California Plant Families
Written by Glenn Keator and Illustrations by Margaret J. Steunenberg
See California Plant Families by Glenn Keator
the West of the Sierran Crest and Deserts,
Illustrations by Margaret J. Steunenberg.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS |
Glenn Keator
Glenn Keator is a botanist, teacher, and writer specializing in California native plants. He teaches at several venues around the San Francisco Bay Area. He has written several books, including two other Uiversity of California Press titles: Introduction to Trees of the San Francisco Bay Region, and Designing California Native Gardens (co-authored with Alrie Middlebrook). |
Margaret J. Steunenberg
Margaret J. Steunenberg is a natural science illustrator, and the focus of her work is education. In addition to this publication, her artwork has appeared in Bay Nature magazine, Plants of the East Bay Parks (Roberts Rinehart), and Today's Botanical Artists (Schiffer Publishing). Her work has been in juried exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the New York State Museum. She has been honored with a Gold Award from the San Francisco Society of Illustrators. |
Below are drawing examples of identification
featuring key characteristics
The warm glow of autumn light is reflected in the season's bounty -- acorns, seed pods, fruits, vegetables, brightly colored leaves, and autumn flowers.
Hypochaeris radicata (hairy cat's ear)
| Ligulate flower head showing all ray flowers |
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Side view of flower head showing several rows of bracts or phyllaries |
Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)
Branch with spines, leaf, and flower head |
Microscopic detail of single pappus hair showing featherlike or plumose pattern |
Flower detail showing inferior ovary, hairy pappus, stamens, and stigma |
Cirsium occidentale (cobweb thistle)
Flower head detail showing spiny bracts in several rows and numerous, narrow, tubular disc flowers |
Astereae (Aster tribe)
a. Erigeron glaucus (seaside daisy)
Top left: Cut-away view of flower head showinghairy bracts, disc flowers on receptable, and peripheral ray flowers. Bottom left: Detail of disc flower showing ingerior ovary, hairy pappus, tubular petals, and 2-forked style. Right: Ray flower. |
CICHORIAEA (CHICORY TRIBE)
b. Agoseris sp. (native dandelion)
Fruiting head showing ovaries, long beaks, and hairy pappus for wind dispersal. |
Left: Ray flower detail showing ligule, cone of stamens, and 2 parted stigma.
Center: Leaf detail.
Right: Flower head showing rows of bracts and numerous ray flowers. |
HELIANTHEAE (SUNFLOWER TRIBE).
Wyethia heleniodes (woolly mule's ear)
Disc flower showing hairy inferior ovary, scalelike pappus, petal tube and petal lobes, stamens, and 2 stigmas. |
HELIANTHEAE SUBTRIBE MADIINAE
(Tarweed subtribe of sunflower tribe)
Left: Flower head showing even row of bracts and ray flowers with a dark patterned base.
Right: Ray flower detail showing bract surrounding ovary, 2 stigmas, and 3-lobed ligule.
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a. Opuntia chlorotica (Mojave prickly-pear).
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b. Opuntia erinacea (old man prickly-pear)
Flower showing spines on the inferior ovary (top)
Cut-away longitudinal view of flower showing numerous stamens |
c. Carnegiea gigantea (saguaro).
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d. Ferocactus cylindraceus (barrel cactus)
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HELIANTHEAE SUBTRIBE HELENIAE
(sneezeweed subtribe of sunflower tribe)
h. Eriophyllum confertiflorum (golden yarrow).
 Microscopic view of disc flower showing crown of scaly pappus (left). Cut-away view of disc flower (right). |
i. Helenium puberulum (sneezeweed)
 Insert: Disc flower detail. Flower head showing buttonlike arrangement of disc flowers and small, turned down ray flowers. Detail of single disc flower (bottom right). |
j. Chaenactis glabriuscula (yellow pincushions).
Fruiting head showing long tapered achenes and starlike pappus scales. |
Aesculus californica (California buckeye)
Palmately compound leaves and panicle of flowers. |
Left: Mature fruit (and 2 aborted fruits) Center: Detail of cut-away flower. Right: Seed. |
INULEAE (EVERLASTING TRIBE)
k. Anaphalis margaritacea (pearly everlasting).
Leafy branch with flowers (left). Flower head detail showing papery phyllaries and disc flowers (right). |
i. Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii (bush senecio)
Flower head showing even row of phyllaries, and ray and disc flowers. |
ERICACEAE (HEATHER FAMILY
a. Arctostaphylos manzanita (common manzanita).
Left: Cut-away longitudinal view of flower showing stamen details (some stamens have been removed for clarity). Right: Leaves and inflorescence. |
b. Rhododendron occidentale (western azalea)
Leaves and cluster of flowers. |
Left: Enlarged pistil and some stamens. Right: Detail of stamen showing pores at end of anther. |
Chimaphila umbellata (pipsisewa)
Face view of flower. |
Sarcodes sanguinea (snowplant)
Habit of flowring plant. |
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