Plants Not Native to California

present on Panorama Vista Preserve

In its past history, some parts of the Preserve were farmland, one portion was a horse ranch, another a feedlot, and (still existing) much was oilfield.  Alien or non-native plants which were introduced either accidentally (e.g. in cattle feed) or purposefully (e.g. as pasture)  soon caught hold.   Some plants, such as the very invasive Sahara mustard, tumbleweed, and foxtail grasses, thrive especially well on disturbed ground which they take over and overwhelm any native plants still present.

Plant List

Comments

ASTERACEAE  (COMPOSITAE)   (SUNFLOWER FAMILY)

Centaurea star thistle

*melitensis (?)

Maltese star thistle  a.k.a.  tocalote

(Southern Europe)

Chamomilla

* suaveolens (Matricaria matricarioides)

pineapple weed, rayless chamomile

(from Northwest  N. America,  Northeast Asia)

Gnaphalium cudweed, everlasting

* stramineum (G. chilense)?

cotton batting plant

(Chile)

Hypochaeris (Hypochoeris)

* glabra

smooth cat's ear

(Europe)

 Senecio groundsel, ragwort, butterweed

*vulgaris

common groundsel
(Eurasia)

Sonchus sow-thistle

*asper ssp. asper

prickly/spiny/common sow thistle

(Unknown)

*oleraceus

common sow thistle

BRASSICACEAE (CRUCIFERAE) (MUSTARD FAMILY)

Brassica mustard

* tournefortii

Sahara mustard

(Mediterranean)
 Highly invasive

Capsella

* bursa-pastoris

shepherd's purse

(Eurasia; invasive)

Hirschfeldia

* incana (Brassica geniculata)

shortpod/summer/Mediterranean mustard

(Mediterranean;  moderately invasive)

Sisymbrium

* irio

London rocket

    (Europe)

CARYOPHYLLACEAE (PINK FAMILY)

Stellaria

* media

common chickweed

(European)

CHENOPODIACEAE (GOOSEFOOT FAMILY)

*semibaccata
        Australian saltbush

( Australia)

Salsola

*tragus, kali 

Tumbleweed, Russian thistle

(Eurasia)

 Highly invasive.  One plant may set 1 million seeds which are easily dispersed when wind uproots the dried bush and blows it around.

FABACEAE (LEGUMINOSAE) (PEA FAMILY)

Medicago

*polymorpha

bur-clover

(From Asia, Africa, or  Europe)

Melilotus sweetclover/sourclover

* indica (M. indicus)

yellow sweetclover/bitter clover

       (Europe)


Parkinsonia

* aculeata

Mexican palo verde;  Jerusalem thorn

(Invasive)

GERANIACEAE (GERANIUM FAMILY)

Erodium storksbill, filaree

* cicutarium

red stemmed filaree

(Mediterranean)

 Moderately invasive.

 

LAMIACEAE (LABIATAE) (MINT FAMILY)

 

Marrubium

* vulgare

white horehound
(Europe)


 Traditionally used in folk medicine but has become a noxious weed throughout the world.

MALVACEAE (MALLOW FAMILY)

Malva
* parviflora

cheeseweed

(Europe)


POACEAE (GRASS FAMILY)

Bromus brome

* diandrus (B. rigidus)


Highly invasive.

ripgut grass/brome

   * madritensis ssp. rubens (B. r.)

red/foxtail chess/brome

(Europe)

Cortaderia

* sp. selloana or jubata

Pampas grass

(South America)

PONTEDERIACEAE (PICKEREL-WEED FAMIY)

Eichhornia

* crassipes
         water hyacinth

(Brazil;  highly invasive)
 Highly invasive.




SIMAROUBACEAE (QUASSIA/SIMAROUBA FAMILY)

Ailanthus

* altissima

        tree of heaven

(Asia)

 Twenty to sixty feet high;  aggressive, difficult to eradicate.  Said to have been introduced by Chinese gold miners in the 1850s.

SOLANACEAE (NIGHTSHADE FAMILY)

*glauca

tree tobacco

(Southern Bolivia, northern Argentina)

 Moderately invasive

TAMARICACEAE (TAMARISK FAMILY)

Tamarix tamarisk

* aphylla

athel tree, salt-cedar

(Africa/Asia)

 

Not as aggressive as other Tamarisk species;  was probably planted on the Preserve as a windbreak in its oilfield period.

URTICACEAE (NETTLE FAMILY)

* uren

dwarf nettle

(Europe)

California Invasive Plant Council
Encycloweedia
Noxious Weed Photographic Gallery
UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program



Jan. 12, 2011

S.H.