City-Wide Rare Plant Treasure Hunt | SF

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Join CNPS, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, SF Parks and Recreation, and Wild Equity for a morning searching out some of the city’s rare plant populations.

There will be three groups leaving from Fort Funston, Bayview Park and Heron’s Head. After the hunt, the groups will come together for lunch ($15-20) at Pasquale’s Pizzeria, 700 Irving St. in the Inner Sunset.

Free, but an RSVP is required by May 17, 2013 to dslakey@cnps.org.

Let them know: 1) which group you would like to join, 2) whether you will be joining them for pizza, and 3) if you plan to drive or take public transportation.

In addition to providing access to nature for San Francisco residents, the city’s parks serve as refuges for the rare plant species that have been growing here for hundreds of years.

Groups will meet at three separate parks to look for and document rare plants, then convene for an optional lunch at Pasquale’s Pizzeria in the Inner Sunset to share photos, your new rare plant knowledge, and, of course, some pizza.

• The Fort Funston Group will walk through coastal dunes to look for populations of San Francisco Bay Spineflower (Chorizanthe cuspidata var. cuspidata), Blue Coast Gilia (Gilia capitata ssp. chamissonis), and other dune species at this National Park. Meet at the main Fort Funston parking lot. From the city, head south on Hwy 35. About ½ mile past John Muir Drive, turn right onto Fort Funston Rd. When the Road comes to a T, turn right into the main parking lot.
• The Bayview Park Group will climb the park’s hill to look for populations of Coast Iris (Iris longipetala) and learn how to differentiate it from the common Douglas’s Iris (Iris douglasiana), as well as learn about some of the other showy natives plants in the park. Participants should meet at the park entrance at the southeast end of Key Ave.; on-street parking is available nearby.
• The Heron’s Head Group will check out a salt marsh restoration project, with a chance to see the federally-endangered California Seablite (Suaeda californica) and many other interesting salt marsh species. Afterward, the group will walk over to Starr King Open Space to check out the locally-rare yellow Mariposa Lily (Calochortus luteus). Meet at the parking lot at the end of Cargo Way, where it hits Jennings St.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.