strong sunlight from both the sun and the sand.	See a CalPhotos' closeup of the Dune Sunflower
Isocoma menziesii Goldenbush, Common Spanish A small to medium shrub with spatulate, resiny leaves and yellow, discoid flower heads	Isocoma menziesii It was actually too early in the season for the flowers or fruit, as pictured here. This is from another location (San Quintín) from one Fall.
Jaumea carnosa Marsh Jaumea This is a low, fleshy plant. When not in flower, it blends right in with the Batis maritima (below).	Jaumea carnosa The flower heads are about 1-2 cm in diameter.
Heterotheca sessiflora ssp. echioides ?? (I still need to key this one out ).	Heterotheca sessiflora ssp. echioides ?? This shrub had glandular-hairy herbage that was slightly stickly and had a very pleasant smell-kind of a minty, camphor smell. The flower head was about 1" (2.5 cm) D.
Batidaceae (Saltwort Family)
Batis maritima Saltwort, Barrilla, Deditos This is a prostrate creeping perennial. The succulent leaves are generally two-angled with a rounded side as well. Calflora image
Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family) (alternately = Amaranthaceae) [Top]
Salicornia bigelovii Pickleweed, Hierba salmuera A succulent annual living in saline soil near or in water.	Sarcocornia pacifica Pickleweed, Hierba salmuera A succulent, creeping perennial generally in saline soil near or in water.
Sarcocornia pacifica Pickleweed, Hierba salmuera The tiny white things sticking out are the stamens. Flowers lack petals and are wind pollinated.	Suaeda californica Sea Blite, Romerillo A shrub with succulent new growth, including leaves. The yellow, star-like structure in the middle of the photo is composed of 5 yellow stamens with an almost invisible set of 3 styles at their center. To the right of the open flower are clusters of unopened flowers.
Crassulaceae (Stonecrop Family)
Dudleya sp. (Dudleya brittonii??) Live forever, Siemprevive	Dudleya sp. Live forever, Siemprevive Same, only closer
Cuscutaceae
Cuscuta salina Dodder, Chupones Dodder lacks chlorophyll, which usually gives plants its green color, and so must tap into the host plant for nutritional needs.	Cuscuta salina Dodder, Chupones The bright orange threads are the haustoria, or specialized roots, of the plant that bore into the host's tissue to extract nutrients. Here they are attached to Batis maritima, Jaumea carnosa and Frankenia salina.
Fabaceae (Pea Family) [Top]
Lotus nuttallianus Wire bird's foot trefoil Great to see a native perennial beating out the "invasive" iceplant for a change.	Lotus nuttallianus Very fine stems create a spiderweb on the duness and sometimes on top of other plants.
Lotus nuttallianus Each flower in the cluster is 5-7 mm long.	Lotus nuttallianus
Frankeniaceae (Frankenia Family)
Frankenia salina Marsh Rosemary, Hierba reuma Here, this is a very low perennial, mostly under 12" tall. Its leaves are slightly fleshy. It can grow up to 2 ft high and form mounds.	Frankenia salina The pinkish flowers are 5-14 mm in diameter.
Juncaceae (Junco Family)
Juncus acutus Spiny Rush, Junco At this site, stands about 2ft high, 3 ft diameter. Stems are very stiff and tips are sharp.	Juncus acutus This is an image from a previous sighting of the species elsewhere. We got poked a lot, clawing our way through the thicket of them and when taking the photos.
Onagraceae (Evening-primrose Family) [Top]
Camissonia cheiranthifolia ssp. suffruitcosa Beach evening-primrose This 30-90 cm H perennial was very abundant on the dunes and marsh edges, from the Hwy 23 junction out to the preserve.	Camissonia cheiranthifolia ssp. suffruitcosa Smaller specimens under 20 cm tall. This species has thickish, hairy leaves to withstand life on the bright, hot dunes. Non-native iceplant in the foreground.
Camissonia cheiranthifolia ssp. suffruitcosa Close up of flower. Note 4 petals. They are hard to see, but there are 8 stamens and a single style with a globose stigma.	Camissonia cheiranthifolia ssp. suffruitcosa A developing fruit. When mature, this capsule will split longitudinally from the tip, revealing 4 thin chambers containing the tiny seeds.
Camissonia sp. Evening primrose, Suncup Haven't keyed it out yet. Could be C. bistorta, C. lewisii or micrantha. The first two are on the area's plant inventory.	Camissonia sp. Evening primrose, Suncup
Poaceae (Grass Family)
Distichlis spicata Saltgrass,Zacate salada A perennial grass spreading mostly by rhizomes. The stems are erect. More CalPhotos.	Monanthochloe littoralis Salt cedar, Hierba o Zacate salada A low, creeping perennial grass with very sharp leaf tips, making it hard to kneel to take photos.
Spartina foliosa Cord Grass, Hierba cordón This salt grass grows in the mud right on the edge of the marsh, so it spends part of each day innundated. More CalPhotos.
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Families: A-B \| C \| F-J \| O-P