Introduction to California Plant Life

Robert Ornduff (1932-2000) served as Director of the University and Jepson Herbaria, Director of the University Botanical Garden, and Professor of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. Phyllis M. Faber is General Editor of the California Natural History Guides. Todd Keeler-Wolf is Senior Vegetation Ecologist, California Department of Fish and Game.

• PrefacePreface from the 1974 EditionIntroduction1. THE CALIFORNIA FLORAThe Californian Floristic ProvinceDiversity of the FloraNaming Plants: Latin Binomials and Common NamesThe Meanings of Plant NamesA Hierarchy of ClassificationNaming New Plant SpeciesRarity and Endemism2. CALIFORNIA’S TOPOGRAPHY,CLIMATE, AND SOILSTopographical Features of CaliforniaClimateGeology and Soils3. PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICALINFLUENCES ON PLANTSSoil and TopographySun and WindEffect of ShadeCompetition for Water and LightWater and SalinityThe Presence of FireFungi and BacteriaPlant Competition and AllelopathyHerbivoryPollinationSeed DispersalAdaptations to AridityReading the Landscape by Indicator Species4. VARIATION OR ECOTYPESOF PLANT SPECIESClimatic EcotypesSoil Ecotypes5. INTRODUCTION TOCALIFORNIA VEGETATIONVegetation and FloraConcepts of Plant Community and VegetationA Classification SystemEcological DominancePlant SuccessionLife Zones6. VEGETATION TYPES INCISMONTANE CALIFORNIAThe Cismontane Region (West of theSierra Nevada Crest)7. VEGETATION TYPES IN MONTANEAND TRANSMONTANE CALIFORNIAMontane Region (High Mountain Areas)Transmontane Region (Areas East of theSierra Nevada Crest and the Deserts)8. EVOLUTION OF THECALIFORNIA FLORAArcto-Tertiary GeofloraNeotropical Tertiary GeofloraMadro-Tertiary GeofloraFossil History of Coast Redwood9. EARLY PLANT EXPLORATIONAND BOTANY IN CALIFORNIAEarly ExplorersEarly Plant CollectorsThe First American ExplorersSurveys for RailroadsBotany in California Since Statehood10. RECENT CHANGES INCALIFORNIA’S FLORAClimate ChangeNative American Usage of the LandThe Impact of Agriculture and GrazingThe Impact of Invasive WeedsTracking Habitat Destruction and Loss of SpeciesHabitat RestorationSaving Biodiversity: A Call for ActionGlossarySupplemental ReadingReferencesArt Credits and Additional CaptionsIndex of Plant NamesGeneral Index