Description: Plant Diversity and Ecology Lab Practical

• Morphology: Shrub, small green leaves, fluffy white seeds

• Endemic: CA native

• Pollination: Wind

• Serpentine: Yes, tolerant

• Lichen: Can host lichens

• Symbioses: Insects, birds use it

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Long spiky leaves, tall flower stalk

• Ecology: Dry chaparral slopes

• Endemic: CA native

• Pollination: Yucca moth (specialized mutualism)

• Serpentine: Sometimes

• Symbioses: Classic obligate pollination mutualism

• Lifespan: Long-lived perennial

• Morphology: Large tree, mottled bark, broad leaves

• Ecology: Riparian zones

• Endemic: CA native

• Pollination: Wind

• Serpentine: No

• Symbioses: Birds, insects

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Morphology: Aromatic shrub, dark green leaves

• Ecology: Chaparral/coastal sage scrub

• Endemic: CA native

• Pollination: Bees

• Serpentine: Sometimes

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Evergreen tree, aromatic leaves

• Ecology: Woodland understory

• Pollination: Insects

• Serpentine: Rare

• Symbioses: Hosts fungi (sudden oak death vector)

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Morphology: Soft gray-green leaves, aromatic

• Ecology: Coastal sage scrub

• Pollination: Wind

• Serpentine: Yes

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Succulent rosette

• Ecology: Rocky outcrops

• Endemic: Often endemic

• Pollination: Insects

• Serpentine: Yes

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Leaves of three, variable shape

• Ecology: Woodland edges

• Pollination: Insects

• Symbioses: Birds eat berries

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Narrow leaves, flexible stems

• Ecology: Wet riparian areas

• Pollination: Insects

• Symbioses: Supports wildlife heavily

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Evergreen oak, spiny leaves

• Ecology: Woodland dominant species

• Pollination: Wind

• Symbioses: Mycorrhizae, acorn dispersers

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Morphology: Yellow sticky flowers

• Ecology: Chaparral

• Pollination: Bees

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Shrub with red berries

• Ecology: Chaparral

• Pollination: Insects

• Symbioses: Birds disperse seeds

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Small white/pink clustered flowers

• Ecology: Dry slopes

• Pollination: Insects

• Serpentine: Yes

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Red tubular flowers

• Pollination: Hummingbirds

• Ecology: Shade chaparral

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Delicate fan-shaped fronds

• Ecology: Moist shady areas

• Reproduction: Spores (not pollination)

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Small tree, feathery seeds

• Ecology: Dry slopes

• Pollination: Wind/insects

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Morphology: Aromatic, lobed leaves

• Ecology: Disturbed areas

• Pollination: Wind

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Golden underside

• Ecology: Rocky areas

• Reproduction: Spores

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Red berries, glossy leaves

• Ecology: Chaparral

• Pollination: Insects

• Symbioses: Birds disperse seeds

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Yellow pea-like flowers

• Ecology: Chaparral

• Pollination: Bees

• Symbioses: Nitrogen-fixing bacteria

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Stringy gray-green

• Ecology: Air quality indicator

• Pollination: None (lichen)

• Symbioses: Fungus + algae (mutualism)

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Morphology: Small needle-like leaves

• Ecology: Chaparral dominant

• Pollination: Insects

• Serpentine: Yes

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Morphology: Small needle-like leaves

• Ecology: Chaparral dominant

• Pollination: Insects

• Serpentine: Yes

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Morphology: Bunchgrass

• Ecology: Native grasslands

• Pollination: Wind

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Pea flowers

• Ecology: Chaparral

• Pollination: Bees

• Symbioses: Nitrogen fixation

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Vine, large root

• Ecology: Climbing plant

• Pollination: Insects

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Silvery leaves, purple flowers

• Ecology: Coastal dunes

• Pollination: Bees

• Symbioses: Nitrogen-fixing

• Endemic: Coastal CA

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Yellow clustered flowers

• Ecology: Dry slopes

• Pollination: Insects

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Small shrub oak

• Ecology: Serpentine soils

• Serpentine: Yes specialist

• Pollination: Wind

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Plant Morphology: Small shrub oak, thick leathery leaves

• Ecological Questions: Adapted to harsh, nutrient-poor soils

• Endemic Plants: California endemic (strongly associated with serpentine)

• Pollination: Wind

• Serpentine: YES (specialist species)

• Lichen: Often hosts lichens on bark

• Other Symbioses: Mycorrhizal fungi (important for nutrient uptake)

• Lifespan: Long-lived perennial

• Plant Morphology: Low shrub, thick leathery leaves, clusters of white → pink flowers

• Ecological Questions: Important nectar source for pollinators in coastal ecosystems

• Endemic Plants: Native to California coast

• Pollination: Insects (especially bees & butterflies)

• Serpentine: Yes, can tolerate serpentine soils

• Lichen: Can grow nearby but not directly involved

• Other Symbioses: Supports pollinators (food source)

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Red tubular flowers

• Pollination: Hummingbirds

• Ecology: Chaparral

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Morphology: Vine with trumpet flowers

• Pollination: Insects

• Ecology: Coastal dunes

• Lifespan: Perennial

• Plant Morphology: Stringy, lace-like hanging structure (gray-green)

• Ecological Questions: Indicator of clean air; absorbs nutrients from air

• Endemic Plants: Common in California (state lichen)

• Pollination: None (reproduces via fragments/spores)

• Serpentine: Not specific

• Lichen: YES (fungus + algae symbiosis)

• Other Symbioses: Mutualism between fungus and photosynthetic partner

• Lifespan: Long-lived

• Morphology: Bright orange flower

• Ecology: Grasslands

• Pollination: Bees

• Endemic: CA state flower

• Lifespan: Annual/perennial

• Plant Morphology: Dense shrub, small thick leaves, clusters of white or light blue flowers

• Ecological Questions: Common in chaparral; important after fires (often regenerates well)

• Endemic Plants: Native to California

• Pollination: Insects (especially bees)

• Serpentine: Some species tolerate serpentine soils

• Lichen: May host lichens on older stems

• Other Symbioses: Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in roots (very important!)

• Lifespan: Perennial shrub

• Morphology: Smooth red bark, small leaves

• Ecology: Coastal chaparral

• Endemic: VERY endemic (rare)

• Pollination: Bees

• Lifespan: Long-lived