Abronia nana S. Watson var. covillei (Heimerl) Munz

Coville's dwarf sand verbina
Nyctaginaceae

Found on rocky slopes and sandy soils in southern California and Nevada, this member of Nyctaginaceae, also known as the four-o-clock family, is most noticeable because of its distinctive inflorescence. Found predominantly in pinyon-juniper woodlands and yellow-pine forests, this perennial herb prefers dry soils to those that are overly moist.


These plants are listed as 4.2 on the California Native Plant Society's rare plants list, meaning they are rare in California.

Isoetes bolanderi Engelm.

Isoetaceae

I. bolanderi in its natural habitat in Box Lake in Rock Creek Valley

Wide spread yet easy to miss, Isoetes bolanderi is part of the ancient lineage of lycopods that I am particularly interested in. I. bolanderi is primarily an aquatic plant, but has been recorded to survive out of water. Difficult to identify, I. bolanderi's most noticiable feature is the tip of its leaf, which abruptly tapers to a narrowed point, as opposed to gradually tapering like most other Isoetes.

I. bolanderi after being removed from the ground and cleaned of soil

I. bolanderi is most often found in alpine lakes and ponds in the Sierra Nevada mountains, extending all the way up into Canada and east through the Rockies. In the northern part of its range, it can co-occur with two other species: Isoetes echinospora, and Isoetes occidentalis.

Physalis crassifolia Benth.

Yellow Nightshade Ground Cherry
Solanaceae

One our desert Nightshades, Physalis crassifolia is a relative of our domestic Tomatillo, and in fact, closely resembles it in fruit. However, unlike our domestic crop, this plant is poisonous, and is listed as a majorly toxic species by California Poison Control System.

P. crassifolia is a perennial herb that can become a sub-shrub under the right conditions. Flowering in mid spring to early summer, the flowers are typically Solanacious, forming a fused floral tube that is bright yellow in color. In fruit, the calyx forms a protective layer around the developing berry. The plants themselves are not large in size, being fairly low growing.

Rubus leucodermis Douglas ex Torr. & A. Gray

Whitebark Raspberry
Rosaceae

One of our native Rubus species, Rubus leucodermis is a low growing, mounding plant with a typical raspberry / blackberry habit. Like most members of Rubus, these plants are armed with sharp, recurved prickles along their stems and on the underside of their leaves. These plants are found throughout the California flouristic provence with the exception of the Great Valley, and extend all the way up along the west coast into Alaska. Their preferred habitat is open, rocky areas with good moisture.


Like most members of Rubus, R. leucodermis has an edible compound fruit. Fruits tend to be red-purple to black in color.

Sarcodes sanguinea

Snow Plant
Ericaceae

A obligate heterotroph, Snow Plants are incapable of photosynthesis, instead stealing sugars and food from other plants, making them a parasite. The name snow plant likely arises from the early emergence of the plant's flower stalk from the snow.

Hulsea vestita A. Gray subsp. parryi (A. Gray) Wilken

Parry's Sunflower
Asteraceae

Found in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains, Hulsea vestita ssp. parryi is a mountain rare plant. Distinctive characteristics include wooly leaves, and pumpkin orange to reddish inflorescence. The typical habitat for these plants includes talus slopes, gravel and sagebrush to fir forests.

Juniperus occidentalis Hook.

Western Juniper
Cupressaceae

Ranging in size from large shrub to trees, western junipers are beautiful and gnarly plants. Found growing between roughly 325-10500 ft. thought out the eastern edge of the state, western junipers can achieve an impressive height. The "berries" of this species are in fact modified, fleshy cones, as junipers are gymnosperms, and do not produce a true fruit like that of an angiosperm (flowering plant).

Western juniper, like most junipers, is classified by the California Poison Control System as being a minorly toxic plant.