Links ~~~ Wildflower Reports with Photographs ~~~ Volunteer Opportunities in Marin
Join the California Native Plant Society
Email Marin CNPS
Upcoming Marin CNPS Events
September 4 Field Trip Abbotts' Lagoon, Pt. Reyes National Seashore plant list
September 18, 6-9:30 Potluck dinner and member slide show
Bring a dish to share and/or beverages; a $5 door donation will help us cover facility rental and expenses. If you have images to share of this year’s outings, please bring a laptop for digital images, slides (we have a projector), photo albums, or anything else you would like to share (or have identified!). Presentation time will be limited so all have time to share!
We will conduct a raffle of plant books, prints, and other appropriate items, so consider bringing something for that as well. You will in turn enjoy a delicious meal, great company, and beautiful pictures! Help will be needed for setup from 5:30 p.m. and for cleanup afterwards.
Location: Lucas Valley Community Center, 1201 Idylberry Rd., San Rafael. Directions: Take Hwy. 101 to Lucas Valley Rd. exit, north of San Rafael; drive west on Lucas Valley Rd. about two miles and turn right onto Mt. Shasta Dr. Take the second left onto Idylberry, then immediately left into the Community Center parking lot.
To volunteer or to ask questions, contact Stacey Pogorzelski at (415) 789-0475
September 25 Field Trip Autumn on the Rift Trail,Pt. Reyes National Seashore
October 11 Chapter Meeting Charlotte Torgovitsky: Winged Visitors in Your Garden Sanctuary
November 8 Chapter Meeting Stephen Sharnoff : A Diversity of Lichens
California Native Plant Week"Some exiting news! Our bill ACR 173 - Native Plant Week passed the Senate! It’s now official - the third week of April in California will be Native Plant Week! Many thanks to Vern Goehring and Joshua Stark for working closely with Assemblywoman Evans and her staff to move this bill forward. Also thanks to our volunteers around the Society (particularly on the Horticulture Committee) who have either provided support or helped provide information needed to address questions that have come up about some of the language in the bill.
Next up - developing a plan to leverage the publicity surrounding this event and get the word out about CNPS and the great work we do to protect our native flora!"
- Tara Hansen, Executive Director.CNPS
Piperia elegans ssp. decurtata, July 2010 Plant of the month by Doreen Smith
"Most species of Marin's native orchids are summer-flowering. The rarest of all is the
endemic-to-Pt. Reyes rein orchid, Piperia elegans ssp. decurtata. It grows only near the
Lighthouse and about the Chimney Rock areas. The common P. elegans ssp. elegans is also
found on Pt. Reyes but only on the eastern hills e.g. about Drakes Estero and Abbotts' Lagoon."Apart from the centers of distribution, which are at least about 10 miles from each other, the plants' flowers can be told apart by the differing lengths of the nectar-spurs. P. elegans ssp. decurtata has a much shorter one than ssp. elegans. It's perfume is different too, being likened to clove redhots rather than a sort-of almond library-paste odor for the common subspecies.
"A project is proposed to improve the waste-water sewage system of the Chief's House near the Chimney Rock trailhead. Unfortunately the only suitable well-drained soil for a leachfield is in coastal prairie about 100 yards to the S. of the house (and it's "historic" Kikuyu grass lawns). In previous years, the orchids, as well as other local plant rarities, have been seen blooming there. It is hard to find this orchid except when it flowers. We hope to take a monitoring field trip there in August to see if we can find this rare Piperia before any excavation work takes place.
Update from Doreen 30 July: "Piperia elegans ssp. decurtata are late this year and only just opening their flowers. Several spikes can be found both near the Lighthouse parking lot N. overlook and the Chimney Rock area Fish-Docks access road."
For more information about and photographs of California native plants, visit Calflora, CalPhotos. or USDA PLANTS
2010 Bay-Friendly Landscape Conference for public agency and landscape professionals
Transforming Urban Landscapes to Protect Our Water Resources
September 16, 8:30 am - 4 pm Tour Bay-Friendly Rated Landscapes: Starts & Ends in Oakland.
September 17, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Conference at St. Mary’s Event Center, San Francisco
Wildflower reports from Marin County
Report (email us) your Marin native plant sightings and photographs
August 22 Doreen Smith reports:
from Brad's field trip to the Jepson Loop, Tomales Bay State Park.
"It was a fine day with no fog and clear views! Lots of huckleberries
about to eat and other native fruits to see ripening on the bushes
including woodland rose, thimbleberry, coffeeberry, salal and the
spiny Menzies' gooseberries. The poison oak was providing lots of
red pre-fall color."Still in flower were yerba buena (Clinopodium douglasii), coast daisy (Corethrogyne filaginifolia), pink honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula), harebell (Campanula californica), morning-glory vine (Calystegia purpurata), even one blueblossom bush (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus) at the upper picnic ground, overlooking Heart's Desire beach. We added two orchid species to the plant list: Piperia elongata and a Corallorhiza in fruit, so we're not sure which species it is."
August 16 Dave Strauss reports: "I saw this flower near Brown Bridge in Fairfax. I've never seen it before."Doreen Smith contributes: "This patch of "common madia" (Madia elegans) has been flowering since spring, a fine vigorous Ca. native Composite. More can be seen opposite the Big Rock on Lucas Valley Road, it often occurs on serpentine.The flowerheads are open in the am, close up in the afternoon."
July 31 Doreen Smith reports:
"Dabney's field trip around Lake Lagunitas today was
well-attended. There were even some late blooming wildflowers as well
as various seeds and berries. We saw the delicate pink Clarkia rubicunda,
the Mt. Tamalpais forma with very little red in the center
of the petals, Campanula prenanthoides, Piperia transversa and
Perideridia gairdneri. We also saw a rare bird, a green heron."
Lake Lagunitas plant checklist
July 30 Doreen Smith reports: "Last week I went to Limantour to check out the effects of the various re-construction works have had on the marshes and there were lots of spp. blooming still. Among them the rare saltmarsh plants Pt. Reyes birds-beak (Cordylanthus maritimus ssp. palustris) and variable owl's-clover (Castilleja ambigua ssp. ambigua). I also found what is perhaps a new population of the enigmatic Marin knotweed (Polygonum marinense).
"Other species in the area were 4 yellow Lotus spp. (birds-foot trefoils) 3 native and 1 introduced, and the aromatic tarplant (Deinandra corymbosa). I got reports of rein orchid (Piperia elegans ssp. elegans) on the beginning of path along the sandspit.
"The coast tarplant (Hemizonia congesta) grows by the roadside on the way to Limantour parking lot , it is lemon-yellow here rather than the more inland golden-yellow version."
All reports from 2003 to present
For more information about and photographs of California native plants, visit Calflora, CalPhotos. or USDA PLANTS
Volunteer Opportunities
- Point Reyes National Seashore-
Habitat Restoration Program
Workdays are normally held on the second and last Sundays of each month.
Please meet us at Bear Valley Visitor Center at 9AM to car pool out to the site. If you're late and want to meet at the work site, please be sure to check at the Visitor Center front desk to confirm the location. Remember to bring a snack/lunch and water and wear clothes that can get dirty. - Point Reyes Weed Watchers
Point Reyes Weed Watchers patrol park trails, detecting and mapping weeds as they first invade. If you enjoy leisurely hikes through the parks but also want to help protect the unique natural resources, then this is the perfect opportunity for you. Weed Watchers is appropriate for adults and teens. For more information, call 415-464-5201 or Natalie_Howe@nps.gov. - The Bay Area Discovery Museum, September 15 and 17.
7 acre indoor/outdoor children's museum at Fort Baker, is looking for volunteer to help spruce up the native plant gardens. Contact Rose Kelly at 415.339.3984 or rkelly@badm.org.
- MMWD -
Mt Tam Watershed Volunteer Opportunities
Please note that all events are subject to cancellation due to heavy rain. Please call (415) 945-1128 the morning of the event. It could be raining on Mt. Tam. but sunny 10 miles away or vice versa! more information
-Mt. Tamalpais Weed Watchers is a new volunteer program of the Marin Municipal Water District. This year's training classes were held in April and May. We will be training more volunteer weed watchers next year. Guided hikes on Mt Tamalpais are offered monthly. Feel free to call us at 415-945-1128if you have any questions.
-Mt. Tamalpais Trail Crew
Generally the 1st Saturday of each month (by reservation)
Join our most skilled volunteers and staff as they maintain and repair our trail system: building bridges, installing fencing, cutting back brush, repairing stairs and installing erosion control structures. Trail events are generally suitable for ages 13 and up. Volunteers under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. All volunteers under 18 must bring a signed permission form. For more information, call 415-945-1128 or e-mail
September 11 Azalea Meadow Trail, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Explicit trail connections and signage help mark official trails and minimize the likelihood of people getting lost. A district vehicle will shuttle volunteers to the work site. We will meet at 9 a.m. at Lagunitas Picnic Area, located at the end of Sky Oaks Road, off Bolinas Road in Fairfax.
October 9 Pumpkin Ridge Trail, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In addition to providing recreation, trails foster an appreciation and respect of nature. Help us maintain trail integrity by improving the tread and erosion control measures on Pumpkin Ridge Trail. We will meet at 9 a.m. at Lagunitas Picnic Area, located at the end of Sky Oaks Road, off Bolinas Road in Fairfax.
-Mt. Tamalpais Habitat Restoration No event in September; October 16 to be announced
Generally the 3rd Saturday of each month (Drop-ins and families encouraged)
Make new friends while battling invasive weeds to restore habitat along Mt. Tamalpais’ lakeshores. Increase your knowledge of Mt. Tamalpais’ unique plant and animal life while contributing to their continued survival. This program focuses on invasive species control with a special emphasis on French broom. Sites are chosen to be scenic and accessible. Children between the ages of 8 and 16 are welcome if accompanied by an adult. All volunteers under 18 must bring a signed permission form.
For more information, call 415-945-1128 or e-mail
There will not be a Habitat Restoration event in September.
October 16Lagunitas Creek 9 a.m. to Noon
Help us improve habitat for salmon by planting native vegetation along Lagunitas Creek, home to many local birds and animals including kingfishers, merganser ducks and giant pacific salamanders. This event is part of the "Gateway" project, which is funded by the State Coastal Conservancy and the California Resources Agency's River Parkways program. We will meet at 9 a.m. at the Leo T. Cronin Fish Viewing parking lot located at Shafter Bridge on Sir Francis Drake Blvd., near the confluence of San Geronimo Creek and Lagunitas Creek in West Marin, just before Samuel P. Taylor State Park.
- Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, Audubon Canyon Ranch
Your help is needed in restoring native plant communities and wildlife habitat in the coastal riparian forests of Bolinas Lagoon. Please join us for our weekly Volunteer Work Days:
Thursdays 9am- noon in Volunteer Canyon.
Contact Leslie@egret.org, 415-868-9244 for more information and to RSVP
- SPAWN" (The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network)
Every Saturday, 10am - 1pm, Creekside Habitat Restoration
Join us as we plant, prune, remove invasives, and improve endangered coho habitat in the San Geronimo Valley! Its a wonderful opportunity to learn more about salmon and share rewarding experiences with like-minded folks of all ages while restoring our local ecosystem. Location varies, please visit SPAWN"S upcoming events for more details!
Every Friday, 10am - 1pm, Native Plant Nursery Day
Come out and help SPAWN volunteers at our very own Native Plant Nursery! We cultivate beautiful plants destined for restoration sites throughout the valley - everything from native blackberries and grasses to majestic redwoods and Douglas fir. Be a part of transforming creekside habitat from the ground up!
- more Volunteer Opportunities
New and Revised MARIN FLORA
The
new edition of John Thomas Howell's classic 1949 Marin Flora. is co-authored by Wilma Follette, Catherine Best and
Frank Almeda, Senior Curator of Botany at the California Academy
of Sciences in San Francisco, and is a joint project of the Marin
Chapter of the CNPS and the Academy of Sciences. This updated
edition has added 416 line drawings to assist in keying species,
new
well-tested dichotomous keys, and color photos of plant communities
in Marin. There are new maps along with satellite images of Marin
County. As much as possible has been preserved of Howell's original
plant descriptions that have long delighted botanists as well as his
insights and poetic observations.
Hard and soft cover books will be available for purchase at chapter meetings or you can
Order Marin Flora from the Marin Chapter CNPS.
Marin Chapter members have contributed many hours of volunteer
labor andexpertise; work was carried out at the Academy where
plant specimens are retained. Publication was made possible by Tom
Howell's generous remembrance of the chapter in his will when he
died in 1994.Cover illustration: "Mt. Tamalpais from Corte Madera Creek" by Tom Killion © 2004
Marin CNPS Photo Gallery
Marin State and Federally Listed Rare, Threatened, or Endangered Plants
Common Bay Area Spring Wildflowers
Common Bay Area Shrubs
Arctostaphylos species of Marin County
Orobanche species of Marin County
Some Native Orchids of Marin County
Delphinium bakeri pictures and article
Plant Communities of Marin County
Gardening with Native Plants in the San Francisco Bay Area
Native Plants that Attract Birds
Lost Plants of Marin by Doreen Smith
Invasive Alert - Lepidium latifolium - Pt. Reyes staff have been finding scattered new populations of Perennial Pepperweed in Tomales Bay and would greatly appreciate reports of any plants seen around Tomales Bay. Please contact Ecologist Lorraine Parsons at Lorraine_Parsons@nps.gov. with information as to the location (as precise as possible), size, and life stage (flowering, fruiting, etc).
Lepidium latifolium description and photos
CNPS Grass and Wildflower Posters
Plant Communities of Marin by David Shuford and Irene C. Timossi
Pickleweed Press wetland field guides
Junior Botanists Program
E-mail questions or comments to Marin CNPS
Our logo is the Tiburon Mariposa Lily
(Calochortus tiburonensis). This extremely rare lily can be seen blooming from the end of May through mid-June among the serpentine rocks of Ring Mountain in Marin County, California. In fact, this is the only place in the world it has ever been found growing in the wild. It was first noticed by botanists in 1971 when the small patch of land on which it lives passed from private into public hands. The plant is now in cultivation and can be seen in botanic gardens.
Try your hand at identifying the parts of this flower:
or
View more photographs of this lily in its native habitat
or
Visit the College of Marin's "To See A World Project" to learn more about Ring Mountain
The California Native Plant Society
is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of California native plants and their natural habitats, and to increasing the understanding, appreciation, and horticultural use of native plants. It seeks to accomplish these goals in a number of ways, through: The work of the Society is carried out primarily by the volunteer efforts of the members of CNPS chapters throughout the state. Money at the State level is provided by the dues of members. Local chapters raise money through plant sales and poster and book sales. The California Native Plant Society has 9,000 members statewide. The Marin Chapter, which was founded in 1973, has approximately 500 members.
Chapter Websites:
-
BAY AREA:
- Milo Baker Chapter (Sonoma County)
- Napa Valley Chapter
- Willis L. Jepson Chapter (Solano County)
- Marin Chapter (you are here)
- East Bay Chapter (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties)
- Yerba Buena Chapter (San Francisco and northern San Mateo Counties)
- Santa Clara Valley Chapter (Santa Clara and San Mateo counties)
- Santa Cruz Chapter
NORTH: - North Coast Chapter (Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte and western Siskiyou counties)
- Shasta Chapter
- Sanhedrin Chapter
- Dorothy King Young Chapter (coastal area of Mendocino County and northern coast of Sonoma County)
EAST: - Sacramento Valley Chapter (Colusa, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties plus portions of Amador and San Joaquin counties)
- Redbud Chapter (Nevada and Placer Counties)
- El Dorado Chapter
- Sequoia Chapter (Madera and Fresno Counties)
- Bristlecone Chapter
- Alta Peak Chapter (Tulare County)
SOUTH: - Monterey Bay Chapter
- San Luis Obispo Chapter (San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara Counties)
- Kern County Chapter
- Mojave Desert Chapter
- Channel Islands Chapter
- Los Angeles /Santa Monica Mountain Chapter
- San Gabriel Mountains Chapter
- Riverside/San Bernadino Chapter
- South Coast Chapter
- Orange County Chapter
- San Diego Chapter (San Diego and Imperial counties)