Lunde Canyon and Lee Vining Creek

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         (593 plants)
Thanks to Tom Chester for this list. For more, see http://tchester.org/plants/floras/sn/lundy_canyon_lee_vining_creek.html.

The following appeared on Tom's list but are no longer active names: SENECIO CYMBALARIOIDES, CASSIOPE MERTENSIANA SSP. CALIFORNICA, POTENTILLA DIVERSIFOLIA VAR. DIVERSIFOLIA. There are 9 other missing taxa, not yet identified.

    
Abrupt Beaked Sedge
Carex abrupta
  • Flower
  • Meadows slopes
  • CA native




  • Alberta Whitlow Grass
    Draba albertina
  • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
  • Yellow flower
  • Four petals
  • Alternate, basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Alfalfa
    Medicago sativa
    • Height 1 - 3 ft.
    • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
    • Like a clover but taller, and with serrated leaves.
    • Purple pea-like flowers cluster in small groups at the end of multiple stems.
    • Used in agriculture, you'll find Alfalfa in disturbed areas near farms.
    • Not CA native



    Clusters of small purple pea-like flowers.

    Leaves in 3, serrated, with short petioles connecting them to the stem.

    Grows erect. The pea pod twists into a coil.
    Alkali Western Tansy Mustard
    Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum
  • CA Bloom Feb - Jun
  • Yellow flower
  • Four petals
  • Alternate, basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Alpine Bedstraw
    Galium hypotrichium
  • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
  • Yellow flower
  • Four petals
  • Whorled leaves
  • CA native




  • Alpine Gentian
    Gentiana newberryi
    • CA Bloom Jul - Sep
    • Five petals separated with pointed parts between.
    • Opposite narrow leaves
    • Streambanks and meadows in the Sierras
    • CA native



    Spotted inner petals, with whispy "threads" between the petals.

    Curving long leaves end in a point. Outer petals have purple stripes.

    Grows to about 6 inches, often lying along the ground.
    Alpine Groundsel
    Packera pauciflora
  • CA Bloom Jul - Aug
  • Orange, yellow flower
  • Many, no petals
  • Alternate, basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Alpine Mountain Sorrel
    Oxyria digyna
  • CA Bloom Jul - Aug
  • Brown, green, pink, red flower
  • Irreg petals
  • Basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Alpine Pearlwort
    Sagina saginoides
  • CA Bloom Feb - Mar
  • White flower
  • Five petals
  • Basal, opposite leaves
  • Streambanks
  • CA native




  • Alpine Prairie Dandelion
    Nothocalais alpestris
  • CA Bloom Jul - Sep
  • Yellow flower
  • Many petals
  • Basal leaves
  • Meadows slopes
  • CA native




  • Alpine Pussytoes
    Antennaria media
    • Height 2 in. - 5 in.
    • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
    • Flowers are white with no petals.
    • Leaves are both alternate and basal, and are fuzzy.
    • Found in high elevations, especially in the Sierras.
    • CA native



    Several fuzzy flower balls sit atop a short (4") stem.

    Leaves are fuzzy. Leaves on the stem tend to hug it.

    Grows in low mats in alpine areas.
    Alpine Pyrrocoma
    Pyrrocoma apargioides
  • CA Bloom Jul - Sep
  • Yellow flower
  • Many petals
  • Basal leaves
  • Meadows slopes
  • CA native




  • Alpine Shooting Star
    Primula tetrandra
  • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
  • Pink, violet flower
  • Five petals
  • Basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Alpine Slender Buckwheat
    Eriogonum microthecum var. alpinum
  • CA Bloom Jul - Sep
  • Pink, white, yellow flower
  • Six petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • CA native
  • Uncommon (CNPS 4)




  • Alpine Willow
    Salix petrophila
  • CA Bloom Jul - Aug
  • Tiny petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • CA native




  • Alpine Wintergreen
    Gaultheria humifusa
    • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
    • A small heath family ground cover.
    • Smooth-edged alternate leaves.
    • Found in damp sub-alpine forests.
    • CA native



    Single white bell-shaped flower at the end of the stem, with a red and yellow center.

    Tiny berries maturing to red. Notice the size of the finger in the background.

    Grows low to the ground with 1/2 inch leaves. See the dime?
    American Alpine Speedwell
    Veronica wormskjoldii
    • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
    • Small 4-petaled flowers, about 1/4" across.
    • Stem and leaves have long hairs.
    • Widespread in western and northern America.
    • CA native



    The upper petal is a bit bigger. 2 stamens stick out above the petals.

    Opposite leaves. Flowers on stalks from leaf axils and tip of stem.

    Found in moist alpine meadows and understory.
    American Alpine Lady Fern
    Athyrium distentifolium var. americanum
  • Fern
  • CA native




  • American Bistort
    Bistorta bistortoides
    • CA Bloom May - Aug
    • Distinctive cylindrical flower head made up of many small flowers.
    • Leaves at the base of the plant are leathery.
    • Found in alpine meadows and in Point Reyes, but uncommon elsewhere.
    • CA native



    Densly packed cylinder of small 5-petaled white to pinkish flowers at the top of a stem that may reach 18 inches.

    Can grow in dense patches in meadows.

    Leathery basal leaves can grow to 3 feet long.
    American Brooklime
    Veronica americana
    • Height to 1 ft.
    • CA Bloom Jul - Aug
    • Blue or violet 4-petaled flowers
    • Opposite leaves
    • Round stems
    • Grows in fresh-water wetlands, such as stream banks
    • Stem runs along the ground, up to 2 feet long.
    • CA native



    Look for 4 petals and opposite leaves with a round stem. Green center guides in pollinators.

    4 pale-blue petals with 4 green sepals behind them.

    Opposite leaves up to 3 inches long. Flowers in groups at the end of stalks.
    American Dogwood
    Cornus sericea
    • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
    • White 4-petaled flowers in round bunches
    • White berries
    • Medium tall shrub grows to 12 feet
    • Opposite leaves, green above and hairy grey below
    • Found in damp areas
    • CA native



    Opposite leaves, strong veins, pointed tips.

    Showy clumps of flowers turn into white berries.

    4-petaled white flowers grow in clumps at the end of stems.
    American Parsley Fern
    Cryptogramma acrostichoides
  • Fern
  • CA native




  • American Wild Mint
    Mentha arvensis
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • Pink, violet, white flower
  • Four, irreg, irreg, irreg petals
  • Opposite, simple leaves
  • CA native




  • Anderson Larkspur
    Delphinium andersonii
    • Height 1 - 3 ft.
    • CA Bloom Apr - May
    • Flowers are the delphinium shape, with a spur behind and two long vertical "petals" in front. This species has a dense cluster of flowers at the top of a 2-foot stem.
    • Leaves are interesting - first divided into lobes, and then often redivided into fingers on each lobe.
    • Found in dry sandy soils in foothills.
    • CA native



    This side view shows the purple delphinium spur to the right and long blue "petals" pointing up and down.

    Leaves are deeply lobed, often with fat "fingers" on each lobe.

    Erect stems end in dense cylindrical clusters of Larkspur flowers.
    Anderson's Thistle
    Cirsium andersonii
    • Height 1 - 3 ft.
    • CA Bloom Jul - Sep
    • CA native



    Anderson's Thistle flower is a pretty pink-violet color. The stem is purple.

    The flower head stays in a tight cylinder and points straight up. Spiny phyllaries below the flower head curve outward.

    Long leaves at the base have triangular teeth with spines at the tip.
    Angle Stermed Buckwheat
    Eriogonum maculatum
  • CA Bloom Apr - Nov
  • Pink, white, yellow flower
  • Six petals
  • Alternate, basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Annual Beard Grass
    Polypogon monspeliensis

    Annual Beard Grass is topped by large, fluffy spikes. They're framed by flat, rough, green leaves to 8" long.

    Soft, dense spikelets are green until they mature. There are lots of spikelets in the spike, each producing 3 awns.

    Long awns let light through around the edge but the center is opaque.
    Annual Burrweed
    Ambrosia acanthicarpa
  • CA Bloom Sep - Nov
  • Green, yellow flower
  • Tiny petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • CA native




  • Arroyo Willow
    Salix lasiolepis
    • Height 7 - 35 ft.
    • CA Bloom Feb - May
    • This is the most common willow in California.
    • It's deciduous and is found near water.
    • Look for narrow leaves that are wider near the tip than at the base.
    • CA native.



    Leaves are about 5 inches long, smooth-sided and narrow. They're pale/hairy underneath, and wider near the tip than near the base.

    Classic pussies with yellow stamens. The buds are fused together (not overlapping) before they open.

    This willow has many trunks, sometimes growing as a tree, and sometimes as a tangled shrub.
    Attol Lousewort
    Pedicularis attollens
    • CA Bloom Jun - Sep
    • A member of the Broomrape family, this plant gathers food from neighboring plants.
    • Leaves are skinny and toothed.
    • CA native



    The flower has a curling upper lip, like an elephant's trunk, and a three- lobed lower lip. Two dots look like the elephant's eyes.

    Flowers are surrounded by hairy bracts.

    Flowers form a dense cylinder on a leafless stalk. They're found in meadows and beside streams.
    Austin's Woodbeauty
    Drymocallis lactea var. austiniae
  • CA Bloom May - Sep
  • Yellow flower
  • Five petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • CA native




  • Baby's Breath
    Gypsophila paniculata
  • Flower
  • White flower
  • Five petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • Not CA native




  • Bailey's Buckwheat
    Eriogonum baileyi var. baileyi
  • CA Bloom May - Sep
  • Pink, white flower
  • Six petals
  • Basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Ball Headed Gilia
    Ipomopsis congesta
  • CA Bloom May - Sep
  • White flower
  • Five petals
  • Alternate, basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Baneberry
    Actaea rubra
    • Height 8 in. - 3 ft.
    • CA Bloom May - Jul
    • Baneberry is a shrub that grows to about 3 feet tall.
    • Leaves are coarsely toothed.
    • Bright red or white berries are hard to miss, and warn animals that they're poisonous.
    • White showy flower clusters.
    • Found in shady, moist woodland.
    • CA native



    Leaves have deeply toothed margins. Poisonous berries are red or white, with a black dot.

    White showy clusters of flowers stand out on their own stalks. Each flower has many long stamens.

    Leaves are compound and sharply toothed. Leaves and flowers are on separate stalks.
    Barbwire Russian Thistle
    Salsola gobicola
  • CA Bloom Jul - Oct
  • White flower
  • Tiny petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • Not CA native




  • Beaked Sedge
    Carex utriculata
  • CA Bloom Jun - Sep
  • Meadows
  • CA native




  • Beardless Oatgrass
    Trisetum wolfii
  • CA Bloom Jun - Sep
  • Meadows
  • CA native




  • Beardless Wild Rye
    Elymus triticoides


    This rye has 2-ranked spikelets that connect directly to the stem. There is space between each alternating spikelet.

    Hollow stems (like straws) connect at solid joints. Leaves are about 1/4" wide and a foot long.

    Prominent blue-green leaves are 4-12" long and grow away from the stem. Found in moist habitats with heavy soils.
    Bee Plant
    Scrophularia californica
    • Height 2 - 4 ft.
    • CA Bloom Feb - May
    • Bee plant is tall, with prominent triangular leaves and tiny brownish-red flowers.
    • Small flowers are less than 1/2" across and have a nectar disk to reward pollinating bees.
    • Opposite leaves have stalks that connect to the stem.
    • Found in moist places below 8,000 feet.
    • CA native



    This view of the flower from below shows two rounded petals on top, two side petals, and one folded out like a tongue.

    A square stem supports large, opposite, toothed leaves. This might make you think "Mint" but it's not.

    Bee Plant grows several feet high with opposite, narrow leaves sticking straight out. Flowers are on horizontal stalks near the top.
    Big Sagebrush
    Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata
  • CA Bloom Aug - Sep
  • Brown flower
  • Tiny petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • CA native




  • Bitter Cherry
    Prunus emarginata
    • CA Bloom Apr - May
    • White 5-petaled flowers about 1/2" across smell nice.
    • Leaves yellow-green with tightly-spaced veins.
    • A shrub to medium-sized tree.
    • Canyons, slopes, ridges, open woods in nutrient-rich soil.
    • CA native



    3-10 small flowers per cluster, 5 separate petals, long stamens.

    Leaves to 3 inches long with bumpy edges. Red cherries, each with its own stalk.

    Bitter Cherry forms thickets on sunny hillsides.
    Bitterbrush
    Purshia tridentata
    • Height 1 - 12 ft.
    • CA Bloom Feb - Mar
    • This woody shrub associates with sagebrush, and varies from under a foot to many feet tall.
    • During the summer, its profusion of yellow flowers makes it stand out.
    • Flowers turn into pointy fruits, under 1 inch long.
    • CA native



    Yellow flowers are about 1 inch accross, with 5 separate petals and many stamens.

    Leaves often have 3 "fingers" or teeth, thus "tridentata".

    Bitterbrush colors sagebrush areas yellow with its flowers in the summer.
    Black Alpine Sedge
    Carex nigricans
  • Flower
  • Meadows slopes
  • CA native




  • Black Bindweed
    Fallopia convolvulus
  • CA Bloom May - Dec
  • White flower
  • Five petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • Disturbed
  • Not CA native




  • Black Cottonwood
    Populus trichocarpa
    • CA Bloom Feb - Apr
    • A large riparian tree with alternate leaves
    • Leaf stems are round (Fremont Cottonwood's is flattened).
    • Widely distributed in California, except the central valley.
    • CA native



    Leaf tops are glossy dark-green. Undersides are pale. Leaves are long and pointed, with small teeth on the edge.

    Alternating secondary veins connect to a central one.

    Grows near running water. Trunks get very large, and the tree height often exceeds 100 feet.
    Black Foot Gayophytum
    Gayophytum racemosum
  • CA Bloom May - Oct
  • White flower
  • Four petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • Slopes
  • CA native




  • Blackish Sedge
    Carex subnigricans
  • Flower
  • Meadows slopes
  • CA native




  • Bloomer's Goldenbrush
    Ericameria bloomeri
    • CA Bloom Jul - Oct
    • This composite flower has quite a few central disk flowers but generally only 1-5 petal-like ray flowers.
    • Alternate leaves
    • CA native





    Blue Elderberry
    Sambucus mexicana
    • CA Bloom Mar - Jul
    • A large shrub with clusters of white flowers, plus compound leaves indicate an Elderberry.
    • Berries are black but appear blue because of a waxy covering.
    • Grey bark with vertical furrows.
    • Common on stream banks and open places in forests.
    • CA native



    White flat-topped clusters of flowers are easy to spot.

    Berries with a waxy covering makes them look powdery.

    Compound leaves with 5 - 9 toothed leaflets.
    Blue Fescue
    Festuca idahoensis


    Found in dry, open or shady places, Blue Fescue may appear bluer than plants around it.

    Spikelets are about 1/2" long. There's enough room between spikelets to see wavy branches.

    Spikelets are flattish, with 2-ranked florets. They're held close to the stem until mature. Awns are thread-like.
    Bog Blue Grass
    Poa leptocoma ssp. leptocoma




    Bog Orchid
    Platanthera sparsiflora
    • CA Bloom May - Sep
    • Orchid-shaped flowers.
    • Alternate, narrow, pointed leaves with parallel veins.
    • Found in forests and meadows, often near streams.
    • CA native



    Green flower. Complex orchid shape.

    Note the spur that sticks out behind the blossom.

    Spike of green orchid flowers grow up to 2 feet tall, above 6" narrow, pointed leaves near the bottom of the plant.
    Bog Wintergreen
    Pyrola asarifolia
  • CA Bloom Jul - Sep
  • Pink, white flower
  • Five petals
  • Basal leaves
  • Streambanks
  • CA native




  • Bog Wintergreen (1)
    Pyrola asarifolia ssp. asarifolia
  • CA Bloom Jul - Sep
  • Pink, white flower
  • Five petals
  • Basal leaves
  • CA native




  • Bolander's Quillwort
    Isoetes bolanderi
  • Fern
  • CA native




  • Booth's Willow
    Salix boothii
  • CA Bloom May - Jun
  • Tiny petals
  • Alternate leaves
  • CA native




  • Bouncing Bet
    Saponaria officinalis
  • CA Bloom May - Jun
  • Pink, white flower
  • Five petals
  • Opposite leaves
  • Not CA native
  • Somewhat Invasive




  • Bracted Sedge
    Carex scopulorum var. bracteosa
  • CA Bloom May - Jun
  • Streambanks meadows
  • CA native




  • Branched Tidy Lupine
    Lupinus lepidus var. ramosus
  • CA Bloom Jul - Aug
  • Blue, violet, white flower
  • Pea petals
  • Alternate, basal leaves
  • CA native