Tuesday, August 22, 2006

PLANTS OF THE BALLONA WESTBLUFFS

The Ballona Westbluffs are a 44 acre parcel located immediately south of the State-owned Ballona Wetlands and west of Lincoln Blvd/Highway 1. The land is currently being developed with 114 luxury homes (2006), and BEEP challenged the development plans all the way to the California Supreme Court. Unfortunately, the Court ruled in favor of the developer, Catellus Corporation. Their decision, however, overturned an Appeals Court decision which was harmful to sensitive habitats along the entire coast.

As compensation for the destruction of habitat on the blufftop, the Coastal Commission required the bluff face, which is immediately adjacent to the Ballona Wetlands, to be not graded and also to be completely restored with native plants. The results are quite spectacular, and despite that the development has wiped-out a significant area of coastal-prairie habitat on the bluff top, the restoration includes a bluff-top trail the runs the full length of the development and allows the public un-blocked views of wildlife, the mountains and the city. We urge you to come out and see the natural restored area here. Parking is available on the project's access road, located at the intersection of LMU Drive and Lincoln Blvd.

This list includes plants found in developer botany surveys from 1989 to 1992 and our survey dated July 14, 2006.

(We also note some unidentified plants similar to rush and dudleya, and some with yellow-flowers that might be goldfields, which we will identify later.)

SUMAC FAMILY

lemonade berry (rhus integrifolia)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=rhus+integrifolia

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laurel-leaved sumac (rhus laurina)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=rhus+laurina

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SUNFLOWER FAMILY

Yarrow, (Achillea millefolium)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=Achillea+millefolium&btnG=Search

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spiny-fruited ragweed (ambrosia acanthicarpa)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=ambrosia+acanthicarpa

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coastal sagebrush or Calif. sagebrush (artemisia Californica)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=artemisia+Californica

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Douglas' mugwort (artemisia douglasiana)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=artemisia+douglasiana&btnG=Search

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Mugwort also called wild tarragon or dragon sagewort (artemisia dracunculus)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=artemisia+dracunculus

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coyote bush (baccharis pilularis, subspecies consanguinea)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=baccharis+pilularis

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mulefat - or seep willow (baccharis salicifolia or glutinosa)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=baccharis+salicifolia+

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horseweed (conyza canadensis)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=conyza+canadensis

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bush aster (corethrogyne filaginifolia, variety: virgata)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=corethrogyne+filaginifolia

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bush sunflower, (encelia Californica)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=encelia+Californica&btnG=Search

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gnaphalium chilense,

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=gnaphalium+chilense

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gnaphalium microcephalum,

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=gnaphalium+microcephalum&btnG=Search

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gnaphalium ramosissimum (“pink”)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=gnaphalium+ramosissimum

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cudweed (gnaphalium Californicum “Calif. Everlasting”,

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=gnaphalium+Californicum+

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fascicled or slender tarweed (hemizonia fasciculata)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=hemizonia+fasciculata

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telegraph weed (heterotheca grandiflora)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=heterotheca+grandiflora

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cliff aster (malcothrix saxatilis)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=malacothrix+saxatilis&btnG=Search

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wand chicory or tall stephanomeria or twiggy wreathplant (stephanomeria virgata)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=stephanomeria+virgata&btnG=Search

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CACTUS FAMILY

coastal tuna cactus (opuntia littoralis)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=opuntia+littoralis

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CAPER FAMILY

bladderpod (isomeris arborea)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=isomeris+arborea

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HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY

elderberry (sambucus mexicana)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=sambucus+mexicana

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GOOSEFOOT FAMILY

goosefoot (chenopodium album)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=chenopodium+album&spell=1

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GOURD FAMILY

calabazilla or coyote melon (cucurbita foetidissima)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=cucurbita+foetidissima

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wild cucumber, marah macrocarpus

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=marah+macrocarpus&btnG=Search

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SPURGE FAMILY

croton (croton Californicus)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=croton+Californicus

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serpentine spurge (euphorbia serpens)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=euphorbia+serpens

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BEAN OR PEA FAMILY

deerweed, lotus scoparius,

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=lotus+scoparius

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lupinus albifrons, bush lupine, http://images.google.com/images?q=lupinus+albifrons&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

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annual lupine (lupinus bicolor subspecies microphyllus, “Dove”;

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=lupinus+bicolor

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lupinus longiflorus

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=lupinus+longiflorus

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Hall’s bush lupine (lupinus excubitus subspecies hallii)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=hall%27s+bush+lupine

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lupinus sparsiflorus, Coulter’s lupine

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=lupinus+sparsiflorus&btnG=Search

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WATERLEAF FAMILY

wild heliotrope (phacelia ramosissima, variety austrolitoralis)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=phacelia+ramosissima

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IRIS FAMILY

blue-eyed grass, (Sisyrinchium bellum)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=Sisyrinchium+bellum&btnG=Search

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MINT FAMILY

Purple sage (salvia leucophylla)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=salvia+leucophylla

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LILY FAMILY

Catalina mariposa lily, (calochortus catalinae)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=calochortus+catalinae&btnG=Search

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EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY

southern sun cup (camissonia bistorta)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=camissonia+bistorta

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beach evening primrose (camissonia cheiranthifolia, subspecies suffrutescens)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=camissonia+cheiranthifolia

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Hooker's evening primrose (oenothera hookeri, subspecies grisea)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=Hooker%27s+evening+primrose+

POPPY FAMILY

California poppy (eschscholzia Californica)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=eschscholzia+Californica

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SYCAMORE FAMILY

western sycamore (platanus racemosa)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=platanus+racemosa

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LEADWORT FAMILY

Statice, Sea Lavender, (limonium californicum) on bluff face west of Westbluff

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=limonium+californicum&btnG=Search

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BUCKWHEAT FAMILY

annual buckwheat (eriogonum gracile)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=eriogonum+gracile

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dune buckwheat or sea cliff buckwheat (eriogonum parvifolium)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=eriogonum+parvifolium

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willow-leaved dock (rumex salicifolius)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=rumex+salicifolius

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FERN FAMILY

Golden-backed fern, pityrogramma triangularis

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=pityrogramma+triangularis&btnG=Search

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CROWFOOT FAMILY

Virgen's bower (clematis ligusticifolia)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=clematis+ligusticifolia

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ROSE FAMILY

California rose (rosa californica)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=rosa+californica

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toyon (heteromeles arbutifolia)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=heteromeles+arbutifolia

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MADDER FAMILY

Narrow leaved bedstraw (gallium angustifolium)

http://images.google.com/images?q=galium+angustifolium&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

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WILLOW FAMILY

arroyo willow (salix lasiolepis)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=salix+lasiolepis

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FIGWORT FAMILY

Sticky monkey flower, (mimulus aurantiacus)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=mimulus+aurantiacus&btnG=Search

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POTATO FAMILY

jimson weed or tolguacha (datura wrightii or datura meteloides)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=datura+wrightii+

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Douglas' or white nightshade (solanum douglasii)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=solanum+douglasii

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Purple nightshade (solanum xantii, variety intermedia)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=solanum+xantii

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VERVAIN FAMILY

Western verbena or common vervain (verbena lasiostachys)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=verbena+lasiostachys

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GRASS FAMILY

giant rye-grass (elymus condensatus)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=elymus+condensatus

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melic grass or small flowered melica (melica imperfecta)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=melica+imperfecta

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needlegrass (stipa cernua)

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=stipa+cernua

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