A Photographic Guide to Plants of
Humboldt Bay Dunes and Wetlands
Compiled by Gordon Leppig and Andrea Pickart
Release 2.0
April 2018
Ranunculus | Raphanus | Ribes | Rosa | Rubus | Rumex | Ruppia | Salicornia | Salix | Sambucus | Sanicula | Sceptridium | Schoenoplectus | Scirpus | Scrophularia | Senecio | Silene | Sisymbrium | Sisyrinchium | Solanum | Solidago | Sonchus | Sparganium | Spartina | Spergula | Spergularia | Spiranthes | Stachys | Stellaria | Symphyotrichum | Tanacetum | Toxicodendron | Trifolium | Triglochin | Triphysaria | Trisetum | Typha | Vaccinium | Vicia | Vinca | Zantedeschia | Zeltnera | Zostera
Status: Conservation concern (C); Exotic (E); Invasive (I); California Native (N)
​
Habitat: Dune mat (DM), Dune scrub (DS), Dune swale (SW), Coniferous dune forest (CDF), Riparian forest (RF), Freshwater marsh (FM), Freshwater swamp (FS), Freshwater marsh (FM), Open water (OW), Brackish marsh (BM), Salt marsh (SM), Mudflat (MF) Agricultural wetland (AW).
​
* This vascular plant list for Humboldt Bay dunes and wetlands is based on collections made by the authors primarily between 2001 and 2008.
Please email comments, corrections, or proposed additions to andrea_pickart@fws.gov.
Nomenclature follows the Jepson Manual, Higher Plants of California, Second edition (U.C. Press 2012).
​
Scientific Name
Ranunculus californicus
Common Names
California buttercup
Close-up
Status
N/A
Habitat
SW
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Raphanus raphanistrum
Common Name
wild radish
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
DM, AW, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum
Common Name
pink-flowering currant
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF, FS, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Ribes divaricatum var. pubiflorum
Common Name
spreading gooseberry
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Ribes laxiflorum
Common Name
trailing black currant
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rosa nutkana ssp. nutkana
Common Name
Nootka rose
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rubus armeniacus
Common Name
Himalaya-blackberry
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
FS, SW, RF, AW
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rubus parviflorus
Common Name
thimbleberry
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FS, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rubus spectabilis
Common Name
salmonberry
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
RF, FS
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rubus ursinus
Common Name
California blackberry
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF, RF, FS, DM, DS, SW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rumex acetosella
Common Name
sheep sorrel
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
DM, DS,SW, CDF, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rumex crassus
Common Name
willow-leaved dock
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SW, BM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rumex crispus
Common Name
curly dock
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
FM, SW, AW, BM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Rumex occidentalis
Common Name
western dock
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM, BM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Ruppia maritima
Common Name
ditch grass
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SM, BM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Salicornia pacifica
Common Name
common pickleweed
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SM, BM, AW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Salix hookeriana
Common Name
Hoooker willow
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SW, FS, DS
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Salix lasiandra var. lasiandra
Common Name
yellow willow
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FS, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Salix sitchensis
Common Name
Coulter Willow
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FS
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sambucus racemosa
Common Name
red elderberry
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
RF, CDF, FS
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sanicula arctopoides
Common Name
footsteps of spring
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
DM
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sanicula crassicaulis
Common Name
Pacific sanicle
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sceptridium multifidum
Common Name
common grapefern
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM, FS, SW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis
Common Name
hard-stemmed tule
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM, BM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Schoenoplectus americanus
Common Name
bulrush
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM, BM
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Schoenoplectus pungens var. longispicatus
Common Name
three-square
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM, BM
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Scirpus cernuus
Common Name
low clubrush
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SW, FM, BM, SM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Scirpus microcarpus
Common Name
small-fruited bulrush
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Scrophularia californica
Common Name
California figwort
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
DS, SW, CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Senecio elegans
Common Name
purple ragwort
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
DM, DS
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Senecio glomeratus
Common Name
cutleaf burnweed
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
DM, SW, FM, DS, RF, CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Senecio minimus
Common Name
coastal burnweed
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
CDF, DM, BM, FM, DS, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Senecio vulgaris
Common Name
old man of spring
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
DM, DS
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Silene gallica
Common Name
common catchfly
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
DM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sisymbrium officinale
Common Name
hedge mustard
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
AW, CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sisyrinchium bellum
Common Name
blue-eyed grass
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sisyrinchium californicum
Common Name
California golden-eyed grass
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SW, FM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Solanum americanum
Common Name
white nightshade
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF, FM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Solanum aviculare
Common Name
New Zealand nightshade
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Solanum douglasii
Common Name
greenspot nightshade
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FS
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Solanum nigrum
Common Name
black nightshade
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
CDF, AW, FM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Solidago elongata
Common Name
meadow goldenrod
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
BM
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Solidago spathulata
Common Name
dune goldenrod
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF, CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sonchus oleraceus
Common Name
common sow thistle
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
DM, AW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Sparganium eurycarpum var. eurycarpum
Common Name
bur-reed
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
BM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Spartina densiflora
Common Name
dense-flowered cordgrass
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
SM, BM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Spergula arvensis
Common Name
spurry
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
DM, DS, FM
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Spergularia canadensis var. occidentalis
Common Name
western sand-spurrey
Close-up
Status
N, C
Habitat
BM, SM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Spergularia macrotheca (var. macrotheca
Common Name
sticky sand spurrey
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SM, SW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Spergularia marina
Common Name
salt marsh sand spurrey
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SM, BM, AW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Spergularia rubra
Common Name
red sand spurry
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
BM, AW
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Spiranthes romanzoffiana
Common Name
hooded ladies-tresses
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF, SW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Stachys ajugoides
Common Name
rigid hedge-nettle
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM, BM, RF, SW, AW
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Stachys chamissonis
Common Name
coast hedge-nettle
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
RF, FS
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Stellaria longipes var. longipes
Common Name
meadow starwort
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Stellaria media
Common Name
common chickweed
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
AW, DM, FM, DS, SW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Stellaria nitens
Common Name
northern starwort
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
BM, SW
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Symphyotrichum chilense var. chilense
Common Name
common California aster
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SW, BM, FM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Tanacetum bipinnatum
Common Name
dune tansy
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
DM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Toxicodendron diversilobum
Common Name
poison oak
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium arvense
Common Name
rabbitfoot clover
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
DM, DS
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium campestre
Common Name
hop clover
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
DM, DS
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium dubium
Common Name
shamrock
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
DM, DS, CDF, AW
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium glomeratum
Common Name
clustered clover
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium hirtum
Common Name
rose clover
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
DM, DS
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium macraei
Common Name
Macrae's clover
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium microcephalum
Common Name
small-headed clover
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
DM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium microdon
Common Name
thimble clover
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
DM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium repens
Common Name
white clover
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
AW, SW
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium subterraneum
Common Name
subterranean clover
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
SW, AW
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trifolium wormskioldii
Common Name
coast clover
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SW, AW, FM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Triglochin concinna var. concinna
Common Name
arrow-grass
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Triglochin maritima
Common Name
seaside arrow-grass
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
BM, SM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Triglochin scilloides
Common Name
flowering quillwort
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SM, BM
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Triglochin striata
Common Name
three-ribbed arrow-grass
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
BM, FM
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Triphysaria eriantha ssp. eriantha
Common Name
butter 'n' eggs
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
DM
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Triphysaria pusilla
Common Name
little owl's clover
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
DS, DM, CDF
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Trisetum canescens
Common Name
nodding oatgrass
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Typha latifolia
Common Name
cattail
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
SW, BM, FM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Vaccinium ovatum
Common Name
evergreen huckleberry
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
CDF, FS
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Vicia benghalensis
Common Name
purple vetch
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
DM, DS, BM
Occurs
HBNWR
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Vicia gigantea
Common Name
giant vetch
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FS, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Vicia sativa ssp. nigra
Common Name
common vetch
Close-up
Status
E
Habitat
AW, DM
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Vicia villosa ssp. villosa
Common Name
hairy vetch
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
CDF, DM, RF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Vinca major
Common Name
bigleaf periwinkle
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
DM, FM, CDF, DS
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Zantedeschia aethiopica
Common Name
callalily
Close-up
Status
E, I
Habitat
FM, DM, DS
Occurs
N/A
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Zeltnera muehlenbergii
Common Name
Muhlenberg's centaury
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
FM, SW
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
Scientific Name
Zostera marina
Common Name
eelgrass
Close-up
Status
N
Habitat
MF
Occurs
HBNWR, Lanphere, Ma-le'l
Other
N/A
