The Natural History of Foster City, California
by James K. Sayre
a draft manuscript
12 May 2005
Chapter 14 - Plants found in Vacant lots
Vacant lots in Foster City include grasslands, wetlands, shorelines and relatively barren areas too salty for much plant life.
The following list combined the plants found by the author growing in the vacant area bounded by Beach Park Blvd. (northeast of the intersection with Foster City Blvd.), commonly referred to as the ".i.Fennel Field;," along with the findings that came from a study done by Mundie & Associates on possible environmental impacts of creating a larger Third Avenue/State Route 92 interchange [City of Foster City and Mundie & Associates].
Buckwheat family - Polygonaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Curly dock, Rumex crispus Eurasia
Yellow dock,
Sour dock
Knotweed, Polypogon monspeliensis ?
Smartweed
Cattail family - Typhaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Broad-leafed cattail Typha latifolia California
Carrot family - Apiaceae - Umbelliferae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare Europe
Anise,
Wild licorice,
Sweet fennel
Dodder family - Cuscutaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Dodder, Cuscutaceae salina California
Salt marsh dodder
Evening primrose family - Onagraceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Fireweed, Epilobium sp. ?
Willow herb
Fig-marigold family - Aizoaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Crystalline Ice plant Mesembryanthemum crytallinum So. Afr.
Hottentot fig, Carpobrotus edulis So. Afr.
Ice plant, (Mesembryanthemum edule)
Sour Fig,
Gouna.
Frankenia family - Frankeniaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Alkali heath Frankenia salina California
Geranium family - Geraniaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
White-stemmed filaree, Erodium moschatum Europe
Storksbill,
Clocks,
Scissors plant
Red-stemmed Filaree, Erodium cicutarium Europe
Storksbill,
Scissors
Cranesbill Geranium molle Europe
Goosefoot family - Chenopodiaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Pickleweed, Salicornia virginica California
Glasswort, (S. pacifica)
Common Pickleweed
Pickleweed Salicornia europeae California
Pickleweed Salicornia subterminalis California
Fat hen, Atriplex patula California
Spear oracle
Australian saltbush Atriplex semibaccata Australia
Pigweed, Chenopodium album Europe
Lamb's quarters
Grass family - Poa - Gramineae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Slender wild oat Avena barbata Europe
Wild oat Avena fatua Europe
California brome Bromus carinatus California
Ripgut brome Bromus diandrus Europe
Brome Bromus mollis ?
Brome Bromus rigidus ?
Red brome, Bromus rubens Europe
Foxtail
Saltgrass Distichlis spicata California
Fescue Festuca megalura ?
Fescue Festuca myuros ?
Mediterranean barley, Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum
Hare barley Europe
Barley Hordeum hystrix ?
Annual ryegrass Lolium multiflorum Europe
Sickle grass Parapholis incurva Europe
Annual bluegrass Poa annua Europe
Rabbits foot grass, Polypogon monspeliensis Europe
Annual beard grass
California cordgrass Spartina foliosa California
Pampas grass Cortaderia jubata So. Am.
Horsetail family - Equisetaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Common horsetail Equisetum arvense California
Iris family - Iridaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium bellum California
Leadwort family or Plantain family - Plumbaginaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Sea-lavender, Limonium californicum California
Marsh-rosemary
Legume Family or Pea family - Leguminoseae, Fabaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Birdfoot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus Eurasia
Lotus
Cat's clover
Lupine Lupinus nanus California
Arroyo lupine Lupinus succelentus California
Yellow sweet clover, Melilotus indica Europe
Indian melilot,
Sourclover
Bur clover Medicago polymorpha Europe
Trefoil, Trifolium pratense Europe
Clover rose,
Honeysuckle
Common vetch, Vicia sativa Europe
Spring vetch
Hairy vetch, Vicia villosa Europe
Winter vetch
Mallow family - Malva
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Cheeseweed, Malva parviflora Eurasia
Little Mallow
Bull mallow Malva nicaeensis Eurasia
Mustard family - Brassicaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Black mustard Brassica nigra Europe
Field mustard Brassica campestris Europe
Wild radish Raphanus sativus Medit.
Oxalis family - Oxalidaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Bermuda buttercup, Oxalis pes caprae So. Afr.
Cape oxalis,
Buttercup oxalis,
Cape sorrel,
Pink family - Caryophyllaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Spurrey Spergularia marina Europe ?
Plantain family - Plantaginaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Common plantain Plantago major Europe
Buckhorn plantain P. lanceolata Europe
Plantain P. coronopus Europe
Pondweed family - Potamogetonaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Pondweed Potamogeton sp. ?
Ditch grass Ruppia maritima California
Rose family - Rosaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Peach Prunus persica Asia
Rush family - Juncaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Toad rush Juncus bufonius California
Sedge family - Cyperaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Alkali bullrush Scirpus robustus California
Sunflower family or Composite family - Asteraceae - Compositae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Coyote brush, Baccharis pilularis California
Chaparral broom,
Coyote bush
Italian thistle Carduus pycnocephalus Medit.
Prickly ox-tongue Picris echioides Europe
Groundsel, Senecio vuglaris Eurasia
Common groundsel,
Old man of spring
Artichoke thistle, Cynara cardunculus Europe
Cardoon
Brass buttons Cotula cornopifolia So. Afr.
Common sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus Europe
Prickly sow thistle Sonchus asper Europe
Thistle, Cirsium vulgare Europe
Bull thistle,
Bur thistle,
Common thistle
Salsify, Tragopon porrifolius Europe
Oyster plant,
Goats-beard,
Vegetable-oyster,
Jerusalem star ?
Purple star thistle Centuarea calcitrapa Europe
Yellow star thistle Centuarea solstitalis Europe
Gum plant Grindelia latifolia California
(Marsh) gum plant G. stricta (var. augustifolia) California
Prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola Europe
Pineapple weed, Chamomilla suaveolens NW No. Am.,
Rayless chamomile (Matricaria matricarioides) Asia
- Microseris douglasii California
Bristly ox-tongue Picris echioides Europe
Horned-pondweed family - Zannichelleaceae
Common name(s) Scientific name Orig. range
Horned pondweed Zanichellia palustris California
End.
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Web page last updated on 12 May 2005.