Tree 1:
1, 2’, 3’, 5’, 8 - Group 7
7 - 1’, 2, 4’
Page xv - Oleander (Nerium oleander)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44497415

Tree 2:
1’, 2’, 3’, 6’, 7 - Group 5
5 - 1’, 3’, 5
Page 62 - Fraxnius spp. (Ashes)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44498489

Observation Links:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44500704
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44501560
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44501874
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44502892
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44503726

In my natural area, I walked along the main path that was dirt, and veered off to the sides into the brown grass, as well as areas with wildflowers and nearby the side of a creek. At some parts, the trees and plants were widespread, but once it became closer to the creek, then larger masses of plants appeared. The creek sloped downwards to the right, but many of the species I observed were on flat land with no slant. Some of the plant communities I found were ones similar to ferns, water-growing plants like cattails, as well as wildflowers and thistles that would grow in grasses. I go into more details within each observation.

Tree #1:
1', 2', 3', 5', 8 - Group 7
Group 7 - 1', 2', 5', 7, 8' - Maples (Acer spp.)
Maples - Japanese maple (A. palmatum)
Observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44432890

Tree #2:
1', 2', 3', 5, 6', 7' - Group 6
Group 6 - 1', 3', 11', 18', 24', 29', 30', 31', 32', 33'
Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
Observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44433715

Two Street Trees: Washington Hawthorn & Chinese Windmill Palm

Key to Groups: 1', 2', 3', 5', 8', 9', 13', 14', 15'-Group 11
Group: 11-1', 2', 6', 8', 9.
Species: Crataegus phaenopyrum (Washington Hawthorn)
Trees Among Us Page: 48
Observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44217381

Key to Groups: 1', 2. -Palm Tree Key on page 121
Group: 1', 2', 11', 15.

Species: Trachycarpus fortunei (Chinese Windmill Palm or Chusan Palm)
Trees Among Us Page: 125
Observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44500733

For this week's natural area observations, I decided to head to Poly Canyon Trail and look for plants. Along the trail, there are a variety of trees, woody shrubs, grasses, and flowers. The trail itself was flat and very easy to walk through. On both sides of the trail, the slopes are steep which are sloping down towards the stream down below (on the left). I believe the creek that is located below is called Brizzolara Creek. The plant community around that area seems to be chaparral and riparian due to the many woody plants and nearby creek. Below are the 5 plants I observed that I found were interesting as well as commonly distributed around the area.

Observations:

1: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44649598

2: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44650082

3: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44650465

4: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44650829

5: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44651031

Tree #1:
1', 2', 3, 4' Group 3
Group: 1', 2', 4', 5', 6', 7, 8', 9', 10'
Species: Douglas Firs ( Pseudotsuga spp.)
No Page Number
Observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44672815

Tree #2:
1', 2', 3, 4' Group 3
Group: 1', 2, 3
Species: Pines ( Pinus spp.) Patula
Page #: 12
Observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44670766

1. Key to groups: 1’, 2’, 3’, 5’, 8’, 9’ 13 - Group 8
   
   Group: 8- 1’, 3’, 4’, 16, 17'
   
   Species and book page: Figs, Ficus spp. (pg. 58)
   Observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44838313

2. Key to groups: 1', 2', 3', 5', 8
   Group: 7-1', 2', 5', 7, 8'
   Species and book page: Maples, Acer spp. (pg. 24)
   Observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44837801

While venturing through my natural area, I followed a trail that ran along the hills near my house. Instead of going into the hills however, I took an alternate trail along a creek bed to the right of the main trail. Within this area, there were many shrubs lining the creek bed, and many trees as well. I believe that this plant community was a Mixed-Evergreen Forest due to the plants and wildlife that I observed there. Five observations that I conducted are listed below.

1.) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44452449
2.) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44452403
3.) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44452384
4.) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44452353
5.) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44452319

1. Norway Maple
1’ 2’ 3’ 5’ 8 - Group 7
1’ 2’ 5’ 7 8’ (pg 25)

2. Kwanzan cherry tree
1’ 2’ 3’ 5’ 8’ 9’ 13’ 14’ 15’ - Group 11
1’ 2’ 6’ 7 8 (pg 97)

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44916363
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44916576

On Sunday May 3 I drove to the Figueroa Mountain are in the Los Padres National Forest to do a trail that was high on my bucket list. It is the Davey Brown trail, which leads to a camp ground and is 7 miles. The trail decreased down a beautiful canyon where the spring flowers where blooming and then increased up a shale rock area with succulents and shrubbery. Along, the way I took images of the variety of flowers and oaks along the trail.

1: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44898475

2: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44898674

3: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44898750

4: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44922281

5: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/44922097