August 1981 at Los Penasquitos Lagoon, 

 Zedler unpub, data). Flowering was 

 notably common in 1981 and future 

 observations are needed to determine if 

 good seed crops are sporadic. 



Shoregrass ( Monanthochloe littoralis , 

 Figure 22) is another subtropical species 

 whose northern limit of distribution is 

 near Point Conception. The prostrate 

 grass readily expands vegetatively and 

 forms dense mats in the upper marsh 

 habitats of many southern California 

 marshes (Zedler 1977. Vogl 1966). It is 

 rarely seen flowering or fruiting and I 

 have never seen a seedling. 



Salt marsh bird's beak ( Cordylanthus 

 maritimus ssp. maritimus . Figure 23) was 

 once a common plant of the upper marsh 

 (Purer 19'*2) but it is now on the Federal 

 Endangered Species List. It occurs in 

 patches at Tijuana Estuary (Dunn unpub.), 

 Mugu Lagoon (H. Ferguson, U.S. Navy), and 

 Upper Newport Bay (Eilers 1981). This 

 annual germinates best after seeds have 

 had a cold treatment (Dunn unpub. data) 

 and is densest in or near open habitats. 

 It is a facultative parasite; its roots 

 can draw resources from a number of 

 potential hosts. 



Salicornia subterminalis (Figure 24) 

 is common at the highest intertidal marsh 

 habitats at both Tijuana Estuary and Mugu 

 Lagoon but does not occur in marshes north 

 of Morro Bay (35 22'N). It appears to be 

 both salt tolerant and drought tolerant; 

 it occurs adjacent to salt pans and in 

 areas above extreme high water or behind 

 dikes which prevent tidal inundation. 

 Although it resembles S_^ virginica and 

 commonly occurs with it, S_^ subterminalis 

 can be recognized by its narrower branches 

 and darker green color. Although the name 

 refers to the occasional subterminal 

 location of its flowers, it is more common 

 to see terminal flowers as on S. 

 virginica . S. subterminalis more often 

 forms dense, upright bushes than its 

 congener and extends higher along the 

 elevation gradient than S_^ virginica. 



Sea lavender ( Limonium californicum . 

 Figure 25) is the showiest of the southern 

 California halophytes. Inflorescences up 

 to a meter tall rise from a basal rosette 

 of broad, spatulate leaves. Hundreds of 

 tiny lavender flowers appear and dry on 

 the stalks, much like its ornamental 

 relative Statice . Of the species which 

 actively secrete salt (see Waisel 1972), 

 sea lavender is perhaps the most 

 conspicuous. There is usually a crust of 

 salt crystals on the undersides of the 

 leaves, and at times whole leaves are 

 white from the dried brine. Sea lavender 

 reproduces both vegetatively and by seed, 

 and given sufficient time, can become 

 abundant along artificial dikes or bare 

 ridges. 



Alkali weed ( Cressa truxillensis , 

 Figure 26) is a small, pale plant which is 

 easily overlooked in most southern 

 California marshes. However, its recent 

 increase in abundance at the upper marsh 

 of Los Penasquitos Lagoon and its obvious 

 expansion following disturbance at the 

 Ballona Wetland (in this case after 

 plowing of seasonally wet pickleweed 

 habitats) have stimulated interest in its 

 ecological requirements. Whether it is an 

 indicator of changing environmental 

 conditions or of upper marsh boundaries 

 remains to be seen; but it may prove 

 useful in delimiting areas which could 

 support salt marsh vegetation, provided 

 disturbance were reduced or eliminated. 



One obligate parasite, known as 

 dodder ( Cuscuta salina . Figure 27), occurs 

 in southern California marshes, covering a 

 number of hosts with bright orange stems 

 and small white flowers. It can be very 

 dense, but the effect on the host plants 

 does not seem to be severe. It is an 

 annual plant whose dispersal and 

 establishment characteristics are 

 unstudied. 



Spike rush ( Juncus acutus ) may have 

 formed a conspicuous band around the upper 

 marsh of pre-1900 wetlands, but only 

 remnant populations are now found in 

 southern California. Its clump of long, 

 sharp, stiff leaves and tall, dark. 



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