Native plant identification key for the
Palos Verdes Peninsula, California
Shrubs
Woody plants with several stems branching off from their bases or very
close to them. Without strong and centralized trunks, shrubs rarely can get
taller than 5 or 6 m. Some smaller shrubs, called subshrubs, are woody only in
the lower parts of their stems, the upper parts being herbaceous and soft.
Smaller adult shrubs
Large adult shrubs, almost tree-like, > 2 m
- Leaves simple, not subdivided into separate leaflets
- Leaves alternate (single leaves come out of the stem on alternating
sides)
- Leaves linear (very narrow, much longer than wide), mostly entire
(margins without teeth or lobes), silky hairs both top/bottom, silvery grey-
green on top, glaucous underside (covered with a whitish dust or resin that
comes off easily, as in blueberries), ~4-13 cm long = Salix exigua
(narrowleaf willow)
- Leaves lanceolate (much longer than wide, with the widest part toward the
base), glabrous (smooth-surfaced) or minutely pubescent (hairy/downy), may be
resinous or sticky, bright green, ~2-10 cm long, petiole may be winged = Baccharis
salicifolia (mulefat)
- Leaves oblanceolate (much longer than wide, with the widest part toward
the tip), margins almost entire (few if any teeth) and slightly rolled under,
~3-13 cm long, short petiole, dark green/glabrous on top, pubescent
(hairy/downy) or glaucous (whitish dusty coating) underneath = Salix
lasiolepis (arroyo willow)
- Leaves oblong-lanceolate (oval, outer margins nearly parallel to one
another but a little wider at the base, much longer than wide), medium olive
green, glabrous (smooth-surfaced), somewhat sclerophyllous (leathery), folded
concavely upward along axis which itself arches backward slightly, reddish
veins, ~3-10 cm long, petiole 1-4 cm = Malosma
laurina (laurel sumac)
- Leaves elliptical (symmetrical oval, widest in the middle) or oblong
(oval with margins flattened or parallel in the middle), glabrous
(smooth-surfaced) to the point of shiny and dark olive green above, duller
glabrous below, sclerophyllous (leathery), many short sharp teeth, margins and
teeth may curl toward the underside, ~5-10 cm long, petiole ~1-2 cm long =
Heteromeles
arbutifolia (toyon)
- Leaves variable/mostly elliptical (symmetrical oval), obovate (longer
than wide, widening toward tip), or round, base narrows to a short petiole,
leaves ~2-9 cm long, well-separated, looking rather scattered, pale green
above/below = Crossosoma
californicum (Catalina crossosoma)
- Leaves ovate or egg-shaped with the widest part toward the base
- Leaves entire or few-toothed
- Leaf tip acute, leaves ~4-8 cm long, ~3-5 cm wide, petiole reddish and
~1-3 cm long, glabrous (smooth-surfaced), dark olive green on top, lighter
underneath, folded slightly concave upward along axis, which bends backward,
margins somewhat wavy = Rhus ovata
(sugarbush)
- Leaf tip mostly obtuse or rounded/blunt, leaves ~2.5-6 cm long, ~2-4
wide, mostly glabrous (smooth-surfaced), medium-dark green on top, slightly
lighter under, leaves mostly flat, sometimes "quilted" along veins = Rhus
integrifolia (lemonadeberry)
- Leaves toothed to the point of spinose. Leaves ~2-5 cm long, on short
petioles, sclerophyllous (leathery), glabrous (smooth-surfaced), dark green on
top, lighter green under, margin wavy and very spinose, almond smell when
crushed = Prunus
ilicifolia (hollyleaf cherry)
- Leaves cuneate (wedge-shaped with the widest part toward the tip) or may
be oblong (oval, longer than wide, widening toward the tip) or oblanceolate
(much longer than wide, widening toward the tip), ~3-7 cm long, ~0.5-2 cm
wide, margins with a few teeth or lobes, either sessile (attached directly to
stem without a petiole or leaf stalk) or with a short winged petiole, silvery
olive green, glabrous (smooth-surfaced), sticky, stiff = Baccharis
emoryi (Emory's baccharis)
- Leaves opposite: none
- Leaves compound, divided into separate leaflets
- Leaves pinnately divided (leaflets branch away from the rachis or
compound leaf's main axis stem), odd-foliate (an odd number of leaflets), 2,
5, 7, or 9 leaflets. Leaflets elliptic (symmetric oval, with the widest part
in the middle) or ovate (egg-shaped, with the widest part toward the base),
fine-toothed, central axes of the leaflets curve so that the base is often
asymmetrical. Leaflets are either glabrous (smooth-surfaced) or hairy, bright
to medium green, tips acute or acuminate (tapering to a point) = Sambucus
mexicana (Mexican elderberry)
- Leaves palmately divided (leaflets diverge from a common point at the
base of the leaf): none
Tall adult shrubs
Smaller adult shrubs, usually ~ 0.5-2 m in height,
including subshrubs (woody at the base, herbaceous above)
- Leaves simple
- Leaves opposite (each leaf node on a stem has a pair of leaves coming out
of it)
- Strong sage or mint odor, square stems
- Leaves ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward the ase), margins crenulate (small
round teeth), ~2-3 cm long, yellow green/greyish green = Salvia
mellifera (black sage)
- Leaves oblong-lanceolate (much longer than wide, a little wider toward
the base, but the margins are nearly parallel), margins crenulate (small
round teeth), ~2-5 cm long, tomentose (woolly), silvery-grey = Salvia
leucophylla (purple sage)
- Plants without a strong sage or mint smell
- Leaves linear (very narrow, much longer than wide) or narrow-lanceolate
(much longer than wide if not quite linear, a bit wider at the base), margins
fine-toothed and revolute (rolled under), ~2-8 cm long, sessile (clasping the
stem directly without a petiole or leaf stalk), indented pinnate veining
(secondary veins branch off from the midrib of the leaf), glabrous
(smooth-surfaced) on the top but glandular/glutinous (sticky/gluey) on
undersides = Mimulus
aurantiacus (sticky monkey flower)
- Leaves linear (very narrow, much longer than wide) to ovate (egg-shaped,
wider toward the base), arranged oppositely below (though can be alternate
higher up), often with axillary clusters of leaves (a bunch of leaves coming
out of the angle between the main leaf and the stem), green to grey, ~0.5-5 cm
long, sessile (clasping the stem directly without a petiole or leaf stalk) or
nearly so, margins usually entire (smooth-edged) but can be strongly toothed
or tomentose (woolly), not particularly glandular (sticky), species is quite
variable = Epilobium
canum (California fuschia)
- Leaves lanceolate-ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward base, but quite a bit
longer than wide) to wide cordate (heart-shaped, with the cleft at the base);
margins toothed, sometimes sharply; palmately veined (more than 1 vein
branching away from the base of the leaf), veins indented; glabrous (smooth-
surfaced) to puberulent (somewhat hairy/downy); shiny bright green to dark
green; ~2-5 cm long, ~1-3 cm wide = Keckiella
cordifolia (climbing penstemon)
- Leaves ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward base), elliptical (symmetrical
oval), or round; margins entire (smooth-edged) or slightly lobed; ~0.5-3 cm
long; very short petiole (leaf stalk); membranous (thin); bluish-green on top
and pubescent (hairy/downy) below; pinnately veined (veins branch off from the
midrib of the leaf) = Symphoricarpos
mollis (creeping snowberry)
- Leaves oblong (much longer than wide, with parallel margins) or ovate
(egg-shaped, wider toward the base); margins entire (smooth-edged) but
revolute (rolled under); ~1-4 cm long; medium green and glabrous
(smooth-surfaced) on top, somewhat lighter and pubescent (hairy/downy) below =
Lonicera
subspicata (honeysuckle)
- Leaves ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward base) or obovate (egg-shaped,
wider toward tip) in the lower part of the plant, narrower higher up;
axillary fascicles (bunches of small leaves coming out of the angle between
the main leaf and the stem; margins entire (smooth-edged) but revolute (rolled
under); ~0.4-4 cm long; sclerophyllous (tough, leathery), waxy, fleshy;
glabrous (smooth-surfaced) or hairy; bright green to silver-green = Frankenia
salina (alkali heath)
- Leaves alternate (one leaf per node, alternating from one side to the
other or in a kind of spiraling pattern)
- Retention of ball-like inflorescences (flower clusters) all year,
white/pink/yellow flowers drying to rust, no sage or mint smell
- Leaves linear (very narrow, much longer than wide) to oblanceolate (much
longer than wide, wider toward the tip), fascicled (leaves in a bunch, the
bunches alternating up the stem), ~0.5-3 cm long, sclerophyllous (leathery)
and revolute (rolled under) along margins, glabrous (smooth-surfaced)
yellow/olive green on top, woolly underneath = Eriogonum
fasciculatum (California buckwheat)
- Leaves ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward base) or roundish; thick; margins
entire, sometimes revolute (rolled under) creating a triangular appearance;
~0.5-3 cm long; dark green, sometimes with a reddish tint; glabrous (smooth-
surfaced) above, white/felted underneath = Eriogonum
parvifolium (coast buckwheat)
- Leaves ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward base); margins distinctly wavy;
~1.25-3 cm long; tomentose (woolly) on both surfaces, more so underneath;
silvery or whitish = Eriogonum
cinereum (ashyleaf buckwheat)
No retention of ball-like inflorescences
- Leaves linear (very narrow, much longer than wide)
- Leaves < 0.4 cm long, margins entire (smooth-edged), tapering to acute
tip, somewhat reflexed (axis bent backward), glabrous (smooth-surfaced) to
puberulent (lightly hairy/downy), green, young growth gland-dotted and sticky
= Ericameria
palmeri (Palmer's rabbitbrush)
- Leaves 0.4-1.2 cm long, margins entire (smooth), almost cylindric in
cross-section, main leaves at nearly right angle to main stem, slightly
recurved (bent backwards), dense fascicle (leaf bunch) forming a fan-like
structure in leaf axils (angle where main leaf joins stem), medium
green/yellow-olive/blue-green, puberulent (slightly hairy) and glandular
(sticky) = Ericameria
ericoides (California goldenbush)
- Leaves lanceolate (much longer than wide, wider toward the base); margins
mostly entire (smooth-edged), may have 3-5 coarse lobes toward tip; ~6-15 cm
long; glabrous (smooth-surfaced) green/grey-green above, tomentose (woolly)
underneath; sagebrush smell = Artemisia
douglasiana (California mugwort)
- Leaves spatulate to obovate, margins toothed
- Leaves sharply toothed/spinose, ~1-5 cm long, sessile (clasping the stem
without a petiole or leaf stalk), sclerophyllous (tough, leathery), mostly
glabrous (smooth-surfaced) but can be puberulent (slightly hairy) and resinous
= Hazardia
squarrosa (common hazardia)
- Leaves not sharply toothed/spinose
- Leaves usually pubescent (hairy/down) and dotted with sticky glands, leaf
base may include axillary fascicles (bunches of leaves coming out of the angle
between the main leaf and the stem), margins entire (smooth-edged) to
dull-toothed, ~0.6-5 cm long, grey-green = Isocoma
menziesii (coastal isocoma)
- Leaves glabrous (smooth-surfaced), not fascicled; glandular (sticky) and
stiff; ~1.25-2.5 cm long; green/grey-green = Baccharis
pilularis (coyote brush)
- Leaves rhomboidal (diamond-shaped), margins usually entire (smooth-
edged), ~3-6 cm long and ~1.5-3 cm wide, petiole (leaf stalk) ~0.5-2.5 cm
long, glabrous (smooth-surfaced), green, scattered widely along the stems =
Encelia
californica (California encelia)
- Leaves deltoid (triangular, wide at the base, apex at tip), palmately 3-
lobed (lobes emerged from a common point at the base), margins are serrated
(saw-toothed), ~1-4 cm long, short petiole (leaf stalk), tomentose (woolly),
white, glandular (sticky) = Brickellia
californica (brickellbush)
- Leaves cordate (heart-shaped, with cleft at base) to round, palmately
veined (more than 1 main vein branching away from the base), 5 lobed, margins
crenate (small round teeth), ~1-3 cm long and wide, petioles ~1-3 cm long,
glabrous (smooth-surfaced), green, clustered along short lateral branchlets =
Ribes
californicum (California gooseberry)
- Leaves variable in shape: rhomboidal (diamond), ovate (egg-shaped, wider
at base), deltoid (triangular), or hastate (arrowhead-shaped), margins ae
entire (smooth-edged) or slightly wavy, ~1.5-5 cm long, thin, greenish-grey or
silver, faintly scaly, salty to taste (be sure of identification before
tasting!)= Atriplex
lentiformis (big saltbush)
- Leaves markedly lobed, almost but not to the point of compound
- Lobes linear, thin, threadlike; usually 3-5 per leaf forking off from the
midpoint of the leaf or higher; margins entire and curling under; < 5 cm long;
silvery to light green; hairy; intense, pleasant sage-like scent = Artemisia
californica (California sagebrush)
- Lobes linear, almost threadlike (< 1mm wide); usually 3-5 per leaf;
pinnately dissected (lobes diverge from the midrib), margins curled under;
overall leaf obovate (egg-shaped, wider toward the base), ~2-3 cm long;
glabrous (smooth-surfaced) and green above, tomentose (woolly) and white
underneath = Eriophyllum
confertiflorum (golden yarrow)
- Leaves compound, divided into completely separate leaflets
- Leaves pinnately divided (leaflets diverge from along the rachis or
central stem of the compound leaf)
- Leaves 3-foliate, leaflets lanceolate (much longer than wide, wider
toward the base) to oblanceolate (much longer than wide, but wider toward
thetip), margins entire (smooth-edged), ~0.4-1 cm long, medium green to
bluish-silvery green, glabrous (smooth-surfaced), very short petioles (leaf
stalks) attach compound leaf to stems = Lotus
scoparius (deerweed)
- Leaves odd-foliate, usually 3-5 leaflets, ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward
the base) to cordate (heart-shaped, base wider and cleft), irregularly serrate
(saw-toothed), ~2-10 cm long, ~1.5-2.5 cm wide, petioles (leaf stalks) and
rachis (central stems of the leaves) prickly (unlike poison oak), petioles ~2-
6 cm long, leaflets hairy and green on both sides, evergreen = Rubus ursinus
(California blackberry)
- Leaves odd-foliate, usually 5-7 leaflets, ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward
the base), margins serrate (saw-toothed) or doubly serrate (the teeth
themselves are saw-toothed), ~1-3.5 cm long, petioles (leaf stalks) and rachis
cental stem of leaves) pubescent (hairy/downy) to prickly, ~1.5-2.5 cm long,
sclerophyllous (leathery) but thin, dark green on top, pubescent and lighter
underneath, mostly winter deciduous = Rosa
californica (California rose)
- Leaves palmately divided (leaflets diverge from a common point at the
base of the leaf)
- Leaves mostly 3-foliate, leaflets oblong (much longer than wide, with
nearly parallel margins) to elliptic (symmetrical oval, widest in the middle),
~1.5-2.5 cm long, margins entire (smooth-edged), leaflets folded or curled
lengthwise upward, glabrous (smooth-surfaced), dark green or green-grey,
unpleasant smell = Isomeris
arborea (bladderpod)
- Leaves odd-foliate, 5-9 leaflets; leaflets oblanceolate (much longer than
wide, widening toward the tip), ~1-2.5 cm long, margins entire (smooth-edged),
petioles (leaf stalks) ~1-3.5 cm long, with stipules (appendages at base of
petioles) ~0.8-1 cm long, glabrous (smooth-surfaced) on top, silvery
olive-green and silky-hairy, especially on underside = Lupinus
chamissonis (dune bush lupine)
- Leaves odd-foliate, 5-11 leaflets; leaflets oblanceolate (much longer
than wide, widening toward the tip) or elliptical (symmetrical oval, widest in
the middle), ~2.5-6 cm long, ~0.5-1.5 cm wide, margins entire (smooth-edged),
petioles (leaf stalks) ~4-10 cm long, with stipules (appendages at the base of
petioles) ~0.5-1.4 cm long, silvery green, silky-hairy on both sides of the
leaflets = Lupinus
longifolius (longleaf bush lupine)
First placed on web: 08/03/11
Last revised: 08/10/11
Christine M. Rodrigue, Ph.D., Department of Geography, California State
University,
Long Beach, CA 90840-1101
rodrigue@csulb.edu
The development of this key was partially funded through the Geoscience
Diversity Enhancement Program (Award #0703798) and through a course of
re-assigned time provided by the CSULB Scholarly and Creative Activities
Committee. Thanks also to the students in sections of biogeography,
introductory physical geography, GDEP, and LSAMP for "test-driving" various
editions of this key.