Ash Tree (White) Pinnately compound, opposite Fruits: Samaras Deciduous Oleaceae North America, Europe Asia Used for baseball bats, flooring, tool handles Bladderpod Compound Leaves – trifoliate, alternate, Fruit: capsule Capparaceae (caper family) SW U.S Inflated Seedpods Brazilian Pepper Pinnately compound, alternating leaves Fruit: Drupe Anacardiaceae Tropical and subtropical south america Not a true pepper Shallow roots Sap – skin reactions Black Sage Evergreen, Simple leaves, opposite Fruit: Schizocarp Lamiaceae Coastal Sage Scrub Used as a pain reliever, nectar made into a honey Bulrush Three sided Cyperaceae (Sedge) N and S America Indicator of fresh water Cactus Leaves – modified into spines from areoles Cactaceae Deserts Chladophylls Cohineal (scale) insect carmine dye California Buckeye Palmately compound Fruit: capsule Sapindaceae Native to CA Seeds: poisonous Aesculin: lyses RBC’s California Buckwheat Erosion control Polygonaceae SW U.S Used as treatment for headached, diarrhea, wounds, good for heart California Redbud Deciduous, simple leaves Fabeaceae Western US Used for wood veneer, Erosion control California Sagebrush Light in color, Fruit Achene Asteraceae Terpenes: odor and reduce competition, erosion control California Sweet bay Dioecious, Fruit: True Berry Lauraceae Mediterranean Spice, Cineole oil used as an astringent – Olympic wreaths Plant Species (cont) Species Characteristics Family Other Caster Bean Leaves palmate, alternate, reddish tinge Fruit: not a bean - Capsule Euphorbiaceae Mediterranean Ricin, protein a few grains of sand can kill an adult
Catalina Cherry Simple, alternate leaves Evergreen Drupe Rosaceae Coastal CA Native americans fermented fruit Catalina Ironwood Compound leaves Fruit: Capsule Roasaceae Catalina Endemic Seeds not very viable Cattails Spike – wind dispersed Typhaceae No. hemisphere Indicator of freshwater Rhizomes are edible Ceanothus (Mt. Lilac) Simple, evergreen Leaves with 3 prominent veins Fruit: Capsule Rhamnaceae Endemic to Ca Chaparral Eaten by deer Coast Live Oak Evergreen, simple, convex with hair along veins Fruit: Nut Fagaceae CA Tannins – can’t metabolize proteins Coffee berry Evergreen Fruit: berry Rhamnaceae Chaparral Erosion control, hated by deer Coyote Bush Evergreen Fruit: achenes Asteraceae California Secondary pioneer plant Elderberry Deciduous, pinnately compound leaves – Fruit: True Berry Adoxaceae No. hemisphere Make wine and syrup Encelia White leaves- Geophyte (water storage) Fruit: achene Asteraceae U.S. Desert Uses as glue, sealer, gum, incense, treat toothaches Eucalyptus Evergreen, oil glands simple Fruit: capsules Myrtaceae Australia Insecticides Peeling bark Flannel Bush Simple 3-lobed leaf, fuzzy texture Fruit: capsule Malvaceae SW United States Modified hairs - Trichomes Plant Species (cont) Species Characteristics Family Other Fremont Cottonwood Triangular Fruit: Achene Salicaceae SW U.S. Long petioles – wind adaptation Used for wounds and reduce inflammation
Fringe Tree Deciduous – Fruit: Drupe Oleaceae Eastern U.S. Use for wounds and inflammation Ginkgo Fan shaped leaves Ginkgoaceae China Only males are planted Horehound White - Candy Fruit: Berry Lamiaceae Europe, N. Africa, Asia Invasive Weed, brought in with cows, grasshopper repellent Incense Cedar Scale-like leaves Cones Cupressaceae Western N. A. Snow adaptation Jacaranda Doubly compound Fruit Capsule Bignoniaceae Tropical and subtropical Central and South am Sticky flowers Used for acoustic guitars Jojoba Opposite, gray green simple Fruit: Simmondsiaceae Deserts of calif and mex Upright leaves Thick sap Laurel Sumac Reddish edges Simple leaves Fruit: Drupe Anacardiaceae Mediterranean climate Tea for dysentery Volatile compounds Crown sprouting Lemonade Berry Trifoliate, alternating Fruit: berry Anacardiaceae Mediterranean climate Lemonade Tannins Liquid Amber Palmate leaves Fruit: woody capsule Altingiaceae Southeastern U.S Named for the fragrant juice from the tree Manzanita Red Bark Fruit: berries Ericaceae Chaparral Furniture Fire adapted Mesquite Deciduous, compound leaves, thorns Fruit: legume Fabaceae Mexico / deserts Long taproot (190 feet deep) Food, bees, clothing, tea, eye drops Plant Species (cont) Species Characteristics Family Other Mulefat Simple leaves Fruit: ribbed achene Asteraceae Southwest U.S. riparian False Willow
area Mustard Annual Fruit: Silique Brassicaceae Disturbed areas Sign of disturbance Palm, California Only native palm to CA Fruit: Drupe Arecaceae Oasis Skirt Palm, Mexican Arecaceae Skirt Palo Verde Sheds leaves, green bark Spines Fruit: Legume Fabaceae Southwest U.S. Scarification Nurse plant for Saguaro Pampas Grass Grass family Fruit: Grain Poaceae Southern SA Leaves that cut Pine Tree Needles Pine cones Pinaceae Taiga Adaptation for snow Sago Palm True secondary growth Cycadaceae Tropical and subtropical Toxic – Cycasin which causes liver failure Southern Magnolia Thick waxy leaves – pubescence underneath Fruit: Follicle Magnoliaceae SE U.S. Sugar Bush Fruit: Drupes Anacardiaceae Chaparral tannins Toyon Christmas berry Fruit: Pome Rosaceae Chaparral Jelly from fruit, tea for stomach ailments, contain glycocises Tree Tobacco Fruit: Solanaceae South america Nicotine : treats bruises, cuts, sore Plant Species (cont) Species Characteristics Family Other Walnut Deciduous, compound Juglandinae Edible but we eat English Walnuts
Fruit: Drupe Endemic to CA Western Sycamore Deciduous Fruit: achene Platanaceae California White Alder Simple, alternate Betulaceae W. U.S - riparian Catkins Stroboli White Sage White Fruit: achene Lamiaceae CSS, chaparral Seeds made into Pinole Wild Radish annual fruit: silque - ribbed Brassicaceae Disturbed habitats Disturbed areas Willow water Fruit: capsule Salicaceae Salicylic acid in sap (aspirin) Headaches, stomach Plant Families Mustard (Brassicaceae) Cactus (Cactaceae) Mint (Lamiaceae) Rose (Rosaceae) Pea (Fabaceae) Sumac (Anacardiaceae) Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grass (Poaceae) Plant Families When identifying flower parts, it is best to start on the outside of the flower and work towards the middle: Sepals: a modified leaf, part of the outermost of the four groups of parts. The sepals of a flower are collectively called the calyx and act as a protective covering of the inner flower parts in the bud. Sepals are usually green, but in some flowers (e.g., the lily and the orchid) they are the same color as the petals and may be confused with them,