Coastal Serpentine Scrub

Will Eldeer, NPS

 

The coastal scrub community on the Presidio is largely a unique serpentine variant of coastal scrub that includes the vestigial remnants, such as Raven's manzanita and California lilac, of a serpentine chaparral community. This shrub-dominated community is found on gentler slopes than those containing the bluff scrub community and mostly occupies serpentine outcrops with shallow soils and of limited local extent. The community supports many rare plants, including Raven's manzanita, which may have been the historically dominant shrub in a no longer extant serpentine chaparral community.

Typical Sites at the Presidio: Less steep parts and top of the coastal bluffs north of Baker Beach and the bluffs near Fort Point and behind Crissy Field.

Common Native Plants

Common Name	Scientific Name	Family
California Blackberry	Rubus ursinus	Rosaceae
Coast Blue Blossom; California Lilac	Ceanothus thrysiflorus	Rhamnaceae
Coffeeberry	Rhamnus californica	Rhamnaceae
Coyote Bush/Brush	Baccharis pilularis	Asteraceae
Lizard Tail	Eriophyllum staechadifolium	Asteraceae
Osoberry	Oemleria cerasiformis	Rosaceae
Toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	Rosaceae

Rare or Endangered Plants

Common Name	Scientific Name	Family
Raven's Manzanita	Arctostaphylos hookeri ssp. ravenii	Ericaceae
San Francisco Gum Plant	Grindelia hirsutula	Asteraceae

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