Botanist with an interest in California-endemic plants and native communities. Interested in conservation biology and community ecology. Some knowledge of basidiomycete taxa, eager to learn more about birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects.

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Currently interested in differentiating local (Monterey Bay Region) Arctostaphylos, Quercus, and other tricky genera (Lupinus, Eriogonum, etc).

Feel free to tag me on Plantae observations in the Monterey Bay area, or Quercus in CA.

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Quick tips for what to document for plant ID

OAKS (and trees generally):

1) Please photograph the UNDERSIDE of leaves in addition to the tops! This helps a surprising amount for identifying oaks in particular (as well as many other plant species)

2) Acorns and acorn caps attached to the plant

3) Trunk texture

4) Overall habit: Branching pattern, height, canopy spread.

5) Terminal/axillary buds (can help ID oaks to section at least)

@/jeffdc wrote a nice guide relevant to East Coast Oaks, but it is broadly applicable to CA and Western Oaks as well: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/jeffdc/67593-getting-an-oak-identified

LUPINES:

1) Reveal and photograph the keel petal (hidden within the wings) to document the hairs (if any) on the upper and lower surface along the entire length.

Keel image: https://tchester.org/plants/analysis/lupinus/pix/lupinus_formosus_g4_17_crop_70_label.jpg

2) Guide to documenting lupines in more detail (including calyx, banner spots, etc): https://tchester.org/plants/analysis/lupinus/identification.html#fig_1_caption

WILDFLOWERS (IN GENERAL)

1) Area beneath flowers (involucre/hypanthium/calyx/sepals): this is surprisingly helpful, especially for ROSACEAE, ASTERACEAE, GROSSULARIACEAE, PAPAVERACEAE etc.etc

2) Basal and stem leaves

3) Close-up of stamens, carpels, petals

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Search tags for self:
https://www.inaturalist.org/comments?commit=Search&q=@yerbasanta

Search comments by self:
https://www.inaturalist.org/comments?mine=true

Search comments by self by topic (replace 'gall' with search term):
https://www.inaturalist.org/comments?mine=true&commit=Search&q=gall

Annotating old observations for flowering/not QUICKLINK:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?reviewed=true&quality_grade=needs_id%2Cresearch%2Ccasual&order_by=random&user_id=yerbasanta&without_term_id=12&taxon_id=47125

IDing old observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?order=asc&photos&place_id=any&quality_grade=needs_id&subview=map&user_id=yerbasanta&verifiable=any

Plants in Monterey County not observed by self:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?hrank=species&iconic_taxa=Plantae&lrank=infrahybrid&place_id=1921&subview=table&unobserved_by_user_id=yerbasanta&view=species

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Oak ID

Oaks of CA:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?locale=en&place_id=14&preferred_place_id=1&taxon_id=47851&view=species

Oak ID groups:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/oaks-of-california

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-oaks

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-oakwatch

LEAF GALLS
searchable database by plant host: https://www.gallformers.org/id

searchable database by causative agent (insect, fungi, etc.): https://www.gallformers.org/explore

Journal list by @/nancyasquith by plant species host: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-plants-with-mystery-galls/journal/39523-california-galls-a-host-plant-list-with-links

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ID Fort Ord: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=fort-ord-flora-and-fauna&quality_grade=needs_id&subview=map

Burned Landscapes of California (ADD observations manually):
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?created_d1=2020-01-01&has%5B%5D=photos&not_in_project=burned-landscapes-of-california&place_id=14&project_id=czu-lightning-complex-fire-perimeter&verifiable=any&iconic_taxa=Plantae

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Leaf morphology (glossary):
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg

eJepson (taxonomic keys in CA): https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/

CalFlora (search by county for species presence/absence): https://calflora.org

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Taxonomy discussions reference:

QUERCUS
https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/70764-Fagaceae-of-California--US
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?locale=en&place_id=14&preferred_place_id=1&taxon_id=47851&view=species

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LUPINUS
https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=9370