Natural Areas of Southern California

 

From Steve Hartman, Hartman Multimedia, www.californiawildflowers.info

 

A new feature of the www.californiawildflowers.info website has been published. Visitors to the website can now access the text descriptions found in the Inventory of California Natural Areas of 11 southern California counties: Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.

 

This project began when in 1969 a group of concerned scientists and laymen, under the leadership of Dr. G. Ledyard Stebbins, formed the organization that was to become the California Natural Areas Coordinating Council, eventually directed by Leslie Hood. It was the purpose of this group to inventory the natural areas of the state and to seek means of protecting them.

 

Over 1,500 discrete areas were named, categorized, located and described. These descriptions were then published in a limited edition multi-volume set of green binders (one set is located in the conference room at the State CNPS office).

 

While the descriptions provide a snapshot of the California landscape a quarter of a century ago, the information is valuable when planning field trips and outings. While some formerly "pristine" areas have been developed, and ownership, boundaries, and place names have changed (e.g. some National Monuments have become National Parks), the underlying information about the flora and fauna is still valid. Indeed, browsing through the natural areas gives a sense of the significant changes in landscapes since the mid-70's (and you can see it visually as each area is linked to a Google satellite map showing what the landscape looks like today!).

 

After contacting the Dept of Fish and Game natural areas program, I was encouraged to OCR-scan the publication and publish it on the web. This job is now complete for southern California counties and can be found at www.californiawildflowers.info, click on Natural Areas.

 

The descriptions have been revised by updating all the Latin plant names to match The Jepson Manual (1993) and creating hyperlinks to other natural areas referenced within the text. A complete synonym list is provided. Also there is an index by feature. Finally, each location can be displayed in a map or satellite view.

OUR FEATURED PLANT(S)

 

Dodder and Mistletoe

 

By Mark Acuña

 

Well, here we are in the first days of Ha.ah.mo Pah.ko O.cho.che.veh, some of the most beautiful months of the great year. September—"Lalavaych," the Month of the Gray Goose; October "Akwitscomel", the Month of Wind-Whistling, when Agvangna and Jamiwu argue with their hot winds which we call the "Santanas"; November "A.akwit," the last Month of Acorns. The late golden afternoons will slowly but suddenly begin to cool down and the evening fogs will fill the valleys. The autumnal equinox song "Hayamoh Pahko Ohchocheveh Yowkeh Mahreh Horoorah Tahrahmeh Cheayeesh" was sung to solemnly sing in the turning of the year.

 

To celebrate this great turning let's look at two rarely spoken about but fascinating plants: Cheruku Hoochoot and Chahyahl (Dodder and Mistletoe). Europeans, with their focus on the diabolical, named "Dodder" witch weed,  witch's hair, devil weed, strangle weed. The Tongva (Gabrieleno) sometimes called it ahikoli "breath plant" because its primary use was as a steamed inhalant for asthma. The long orange stringy parasite was brewed into a tea and its steam was said to clear nasal passages and the lungs; when gathered raw and stuffed in nostrils, it stopped nosebleeds. A yellow dye was produced from the strings of Cheruku and used for the painting of feathers. 

 

It is found on many herbs and shrubs from sea level to 8200 ft., and blossoms from mid spring to late summer.  Now as the year has turned, Cheruku Hoochoot is dying off, but a few patches can still be found in the foothills.

 

Chayal (Mistletoe) was another curious plant that Europeans mistrusted yet revered. Old Teutonic myths sang of murder and betrayal. The ancient Druids considered it a magical herb and said that it protected against lightning and misfortune; it's magical force bound lovers who kissed beneath its branches, especially under mistletoe which grew on oaks, sacred to Odin.

 

The Tongva brewed a pleasant tea from its berries, although many mistletoes are highly toxic and one should not attempt to use this plant as a source of food. The old ones knew a way to detoxify Chayal. Desert Mistletoe was a trade item and the berries were ground, mixed with ashes and boiled before eating.

 

Medicinally, the berries were poulticed for wounds and an infusion of Pacific Mistletoe was brewed for abortions.  The leaves of most Mistletoes were also used for a toothache poultice.

 

As we end autumn and move into winter, the beautiful leaves of Chayal will become more pronounced and we will all meet in doorways standing beneath beribboned branches of Chayal and wait for our Winter Solstice kiss.