Plants of San Diego County, California [Back to Home Page] Listing by group, then alphabetical by family, genus, species Last updated 22 Jan 2020 LYCOPHYTES Isoetaceae Isoetes howellii -- Howell's Quillwort Isoetes orcuttii -- Orcutt's Quillwort Selaginellaceae - Spike-Moss Family Selaginella bigelovii --- Bigelow's Spike-Moss Selaginella cinerascens --- Mesa Spike-Moss OPHIOGLOSSOID FERNS Ophioglossaceae - Adder's Tongue Family Ophioglossum californicum --- California Adder's Tongue --- Ophioglossaceae EQUISETOPHYTES Equisetaceae Equisetum arvense --- Common Horsetail LEPTOSPORANGIATE FERNS Dennstaedtiaceae [Polypodiaceae] Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens --- Braken Brake Marsileaceae Marsilea vestita subsp. vestita --- Hairy Clover Fern --- Marsileaceae Pilularia americana --- American Pillwort --- Marsileaceae Polypodiaceae - Polypody Family Polypodium californicum --- California Polypody Pteridaceae [Polypodiaceae] - Brake Family  Myriopteris newberryi -- California Cotton Fern  Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata --- Bird's Foot Cliff-Brake Pentagramma glanduloviscida --- Silverback Fern CONIFERS Cupressaceae Calocedrus decurrens --- Incense Cedar  Juniperus californica -- California Juniper  Pinaceae - Pine Family Abies concolor --- White Fir Pinus coulteri --- Coulter Pine Pinus jeffreyi --- Jeffrey Pine Pinus lambertiana --- Sugar Pine Pinus monophylla --- Single-Leaf Pinyon Pine Pinus ponderosa --- Ponderosa Pine Pinus quadrifolia --- Parry Pinyon Pine Pinus torreyana --- Torrey Pine GNETALES Ephedraceae - Ephedra Family Ephedra sp. --- Mormon-Tea ANGIOSPERMS: LAURALES Lauraceae - Laurel Family Umbellularia californica --- California Bay ANGIOSPERMS: EUDICOTS Acanthaceae - Acanthus Family Justicia californica --- Beloperone, Chuparosa Adoxaceae - Adoxa Family Sambucus nigra --- Blue Elderberry Aizoaceae - Iceplant Family Mesembryanthemum crystallinum Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum Amaranthaceae [Chenopodiaceae] - Amaranth Family Arthroceras subterminale [Arthrocnemon subterminale] --- Parish's Pickleweed Atriplex hymenelytra --- Desert Holly  Atriplex polycarpa --- Many Fruit Saltbush Salicornia pacifica --- Pacific Pickleweed Suaeda esteroa --- Estuary Sea-Blite Anacardiaceae - Sumac or Cashew Family Malosma laurina --- Laurel Sumac Rhus aromatica --- Skunkbrush Rhus integrifolia --- Lemonadeberry Rhus ovata --- Sugar Bush Toxicodendron diversilobum --- Western Poison-Oak Apiaceae (=Umbelliferae) - Carrot Family Eryngium aristulatum var. parishii --- San Diego Button-Celery Foeniculum vulgare --- Sweet Fennel Lomatium lucidum Apodanthaceae Pilostyles thurberi -- Thurber's Pilostyles Asteraceae (=Compositae) - Sunflower Family Ambrosia chamissonis --- Beach Bur Ambrosia chenopodiifolia --- San Diego Bur-Sage --- Asteraceae Ambrosia dumosa --- Burro Weed Ambrosia salsola var. salsola --- Burrobrush Artemisia californica --- Coastal Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata --- Sagebrush Baccharis salicifolia --- Mule Fat, Seep-Willow Baccharis sarothroides --- Broom Baccharis Bahiopsis laciniata --- San Diego Sunflower Bahiopsis parishii --- Parish's Golden-Eyes Bebbia juncea --- Rush Sweetbush Chaenactis fremontii --- Desert Pincushion Corethrogyne filaginifolia --- California Aster Cotula coronopifolia --- Brass Buttons Encelia californica --- California Encelia Encelia farinosa --- Brittlebush, Incienso Eriophyllum confertiflorum --- Long-Stem Golden Yarrow Gutierrezia sarothrae --- Broom Matchweed/Snakeweed Hazardia squarrosa --- Saw-tooth Goldenbush Isocoma menziesii --- Goldenbush Jaumea carnosa--- Salty Susan Lasthenia gracilis --- Common Goldfields Leptosyne maritima --- Sea-Dahlia Malacothrix glabrata --- Desert Dandelion Palafoxia arida --- Desert Spanish Needle Perityle emoryi --- Emory's Rock Daisy Porophyllum gracile --- Odora Psilocarphus brevissimus --- Dwarf Woolly-Heads Psilocarphus tenellus --- Slender Wooly-Heads Bataceae - Saltwort Family Batis maritima --- Saltwort, Beachwort Bignoniaceae - Bignonia Family Chilopsis linearis subsp. arcuata --- Desert-Willow Boraginaceae - Borage Family Cryptantha intermedia --- Nievitas Cryptantha Plagiobothrys acanthocarpus --- Adobe Allocarya Brassicaceae (=Cruciferae) - Mustard Family Cakile maritima --- Sea Rocket Cardamine californica --- Milkmaids, Toothwort Hirschfeldia incana -- Short-Pod Mustard Burseraceae - Torchwood Family Bursera microphylla --- Elephant Tree, Torote Cactaceae - Cactus Family Bergerocactus emoryi --- Golden Spine Cereus --- Cactaceae Cylindropuntia bigelovii --- Teddy-Bear Cholla Cylindropuntia californica var. californica --- Snake Cholla --- Cactaceae Cylindropuntia ganderi --- Gander Cholla Cylindropuntia prolifera --- Coastal Cholla Cylindropuntia wolfii --- Wolf's Cholla Echinocereus engelmannii --- Hedgehog Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus --- California Barrel Cactus Ferocactus viridescens var. viridescens --- Coast Barrel Cactus Mammillaria dioica --- Fish Hook Cactus Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris --- Beavertail Cactus Opuntia littoralis --- Coastal Prickly-Pear Opuntia oricola --- Chaparral Prickly-Pear Callitrichaceae - Water-Starwort Family Callitriche marginata --- Water-Starwort Campanulaceae - Bellflower Family Downingia concolor var. brevior --- Cuyamaca Lake Downingia Downingia cuspidata --- Toothed Downingia Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle Family Lonicera subspicata var. denudata --- Honeysuckle Celastraceae Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii --- Burning Bush Cleomaceae - Cleome Family Peritoma arborea var. arborea [Isomeris arborea var. a.] --- Bladderpod Convolvulaceae [see also Cuscutaceae] - Morning-Glory Family Convolvulus cyclostegius subsp. aridus [Calystegia macrostegia subsp.] --- Morning-Glory Cressa truxillensis--- Alkali Weed Cuscuta pacifica --- Dodder Cornaceae - Dogwood Family Cornus sericea subsp. occidentalis --- American Dogwood Crassulaceae - Stonecrop Family Crassula aquatica --- Water Pygmyweed Crassula solieri --- Smooth-seed Pygmyweed Dudleya edulis --- Ladies' Fingers Dudleya lanceolata --- Coastal Dudleya Dudleya pulverulenta --- Chalk Dudleya Cucurbitaceae - Gourd Family Marah macrocarpa var. macrocarpa --- Manroot, Wild-Cucumber Elatinaceae - Waterwort Family Elatine brachysperma --- Waterwort Ericaceae - Heath Family Arctostaphylos glandulosa --- Manzanita --- Ericaceae Arctostaphylos pungens --- Manzanita Rhododendron occidentale --- Western Azalea Xylococcus bicolor --- Mission Manzanita Euphorbiaceae - Spurge Family Acalypha californica --- Copperleaf Euphorbia misera --- Cliff Spurge Euphorbia polycarpa [Chamaesyce p.] --- Snakeroot Fabaceae (=Leguminosae) - Legume Family Acmispon glaber --- Deerweed Cercis occidentalis --- Red Bud Lupinus bicolor --- Miniature Lupine Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana --- Mesquite, Honey Mesquite Psorothamnus emoryi --- White-Dalea Psorothamnus schottii --- Indigo Bush Psorothamnus spinosus --- Smoke Tree Senegalia greggii --- Catclaw Senna armata --- Spiny Senna Fagaceae - Oak Family Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia --- Coast Live Oak Quercus agrifolia var. oxyadenia --- Interior Live Oak Quercus chrysolepis --- Maul Oak, Canyon Live Oak Quercus cornelius-mulleri --- Desert Scrub Oak Quercus dumosa --- Nuttall's Scrub Oak Quercus kelloggii --- California Black Oak Quercus engelmannii --- Engelmann Oak Fouquieriaceae - Ocotillo Family Fouquieria splendens subsp. splendens --- Ocotillo Frankeniaceae - Frankenia Family Frankenia salina --- Alkali Heath Garryaceae Garrya flavescens --- Silk Tassel Bush Gentianaceae Zeltnera venusta --- Canchalagua Geraniaceae - Geranium Family Erodium botrys --- Long-Beak Filaree/Storksbill Erodium cicutarium --- Red-Stem Filaree/Storksbill Erodium moschatum --- White-Stem Filaree/Storksbill Grossulariaceae - Gooseberry Family Ribes indecorum --- White Flower Currant Ribes speciosum --- Fuchsia-Flower Gooseberry Ribes viburnifolium --- Santa Catalina I./Evergreen Currant Hydrophyllaceae - Water Leaf Family Eriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium --- Yerba Santa Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum --- Hairy Yerba Santa Phacelia distans --- Wild-Heliotrope Krameriaceae - Rhatany Family Krameria bicolor [K. grayi] --- Krameria  Krameria erecta --- Krameria  Lamiaceae (=Labiatae) - Mint Family Acanthomintha ilicifolia --- Thornmint Condea emoryi --- Desert Lavender Pogogyne abramsii --- San Diego Mesa Mint Pogogyne nudiuscula --- Otay Mesa Mint --- Lamiaceae Salvia apiana --- White Sage Salvia clevelandii --- Black Sage Salvia mellifera --- Black Sage Trichostema lanatum --- Woolly Bluecurls Limnanthaceae - Meadowfoam Family Limnanthes alba subsp. parishii --- Parish's Meadowfoam Linaceae - Flax Family Hesperolinon micranthum --- Thread-Stem Dwarf Flax Lythraceae - Loosestrife Family Lythrum hyssopifolia --- Grass Poly Malvaceae - Mallow Family Malacothamnus fasciculatus --- Chaparral Bushmallow Sphaeralcea ambigua --- Desert Mallow Montiaceae - Miner's Lettuce Family Claytonia perfoliata subsp. perfoliata --- Miner's Lettuce Myrsinaceae [Primulaceae] - Primrose Family Lysimachia minima --- Chaffweed Nyctaginaceae - Four O'Clock Family Abronia umbellata subsp. umbellata --- Beach Sand-Verbena Abronia maritima --- Red Sand-Verbena Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia --- Coastal Wishbone Plant Onagraceae - Evening Primrose Family Chylismia claviformis subsp. peirsonii --- Peirson's Evening Primose Epilobium campestre [E. pygmaeum] --- Smooth Boisduvalia Eremothera boothii subsp. condensata --- Desert Lanthern Oenothera deltoides subsp. deltoides --- Dune Evening-Primrose Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia subsp. suffruticosa --- Beach Evening-Primrose Orobanchaceae - Broom-rape Family  Castilleja densiflora subsp. gracilis --- Parish's Owl's-Clover Castilleja exserta subsp. exserta --- Purple Owl's-Clover Castilleja foliolosa --- Woolly Indian Paintbrush Papaveraceae [incl. Fumariaceae] - Poppy Family Dendromecon rigida --- Bush-Poppy Eschscholzia californica --- California Poppy Phrymaceae - Monkey Flower Family Diplacus puniceus [Mimulus aurantiacus] --- Coast Monkeyflower Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii [Mimulus b. var. b.] --- Desert Monkey Flower Picrodendraceae - Picrodendron Family Tetracoccus dioicus --- Parry's Tetracoccus Platanaceae - Plane Tree or Sycamore Family Platanus racemosa --- Western Sycamore Plataginaceae - Plantain Family Mohavea confertiflora --- Ghost Flower Plantago elongata --- Prairie Plantain Plumbaginaceae - Leadwort Family Limonium californicum --- Western Marsh-Rosemary Polemoniaceae Leptosiphon parviflorus --- Coast Baby-Star Navarretia fossalis --- Spreading Navarretia Polygonaceae - Buckwheat Family Eriogonum fasciculatum --- California Buckwheat Ranunculaceae - Buttercup Family Ranunculus californicus --- Buttercup Thalictrum fendleri --- Fendler's Meadow-Rue Rhamnaceae - Buckthorn Family Ceanothus perplexans --- Cupleaf Ceanothus Ceanothus leucodermis --- Chaparral Whitethorn Ceanothus palmeri --- Palmer's Ceanothus Ceanothus tomentosus --- Ramona-Lilac Ceanothus verrucosus --- Wart-Stem-Lilac Frangula californica subsp. tomentella --- Hoary Coffeeberry Rhamnus crocea --- Spiny Redberry Rosaceae - Rose Family Adenostoma fasciculatum --- Chamise Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides --- Birch-Leaf Mountain-Mahogany Cercocarpus minutiflorus --- San Diego Mountain-Mahogany Coleogyne ramosissima --- Blackbush Fragaria vesca --- Wood Strawberry Heteromeles arbutifolia --- Toyon, Christmas Berry Prunus fremontii --- Desert Apricot Prunus ilicifolia subsp. ilicifolia --- Islay, Holly-Leaf Cherry Rosa californica --- California Rose Rubiaceae - Madder or Coffee Family Galium angustifolium subsp. angustifolium --- Narrow-Leaf Bedstraw Rutaceae - Rue or Citrus Family Cneoridium dumosum --- Coast Spice Bush, Bush-Rue --- Rutaceae Salicaceae - Willow Family Populus fremontii subsp. fremontii --- Western Cottonwood Salix lasiolepis --- Arroyo Willow Simmondsiaceae - Jojoba Family Simmondsia chinensis --- Jojoba Solanaceae - Nightshade Family Lycium brevipes var. brevipes --- Common Desert Thorn Lycium californicum --- Box Thorn Solanum parishii --- Parish's Nightshade Viscaceae - Mistletoe Family Arceuthobium campylopodum --- Western Dwarf Mistletoe --- Viscaceae Phoradendron californicum --- Desert Mistletoe Zygophyllaceae - Caltrop Family Larrea tridentata --- Creosote Bush ANGIOSPERMS: MONOCOTS Agavaceae - Agave Family Agave deserti --- Desert Agave Agave shawii var. shawii --- Shaw's Agave Hesperocallis undulata --- Desert-Lily Hesperoyucca whipplei --- Our Lord's Candle Hooveria parviflora --- Small-Flower Soap-Plant/Amole Yucca schidigera --- Mohave Yucca Arecaceae (=Palmae) - Palm Family Washingtonia filifera --- Desert Fan Palm Cyperaceae - Sedge Family Eleocharis macrostachya --- Spikerush Schoenoplectus californicus --- Bulrush Juncaceae - Rush Family Juncus acutus --- Rush Juncus bufonius --- Toad Rush --- Juncaceae Juncaginaceae - Arrow-Grass Family Triglochin concinna --- Arrow-Grass Triglochin scilloides [Lilaea s.] --- Flowering Quill Wort Iridaceae Sisyrinchium bellum -- Blue-Eyed-Grass Melanthiaceae Toxicoscordion fremontii [Zigadenus f.] -- Death Camas Poaceae (=Gramineae) - Grass Family Avena barbata --- Slender Wild Oat Bromus diandrus --- Ripgut Grass Bromus hordeaceus --- Brome Bromus rubens --- Foxtail Chess Bromus tectorum --- Cheat Grass, Downy Brome Deschampsia danthonioides --- Annual Hairgrass --- Poaceae Distichlis littoralis [Monanthochloe l.] --- Shore Grass Distichlis spicata--- Saltgrass Pleuraphis rigida --- Galleta Grass Spartina foliosa--- California Cord Grass Stipa pulchra --- Purple Needlegrass --- Poaceae Ruscaceae Nolina interrata --- Dehesa Nolina Themidaceae - Brodiaea Family Bloomeria clevelandii --- San Diego Goldenstar Bloomeria crocea var. crocea --- Common Goldenstar Brodiaea orcuttii --- Orcutt's Brodiaea Dipterostemon capitatus --- Blue Dicks Muilla maritima --- Coastal Muilla  Typhaceae - Cattail Family Typha latifolia--- Broad-leaved Cattail                         [Back to top of page]