Vascular Plants
The vascular flora of Cal Poly Pomona consists of 261 species in 174 genera and 59 families. 149 species (57%) are native to the region.
This list is based primarily on the collections in the Cal Poly Pomona herbarium (CSPU), made by students in California Flora (BOT 343), several undergraduate research students, and students performing vegetation surveys associated with the research program “Responses of the biota of the Cal Poly campus to a sanitary landfill and other urban land uses.” It includes plants of the native coastal sage scrub and oak and walnut woodlands, as well as some weeds of roadsides, fallow fields and orchards. Specifically excluded are plants that are intentionally planted (even if native) or not persisting outside cultivation, and weeds only occurring in lawns and flowerbeds.
Native and naturalized plants are indicated by different type styles (native species in bold). Only those plants that were likely to have occurred in the area prior to European settlement are listed as native. Thus, the naturalized species include some (such as the California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera) that are native only in other parts of California.
The list follows the nomenclature and arrangement of The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California, 2nd Edition. As recent advances have changed our perception of the phylogeny of California plants, there have been changes in nomenclature, often major, at the family and generic levels. Readers wishing to learn the current names of species in older references should consult the Index to California Plant Names.
The list, like any biotic inventory, is a work in progress.
Ferns
Polypodiaceae
- Polypodium californicum —California polypody
Pteridaceae
- Pentagramma triangularis —goldback fern
Eudicots
Adoxaceae
- Sambucus nigra —blue elderberry
Amaranthaceae
- Amaranthus albus —tumbleweed
- Amaranthus retroflexus —redroot pigweed
Anacardiaceae
- Malosma laurina —laurel sumac
- Rhus integrifolia —lemonade berry
- Rhus ovata —sugar bush
- Schinus molle —pepper tree
- Toxicodendron diversilobum —western poison oak
Apiaceae
- Anthriscus caucalis —bur-chervil
- Sanicula arguta
- Sanicula crassicaulis
- Torilis nodosa —short sock-destroyer
Apocynaceae
- Asclepias californica —California milkweed
- Asclepias eriocarpa —kotolo
- Asclepias fascicularis —narrow-leaf milkweed
- Funastrum cynanchoides —climbing milkweed
Asteraceae
- Achillea millefolium —yarrow
- Acourtia microcephala
- Ambrosia psilostachya —western ragweed
- Anthemis cotula —mayweed
- Artemisia californica —California sagebrush
- Baccharis glutinosa —marsh baccharis
- Baccharis pilularis —coyote brush
- Baccharis plummerae —Plummer's baccharis
- Baccharis salicifolia —mule fat
- Bidens pilosa —common begger-ticks
- Brickellia californica —California brickellbush
- Carduus pycnocephalus —Italian thistle
- Carduus tenuiflorus
- Centaurea melitensis —tocalote
- Cirsium occidentale —California thistle
- Cirsium vulgare —bull thistle
- Corethrogyne filaginifolia
- Cotula australis —Australian cotula
- Deinandra fasciculata
- Deinandra kelloggii
- Encelia californica
- Ericameria pinifolia —pine-bush
- Erigeron bonariensis —flax-leaved horseweed
- Erigeron canadensis —horseweed
- Erigeron foliosus —leafy fleabane
- Eriophyllum confertiflorum —golden-yarrow, yellow yarrow
- Glebionis coronaria —garland, crown daisy
- Hazardia squarrosa
- Helianthus annuus —annual sunflower
- Helminthotheca echioides —bristly ox-tongue
- Heterotheca grandiflora —telegraph weed
- Hypochaeris glabra —smooth cat's-ear
- Lepidospartum squamatum —scale-broom
- Logfia filaginoides —California cottonrose
- Logfia gallica —daggerleaf cottonrose
- Malacothrix saxatilis —cliff malacothrix
- Pseudognaphalium biolettii
- Pseudognaphalium californicum
- Pseudognaphalium canescens
- Pseudognaphalium leucocephalum —white rabbit-tobacco
- Pseudognaphalium microcephalum
- Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum
- Senecio flaccidus —threadleaf ragwort
- Senecio vulgaris —common groundsel
- Silybum marianum —milk thistle
- Sonchus asper —prickly sow thistle
- Sonchus oleraceus —common sow thistle
- Stephanomeria virgata
- Stylocline gnaphaloides —everlasting neststraw
- Taraxacum officinale —common dandelion
Boraginaceae
- Amsinckia menziesii —common fiddleneck, small-flowered fiddleneck
- Cryptantha intermedia
- Cryptantha muricata —showy prickly-nut cryptantha
- Emmenanthe penduliflora —whispering bells
- Heliotropium curassavicum —seaside heliotrope, alkali heliotrope
- Pectocarya linearis —narrow-toothed pectocarya
- Phacelia distans
- Phacelia minor —wild canterbury bells
- Phacelia ramosissima
- Phacelia tanacetifolia
- Pholistoma auritum —fiesta flower
- Plagiobothrys canescens —valley popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys collinus
- Plagiobothrys nothofulvus —rusty popcornflower, foothill snowdrops
Brassicaceae
- Brassica nigra —black mustard
- Brassica rapa —turnip, field mustard
- Brassica tournefortii
- Capsella bursa-pastoris —shepherd's purse
- Cardamine californica —milk maids, tooth wart
- Hirschfeldia incana
- Lepidium coronopus —swine cress
- Lepidium nitidum
- Lobularia maritima —sweet alyssum
- Nasturtium officinale —water cress
- Raphanus raphanistrum —jointed charlock
- Raphanus sativus —radish
- Sisymbrium altissimum —tumble mustard
- Sisymbrium irio —London rocket
- Sisymbrium officinale —hedge mustard
Cactaceae
- Opuntia littoralis
Caryophyllaceae
- Silene gallica —Small-Flower Catchfly, Windmill Pink
- Silene laciniata
- Stellaria media —Common Chickweed
Chenopodiaceae
- Chenopodium album —Lamb's Quarters
- Chenopodium californicum —California Goosefoot
- Chenopodium murale
- Dysphania ambrosioides —Mexican tea
- Dysphania pumilio
- Monolepis nuttalliana —Nuttall's poverty weed
- Salsola tragus —Russian Thistle, Tumbleweed
Cistaceae
- Cistus incanus —rock-rose
Convolvulaceae
- Calystegia macrostegia
- Convolvulus arvensis —Bindweed, Orchard Morning-Glory
- Cuscuta campestris —field dodder
Crassulaceae
- Crassula connata —Pygmy-Weed
- Dudleya lanceolata —Lance-Leaved Dudleya
- Dudleya multicaulis —many-stemmed dudleya
Cucurbitaceae
- Cucurbita foetidissima —buffalo gourd, calabazilla
- Marah macrocarpa —chilicothe
Euphorbiaceae
- Chamaesyce albomarginata — rattlesnake weed
- Chamaesyce maculata — spotted spurge
- Chamaesyce melanadenia
- Chamaesyce polycarpa
- Chamaesyce serpens
- Croton californicus
- Croton setigerus —doveweed
- Euphorbia peplus —petty spurge
- Ricinus communis —castor bean
Fabaceae
- Acacia baileyana —cootamundra wattle
- Acmispon brachycarpus
- Acmispon glaber —deerweed, California broom
- Acmispon strigosus
- Lupinus bicolor —miniature lupine
- Lupinus concinnus —bajada lupine
- Lupinus hirsutissimus —stinging lupine
- Lupinus sparsiflorus —Coulter’s lupine
- Lupinus truncatus
- Medicago polymorpha —California burclover
- Medicago sativa —alfalfa
- Melilotus albus —white sweetclover
- Melilotus indicus —sourclover
- Melilotus officinalis —yellow sweetclover
- Trifolium incarnatum —crimson clover
- Trifolium microcephalum —small-head clover
- Vicia villosa —hairy vetch, winter vetch
Fagaceae
- Quercus agrifolia —coast live oak, encina
Geraniaceae
- Erodium botrys
- Erodium cicutarium —redstem filaree
- Erodium moschatum —greenstem filaree
Grossulariaceae
- Ribes aureum —golden currant
Juglandaceae
- Juglans californica —southern California black walnut
Lamiaceae
- Lamium amplexicaule —henbit
- Marrubium vulgare —horehound
- Salvia leucophylla —purple sage
- Salvia apiana —white sage
- Salvia mellifera —black sage
- Trichostema lanceolatum —vinegar weed
Malvaceae
- Malacothamnus fasciculatus —chaparral mallow
- Malva nicaeenis —bull mallow
- Malva parviflora —cheeseweed, little mallow
- Malva sylvestris —high mallow
- Malvella leprosa —alkali-mallow
Martyniaceae
- Proboscidea louisianica —unicorn-plant
Montiaceae
- Calandrinia ciliata —red maids
- Claytonia perfoliata —miner's lettuce
Myrsinaceae
- Anagallis arvensis —scarlet pipernel
Myrtaceae
- Eucalyptus globulus —blue gum
Nyctaginaceae
- Mirabilis laevis —wishbone bush
Onagraceae
- Camissonia campestris
- Clarkia bottae
- Clarkia dudleyana
- Clarkia purpurea
- Epilobium brachycarpum
- Epilobium canum —California fuchsia, zauschneria
- Eulobus californicus
Orobanchaceae
- Castilleja affinis
- Castilleja exserta —purple owl's clover
Oxalidaceae
- Oxalis corniculata
- Oxalis pes-caprae —Bermuda buttercup
Papaveraceae
- Eschscholzia californica —California poppy
- Romneya coulteri —Coulter's matilija poppy
Phrymaceae
- Mimulus aurantiacus
Plantaginaceae
- Antirrhinum coulterianum
- Keckiella cordifolia
- Plantago major —common plantain
- Plantago ovata
Platanaceae
- Platanus racemosa —western sycamore
Polemoniaceae
- Eriastrum sapphirinum
- Gilia achilleifolia —California gilia
- Gilia angelensis —chaparral gilia
Polygonaceae
- Eriogonum elongatum —long-stem wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum fasciculatum —California buckwheat
- Eriogonum gracile
- Persicaria capitata
- Polygonum aviculare —knotweed, knotgrass
- Rumex crispus —curly dock
- Rumex salicifolius —willow dock
Ranunculaceae
- Ranunculus californicus
Rhamnaceae
- Rhamnus crocea —spiny redberry
- Rhamnus ilicifolia —hollyleaf redberry
Rosaceae
- Drymocallis glandulosa
- Heteromeles arbutifolia —christmas berry, toyon
- Prunus ilicifolia —islay, holly-leafed cherry
Rubiaceae
- Galium angustifolium —narrowly leaved bedstraw
- Galium aparine —goose grass
Salicaceae
- Salix gooddingii —goodding's black willow
- Salix laevigata —red willow
- Salix lasiolepsis —arroyo willow
Saxifragaceae
- Lithophragma affine —woodland star
Scrophulariaceae
- Scrophularia californica —California figwort
- Verbascum virgatum —wand mullein
Solanaceae
- Datura wrightii
- Nicotiana glauca —tree tobacco
- Solanum americanum
- Solanum douglasii
- Solanum rostratum —buffalo berry
Tamaricaceae
- Tamarix chinensis —fivestamen tamarisk
- Tamarix parviflora —smallflower tamarisk
- Tamarix ramosissima —salt-cedar
Urticaceae
- Urtica urens —dwarf nettle
Violaceae
- Viola pendunculata —Johnny-jump-up
Viscaceae
- Phoradendron serotinum —American mistletoe
Zygophyllaceae
- Tribulus terrestris —puncture vine, caltrop
Monocots
Agavaceae
- Chlorogalum pomeridianum —soap plant, soaproot
Arecaceae
- Washingtonia filifera —California fan palm
Cyperaceae
- Cyperus involucratus — umbrella sedge
Iridaceae
- Sisyrinchium bellum —western blue-eyed-grass
Liliaceae
- Calochortus catalinae —Catalina mariposa lily
- Calochortus plummerae —Plummer's mariposa lily
- Calochortus weedii
Poaceae
- Agrostis capillaris —colonial bent
- Aristida purpurea —purple three-awn
- Avena barbata —slender wild oat
- Avena fatua —wild oat
- Bromus catharticus —rescue grass
- Bromus diandrus —ripgut grass
- Bromus hordeaceus —soft chess
- Bromus madritensis —foxtail chess, Madrid brome
- Bromus tectorum —cheat grass/downy chess
- Cynodon dactylon —bermuda grass
- Digitaria sanguinalis —hairy crab grass
- Echinochloa crus-galli —barnyard grass
- Elymus condensatus —giant wild rye
- Festuca myuros —rattail sixweeks grass
- Festuca perennis —rye grass
- Hordeum murinum —wall barley
- Lamarckia aurea —goldentop
- Melica imperfecta —little California melica
- Muhlenbergia rigens —deer grass
- Paspalum distichum —knot grass
- Pennisetum setaceum —crimson fountain grass
- Phalaris minor —little-seeded canary gras
- Poa annua —annual blue grass
- Poa pratensis —kentucky blue grass
- Polypogon monspeliensis —annual beard grass
- Schismus arabicus
- Schismus barbatus
- Sorghum halepense —johnson grass
- Stipa coronata —crested needle grass
- Stipa lepida —foothill needle grass
- Stipa pulchra —purple needle grass
Themidaceae
- Bloomeria crocea —common goldenstar
- Dichelostemma capitatum —bluedicks