Salt Point and Sea Ranch
Doreen and Vernon Smith joined the Milo Baker Chapter of CNPS for a Field Trip to Salt Point State Park and Sea Ranch on May 6 – 8, 2017, organized by Betty Young. Most of the group camped at Salt Point State Park and enjoyed a pot-luck dinner together on the Saturday evening.
On the afternoon of May 6 the group hiked up the North Trail to see the Pygmy Forest and returned to camp via the Central Trail. Some of the plants seen were Rhododendron macrophyllum (western rhododendron), Clintonia andrewsiana (clintonia), Lysimachia latifolia (starflower), and Corallorhiza mertensiana (Merten’s Coralroot).
On May 7 the group visited Sea Ranch at the invitation of Barbara Rice, hiked the Sag Pond Trail and looped back from the ridge. Some of the plants seen were Anemone oregana var. oregana (Oregon anemone), Rubus parviflorus (thimbleberry), Corallorhiza maculata var. maculata (spotted coralroot orchid), Calochortus tolmiei (pussy-ears star-tulip), Clintonia andrewsiana (clintonia), Maianthemum racemosum (false Solomon’s seal), Achlys triphylla ssp. triphylla (vanilla leaf), Vaccinium parvifolium (redberry huckleberry), Lathyrus (unknown species), Ranunculus uncinatus (woodland buttercup), Lathyrus torreyi (Torrey’s pea) , Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata (sugar-scoop), Stellaria crispa (crisp starwort), Claytonia sibirica (candyflower), and Prosartes smithii (Smith’s Fairy Bells). Non-native species seen included Moenchia erecta ssp. erecta (erect chickweed), and Acaena nova-zelandiae (biddy-biddy)
On May 8 we hiked on the coastal prairie section of Salt Point State Park. Some of the plants seen were Brodiaea terrestris ssp. terrestris (dwarf brodiaea), Triphysaria versicolor ssp. versicolor (white-pink butter and eggs), Sidalcea malviflora ssp. purpurea (purple-stemmed checkerbloom), Lupinus arboreus (yellow bush lupine), Calystegia purpurata ssp. saxicola (coastal bluff morning glory), Wyethia angustifolia (narrow-leaved mule’s-ears), Armeria maritima ssp. californica (sea-pink or thrift), Cirsium quercetorum (brownie thistle), and Stachys rigida var. quercetorum (woodland hedgenettle).
There are three sets of Slideshows below for each day.
Photos from May 6 at Salt Point
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Photos from May 7 at Sea Ranch
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Photos from May 8 at Salt Point
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Photos by Vernon Smith (exceot as noted)