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


Tall adult shrubs

Smaller adult shrubs, usually ~ 0.5-2 m in height, including subshrubs (woody at the base, herbaceous above)


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.