Phalacroseris is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the daisy family containing the single species Phalacroseris bolanderi, which is known by the common name Bolander's mock dandelion. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it grows in wet habitat such as moist meadows, bogs, and clearings in subalpine coniferous forest.

Phalaris angusta is a species of grass known by the common names timothy canarygrass and narrow canarygrass. It is native to the Americas, where it is most common in Chile and Argentina and can be found in northern South America and sections of the southwestern and southeastern United States. It is also known as an introduced species in Australia. It grows in grassland, prairie, marshland, and other habitat. Phalaris angusta is an annual grass reaching up to 1. 5 meters tall. The inflorescence is a narrow cylindrical spike of rough-haired, pointed spikelets. Toxicity. Like some other Phalaris species, this grass is toxic to livestock. Calves that eat the grass develop neurological signs such as tremors and convulsions and gross examination of their brain tissue reveals large blue-green lesions. Some cattle and sheep die suddenly after grazing in pastures of the grass, while some linger with signs of neurological compromise.

Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is a tall, perennial grass that commonly forms extensive single-species stands along the margins of lakes and streams and in wet open areas, with a wide distribution in Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North America. The stems can reach 2.5 meter in height. The leaf blades are blue-green when fresh and straw-colored when dry. The flowers are borne on the stem high above the leaves and are pinkish at full bloom. While possibly native to North America, European cultivars have been widely introduced for use as hay and forage on the continent; there are no easy traits known for differentiating between the native plants and European cultivars (White et al. 1993).

Phalaris californica is an uncommon species of grass known by the common name California canarygrass. It is native to the coastal hills and mountains of southern Oregon and northern and central California, where it grows mainly in moist areas, such as meadows. It is a perennial grass reaching maximum heights between one half and 1.5 meters. The flower cluster is up to 5 centimeters long and 3 wide, roughly oval, pointed at the tip and truncated at the base. The spikelets are hairy and as they ripen they turn shades of magenta to bright pink.

Phalaris lemmonii is an uncommon species of grass known by the common name Lemmon's canarygrass. It is endemic to California, where it can be found in coastal and inland mountain ranges and the Central Valley. It grows mainly in moist areas. It is an annual grass reaching maximum heights between 1. 3 and 1. 5 meters. The cylindrical inflorescence is up to 12 centimeters long, each spikelet made up of one strongly beaked fertile floret and one or two sterile florets.

Phaseolus filiformis is a species of wild bean native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its common names include slimjim bean, slender-stem bean, and Wright's phaseolus. This plant resembles other beans in appearance, with leaves composed of lobed triangular leaflets and pink pea-like flowers. The small bean pods are 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters long and less than a centimeter wide.

Mock orange (Philadephus lewisii) is a deciduous shrub covered in a mass of white blossoms at the height of flowering, in spring to summer. Mock orange is widespread but not common, usually appearing as an individual plant in a mix of other species. 

The shrub sends out long stems, which are red when new and fade to gray with age. Its leaves are light green in color with a rough texture, generally turning a lovely yellow in fall.  The large flowers bloom in clusters at the ends of long stems and have a heavy, sweet scent similar to citrus blossom. They are among the most fragrant flowers of any California native plant. It is fast-growing and tolerates almost any soil type, making it a wonderful focal plant in a garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden (Cheyenne Research in Wyoming).

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selection by Roger Raiche and Ron Lutsko from shasta County.

Philadelphus microphyllus is a species of mock-orange known by the common name littleleaf mock-orange. It is native to northern Mexico and the southwestern quadrant of the United States as far north as Wyoming, where it grows in scrub and brush habitat in foothills and mountains, often in very rocky areas, sometimes anchoring itself in rock cracks and crevices. It is a highly variable plant with many subspecies. In general it is a rounded, spreading shrub reaching a maximum height around 2 meters. Young branches are coated in stiff hairs, and older branches have reddish, yellowish, or gray shredding bark. The pointed oval or lance-shaped leaves are up to 2.5 centimeters long, green, and sometimes hairy. They are oppositely arranged and deciduous. The flower cluster is a solitary flower or cluster of two or three. The fragrant flower has four or five white or cream petals and a cluster of many stout stamens. The fruit is a hard capsule containing many seeds. This flowering shrub is propagated and used as a drought-tolerant ornamental plant in its native range.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Phleum alpinum is a species of grass known by the common name alpine timothy. It has a circumboreal distribution, inhabiting northern areas of the Northern Hemisphere, as well as extending down through the Americas to southern South America. It can be found on islands in the subantarctic region such as South Georgia Island, on which it is one of the most common plant species. It is a perennial grass forming loose clumps 20 to 60 centimeters tall. The flower cluster is a cylindrical to oval mass of spikelets up to 6 centimeters long and 1.2 wide.

Phlox adsurgens is a species of phlox known by the common names northern phlox and woodland phlox. It is native to Oregon and a section of the northern Coast Ranges of California, where it is a member of the flora in forested and wooded mountain habitat. It is a perennial herb growing decumbent with erect branches up to 30 centimeters long. The oval leaves are 1 to 3 centimeters long and oppositely arranged in pairs. The flower cluster is a cluster of five-lobed pink flowers.

Phlox austromontana is a species of phlox known by the common name mountain phlox. It is native to the southwestern United States and Baja California, where it grows in forested and wooded mountain habitat, scrub, and open areas. It is a mat-forming perennial herb growing in patches of very short stems. The lance-shaped leaves are no more than 1. 5 centimeters long and are arranged oppositely in pairs on the short stems. The inflorescence is a solitary flower at the tip of each stem. The flower is white or light pink or lavender with five rounded lobes. It is just over a centimeter long.

Phlox caespitosa is a species of phlox known by the common name tufted phlox. It is native to western North America from British Columbia through the Great Basin to New Mexico, where it grows in scrub, woodland, and other open plateau habitat. It is a mat-forming perennial herb growing in patches of short, hairy, hairy stems. The stems are lined with pairs of very narrow, sharp-tipped linear leaves each under a centimeter in length. The flower cluster is a solitary flower or cluster of up to three flowers at the tip of each stem. The flower is white or light pink or lavender with five rounded lobes. It is around a centimeter long.

Phlox condensata is a species of phlox known by the common name dwarf phlox. It is native to the western United States including eastern California, Nevada, and Colorado, where it grows in rocky, mountainous areas. It is a very compact mat-forming perennial herb growing in patches often less than a centimeter tall. The toothlike lance-shaped leaves are no more than half a centimeter long and lined with stiff hairs. The inflorescence is a solitary tubular flower up to a centimeter long with a flat white or pale pink corolla.

Phlox diffusa is a species of phlox known by the common name spreading phlox. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to the southwestern United States to the Dakotas, where it grows in many types of habitat, including rocky, high elevation mountain slopes. It is a very compact mat-forming perennial herb growing in cushions or patches of short, decumbent stems. The linear, lance-shaped, or needle-like leaves are no more than 1.5 centimeters long and are oppositely arranged in bundles on the short stems. The flower cluster is a solitary tubular flower around a centimeter long. It has a flat white or pale pink or blue corolla with five lobes each just under a centimeter in length.

Phlox dolichantha is a species of phlox known by the common name Big Bear Valley phlox. It is endemic to San Bernardino County, California, where it is limited to the area around Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains. It grows in forests and the unique local pebble plain habitat. It occurs at elevations over 2000 meters. It is an erect, branching perennial herb growing up to 30 centimeters tall. The linear or narrowly lance-shaped leaves are 2 to 5 centimeters long and are oppositely arranged on the slender stems. The inflorescence is made up of one or more showy flowers at the tip of the stem. Each flower has a very slender tubular throat up to 5 centimeters long which can be white, pink, or lavender. The flowers are pollinated by a variety of insects including the hawkmoth Hyles lineata and flies of the genera Anthomyia and Tachypeza.

Phlox douglasii, common name tufted phlox or Columbia phlox, is a species of perennial herb belonging to the family Polemoniaceae. It is unclear whether the species is distinct from Phlox caespitosa. Tufted Phlox is native to northwestern United States. Habitat. This species prefers dry areas, sagebrush scrubs and woodlands, at elevation of 1,500-2,000 metres (4,900-6,600 ft) above sea level.

Yreka phlox (Phlox hirsuta, also known as hairy phlox) is a species of phlox. It is a small flowering plant that grows in the serpentine soils of Siskiyou County, California and is the official city flower of Yreka, California, after which it is named. Yreka phlox plants grow to a height of up to six inches, with thick hairy stems at the base (the specific epithet hirsuta means hairy). In April through June they become covered by small pink or purple flowers.

Phlox hoodii (spiny phlox or carpet phlox) is a species of phlox. It is a plant of western North America, where it is a common flower in sagebrush country. It is among the first plants to bloom in spring, after the snow has melted. Its distribution extends from Alaska to Arizona. There are many subspecies. This perennial herb is variable in morphology, but usually forms a tight mat or loose clump on the ground. The short stems emerge from a woody taproot and caudex unit and the plant form is no more than 13 centimeters tall. The abundant tiny, sharp-pointed leaves are oppositely arranged and barely exceed one centimeter long. The herbage is hairy in texture, the hairs short to long, woolly to cobwebby. The appearance of the plant is almost mosslike until blooming. The flower cluster is a solitary flower in shades of white, pink, or blue. It has a tubular throat about a centimeter long spreading into a flat five-lobed corolla.

Phlox hoodii (spiny phlox or carpet phlox) is a species of phlox. It is a plant of western North America, where it is a common flower in sagebrush country. It is among the first plants to bloom in spring, after the snow has melted. Its distribution extends from Alaska to Arizona. There are many subspecies. This perennial herb is variable in morphology, but usually forms a tight mat or loose clump on the ground. The short stems emerge from a woody taproot and caudex unit and the plant form is no more than 13 centimeters tall. The abundant tiny, sharp-pointed leaves are oppositely arranged and barely exceed one centimeter long. The herbage is hairy in texture, the hairs short to long, woolly to cobwebby. The appearance of the plant is almost mosslike until blooming. The inflorescence is a solitary flower in shades of white, pink, or blue. It has a tubular throat about a centimeter long spreading into a flat five-lobed corolla.

Longleaf Phlox (Phlox longifolia) is a native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California. It is slow growing and long-lived. It grows in a semi-upright form to a height of 1.2 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are purple and striking, and bloom in the late spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous.

Longleaf Phlox (Phlox longifolia ssp. brevifolia) is a native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California. It tends to grow at elevations from 5600-9800 feet.

Moss Phlox (Phlox muscoides) is a rare native perennial herb that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the Warner Mountains, the High Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau regions.

Phlox pulvinata is a species of phlox known by the common name cushion phlox. It is native to the western United States where it grows in mountain and plateau habitat, in rocky subalpine and alpine climates, including exposed tundra habitat. It is a perennial herb taking a flat, dense, cushionlike form on the ground. Its very short stems are lined with hair-fringed lance-shaped leaves each no more than a centimeter long. The plant is among the first to flower in the spring in many areas. It blooms densely, forming carpets of flowers. Each white to pale pink flower has a tubular throat up to a centimeter long and a flat five-lobed corolla.

Phlox speciosa is a species of phlox known by the common name showy phlox. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Arizona and New Mexico, where it occurs in sagebrush, pine woodlands, and mountain forests. It is an erect perennial herb with a shrubby base growing up to about 40 centimeters tall. The leaves are linear or lance-shaped, oppositely arranged, and generally glandular. The inflorescence bears one or more white to pink flowers with elongated tubular throats each up to about 1. 5 centimeters long. The corolla has five double-lobed, notched, or heart-shaped lobes. There are several subspecies, most being limited to certain sections of the plant's overall distribution. Phlox speciosa has an erect stem. Leaves are between 1-5 cm and lance-linear. Terminal inflorescence with leaf like bracts below; pedicel 3-20 mm and slender. The calyx is 7-10 mm, membrane not keeled; corolla bright pink to white, tube 10-15 mm, lobes obcordate to deeply 2-lobed; stamens short, anthers in corolla tube; style 0. 4-2 mm, stigmas > style. Rocky, wooded slopes, sagebrush scrub; 500-2400 m. Several subspecies named, study needed. Flowers Apr- Jun. Occurrences in Oregon. Phlox speciosa is a widely distributed plant which occurs at many Serpentine sites throughout the western United States. In southern Oregon specifically, P. speciosa has been known to co-occur with Darlingtonia californica the Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Wayside, managed by the BLM (Medford District. ) Additionally, this plant is known to occur in the Deer Creek Center near Selma, Oregon.

Phlox stansburyi is a species of phlox known by the common names cold-desert phlox and pink phlox. It is native to the southwestern United States from California to Utah to Texas, where it occurs in desert and plateau scrub and woodland habitat. It is a perennial herb taking an upright, branching form. The hairy linear or lance-shaped leaves are 1 to 3 centimetres (0. 39 to 1. 18 in) in length and oppositely arranged. The inflorescence bears one or more white to pink flowers with narrow, tubular throats which may exceed 3 cm (1. 2 in) in length. The base of the tube is encased in a calyx of keeled, ribbed sepals. The flower corolla is flat and five-lobed.

Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common names daggerpod and wallflower phoenicaulis. It is a small herb of sagebrush country in the inland western United States. It has pink or light purple flowers, and is one of the first plants to bloom in the spring in its area. The fruit is lance-shaped, long compared to its width, and rather hard when dry, from which the common name "daggerpod" derives. It thrives in rocky volcanic soils as well as clay, and likes open, sunny areas in the sagebrush scrub. It is the only member of this genus, although the similar plant Anelsonia eurycarpa is sometimes treated in synonymy with this genus as P. eurycarpa.

Pholisma arenarium is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by several common names, including desert Christmas tree, scaly-stemmed sand plant, and purple sand food. It is native to northwestern Mexico, Arizona and southern California, where it grows in many habitat types, including desert, chaparral, and sandy coastal dunes. It is a fleshy perennial herb taking a compact cylindrical or ovate shape up to 20 or 30 centimeters tall above ground, often with part of the stem below the sandy surface. It is a parasitic plant growing on the roots or of various shrubs such as burrobush, Yerba Santa, California croton, rabbitbrush, and ragweeds. As a heterotroph which derives its nutrients from other plants, it lacks chlorophyll and is brownish-gray or whitish in color. There are hairy, glandular, pointed leaves along the surface of the plant. Flowers emerge between them, each roughly one centimeter wide, the rounded corolla lavender to deep or bright purple with a white margin.

Pholisma sonorae, commonly known as sandfood, is a rare and unusual species of flowering plant endemic to the Sonoran Deserts to the west of Yuma, Arizona in the California Yuha and Colorado Desert, and south in the Yuma Desert, where it is known from only a few locations. Pholisma sonorae is a perennial herb which grows in sand dunes, its fleshy stem extending up to two meters-six feet below the surface and emerging above as a small rounded or ovate form. It may be somewhat mushroom-shaped if enough sand blows away to reveal the top of the stem. It is a parasitic plant which attaches to the roots of various desert shrubs such as wild buckwheats, ragweeds, plucheas, and Tiquilia plicata and T. palmeri to obtain nutrients. As a heterotroph, the Pholisma sonorae plant lacks chlorophyll and is grayish, whitish, or brown in color. It has glandular scale-like leaves along its surface. The plant obtains water not from its host plants, but through stomata in its leaves. The plant blooms in centimeter-wide flowers which are pink to purple in color with white margins. Uses. This was an important food item for certain desert-dwelling Native American peoples, including the Cocopah and the Hia C-ed O'odham. Status. The plant is rare and declining as its habitat of shifting dune sands is lost to development and damaged by off-road vehicle use.

Pholistoma auritum is a species of flowering plant in the borage family which is known by the common name blue fiestaflower. It is native to California, southern Nevada, and Arizona, where it can be found in many types of habitat, from mountain talus to coastal bluffs to desert scrub. Pholistoma auritum is an annual herb with a brittle, fleshy, bristly stem branching profusely, sometimes forming a tangle. The leaves are deeply lobed and toothed and borne on winged petioles. The foliage is coated in hairs and bristles. The inflorescence is made up of one or more widely bell-shaped flowers up to 1. 5 centimeters long and 3 wide. The hair-lined flowers are blue to purple with darker markings in the centers. The purple Arizona fiestaflower, Pholistoma auritum var. arizonicum, is considered a subspecies.

Pholistoma membranaceum is a species of flowering plant in the borage family which is known by the common name white fiesta flower. It is native to western North America from Oregon through California to Baja California. It can be found in many types of habitat from mountain ravines to beaches to desert scrub. Pholistoma membranaceum is an annual herb with a waxy, fleshy, bristly stem up to 90 centimeters long and branching profusely, sometimes forming a tangle. The leaves are deeply lobed or cut and borne on winged petioles. The foliage is coated in hairs. The inflorescence bears 2 to 10 flowers each under a centimeter wide. The flower is white, usually with a purple spot or streak on each of its five lobes.

Pholistoma racemosum is a species of flowering plant in the borage family which is known by the common name racemose fiesta flower. It is native to southern California, including the Channel Islands, and Baja California, where it can be found in coastal areas and in the coastal mountains and canyons, often in moist, shady areas. It is an annual herb with a fleshy, bristly stem up to 60 centimeters long and branching profusely, sometimes forming a tangle. The leaves are generally oval or triangular in shape but are deeply lobed or cut and borne on winged petioles. The foliage is coated in rough hairs. The inflorescence bears 2 to 6 flowers each up to a centimeter long and 1. 5 wide. The flower is white to blue in color with five rounded lobes.

Phoradendron californicum, the desert mistletoe or mesquite mistletoe, is a hemiparasitic plant native to southern California, Nevada, Arizona, Sonora, Sinaloa and Baja California. It can be found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts at elevations of up to 1400 m (4600 feet). The mistletoe is a leafless plant that attaches to host plants, often leguminous woody desert trees such as Cercidium and Prosopis. Desert mistletoe takes water and minerals from its host plants but it does its own photosynthesis, making it a hemiparasite.

Phoradendron juniperinum is a species of flowering plant in the sandalwood family known by the common name juniper mistletoe. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in various types of woodland habitat. It has been reported from California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Texas, Chihuahua and Sonora. This mistletoe parasitizes species of juniper, including Utah (Juniperus osteosperma), Rocky Mountain (J. scopulorum), and western juniper (J. occidentalis).

Phoradendron leucarpum is a species of mistletoe which is native to the United States and Mexico. Its common names include American mistletoe, eastern mistletoe, hairy mistletoe or oak mistletoe. It is native to Mexico and most parts of the continental United States. It is hemiparasitic, living in the branches of trees. The berries are white and 3-6 millimeters (0. 12-0. 24 in). It has opposite leaves that are leathery and thick. Ingesting the berries can cause "stomach and intestinal irritation with diarrhea, lowered blood pressure, and slow pulse". This shrub can grow to 1 meter (3. 3 ft) by 1 meter (3. 3 ft). Phoradendron leucarpum is used in North America as a surrogate for the similar European mistletoe Viscum album, in Christmas decoration and associated traditions (such as "kissing under the mistletoe"), as well as in rituals by modern druids. It is commercially harvested and sold for those purposes.

Common reed (Phragmites australis) is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Common reed commonly forms extensive stands (known as reed beds), which may be as much as a square kilometer or more in extent. Where conditions are suitable, it can spread 16 feet or more per year by horizontal runners, which put down roots at regular intervals. 

It can grow in damp ground, in standing water (up to three feet or so deep), or even as a floating mat. One of the few native plants that the California Invasive Plant Council has determined is invasive in regions outside its natural range.

The erect stems grow to 6 to 20 ft tall. The tallest plants grow in areas that have hot summers and fertile growing conditions.

Common reed is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species. In particular, the South Asian Khagra Reed (P. karka) is often treated as distinct. 

Phyla lanceolata is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family known by the common name lanceleaf fogfruit or frogfruit. It is native to the southern half of North America, including much of the United States except for the northwestern quadrant, and much of Mexico. It is resident in many types of moist and wet habitat, including disturbed areas, such as irrigation ditches. It is a perennial herb growing decumbent in a matlike form with spreading, trailing stems up to half a meter long, sometimes rooting at nodes. The lance-shaped or nearly oval leaves are up to 6 centimeters long and have toothed or partially toothed edges. The inflorescence, arising on a peduncle several centimeters tall, is a spherical spike of flowers which elongates into a cylindrical form as the fruits develop. The tiny, densely packed flowers are white, sometimes tinged with blue or purple. It is similar to the related species Phyla nodiflora, but differs in having much longer and more pointed leaves. Both species are common as weeds and in the ornamental environment.

Common lippia (Phyla nodiflora) is a hardy, no-mow groundcover in the Verbena family, found in many regions worldwide including California. It produces clusters of small white and purple trumpet-shaped flowers in spring, attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. This plant is highly adaptable.

Common lippia forms dense mats of trailing runners that make it a popular alternative to conventional lawns. It stays low to the ground, tolerates foot traffic, and is dog-friendly. With occasional deep watering — about every two weeks in summer — it can outcompete weeds while requiring far less water than traditional turfgrass. Once thought to be invasive, recent research shows that its spread is manageable, especially in drier climates where its resilience is now seen as a benefit.

Common lippia is an excellent choice for sustainable landscaping due to its drought tolerance, minimal maintenance needs, and ecological value. It provides essential nectar for bees and other pollinators, making it an ideal option for eco-friendly gardens and lawn replacements. Its water-saving benefits are particularly valuable as climate change and water shortages increase the need for resilient, low-maintenance landscapes.

In the 1970s, concerns were raised about common lippia spreading into unwanted areas. Today, these concerns have diminished, and the plant is now appreciated for its ability to provide habitat for pollinators while significantly reducing water use compared to traditional sod lawns. Its combination of aesthetic appeal and environmental benefits makes it a versatile and sustainable groundcover solution.

Phyllodoce breweri is a species of flowering plant in the heath family known by the common names purple mountain heath and Brewer's mountain heather. It is native to California, where it can be found in mountain ranges including the southern Cascade Range, the San Bernardino Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada, its distribution extending into Nevada. It grows in rocky subalpine mountain habitat, such as slopes and meadows. Phyllodoce breweri is a matlike shrub with many short stems lined densely with leathery evergreen needlelike leaves. The inflorescence is a cluster of several flowers toward the ends of the stems, with some flowers occurring below in leaf axils. The bright purple-pink flowers are cup-shaped as the petals are fused except for the very tips, which roll under. At the center of the flower is a yellow ovary and ten long, protruding stamens tipped with large anthers.

Phyllodoce empetriformis, the pink mountain-heather or pink mountain-heath, is found in mountainous regions of western North America in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. Its southern range includes the Klamath Range in northern California and Oregon. Phyllodoce empetriformis is a low matting shrub with distinctive leaves which roll under themselves so tightly they resemble pine needles. It bears attractive flowers in shades of pink and purple. This common (in its native bioregion) evergreen alpine shrub bears its red-purple flower clustered at the end of the stem in leaf axils. The flowers of Phyllodoce glanduliflora, for comparison, are yellow or green-white. In Phyllodoce empetriformis, the campanulate corolla is twice as long as the calyx (compared to Phyllodoce gladuliflora, which has a corolla just barely twice as long as the calyx and is urn-shaped). Its sepals and filaments are glabrous or barely hairy (compared to Phyllodoce glanduliflora which has pubescent sepals and filaments).

Phyllospadix scouleri, or Scouler's surfgrass, is a flowering marine plant in the family Zosteraceae. It is native to the coastline of western North America from the Alaskan panhandle to Baja California. This slender, vivid green plant has long, flat blades. It grows in large clumps or beds exposed during low tide and submerged at high tide. It is found attached to rocks in the middle to low intertidal zones to a depth of about 40-50 ft.

Phyllospadix torreyi, Torrey's surfgrass, is a plant species found along the Pacific Coasts of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California and Baja California (including Guadalupe Island). It grows in salt marshes in the intertidal zones. Phyllospadix torreyi is a grass-like plant with toothless leaves up to 60 cm long.

Physalis acutifolia is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family known by the common names sharpleaf groundcherry and Wright's ground-cherry. It is native to the southwestern United States from California to Texas, and northern Mexico, where it can be found in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. It is sometimes a weed when it springs up in agricultural fields, but it is generally not weedy in wild habitat. This is an annual herb producing a branching stem up to a meter tall. The lance-shaped to oval leaves are up to 12 cm long and have edges lined with shallow, smooth teeth. The herbage is coated thinly in hairs appressed flat against the surface. The flowers growing from the leaf axils are round and flat-faced and sometimes over 2 cm wide. They are white to pale yellow with wide, bright yellow centers. The five stamens are each tipped with an anther about 3 mm long. The star-shaped calyx of sepals at the base of the flower enlarges as the fruit develops, becoming an inflated, ribbed lantern-shaped structure about 2 cm long which contains the berry.

Physalis crassifolia is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family known by the common names yellow nightshade groundcherry and thick-leaf ground-cherry. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it can be found in rocky, dry desert and mountain habitat. This is a perennial herb producing a ridged, angular, branching stem approaching 80 cm long, taking a clumped, matted, or erect form. The fleshy oval leaves are 1 to 3 cm long and have smooth, wavy, or bluntly toothed edges. The herbage is glandular and coated in short hairs. The yellow flowers growing from the leaf axils are widely bell-shaped, vaguely five-lobed, and around 2 cm wide. The star-shaped calyx of sepals at the base of the flower enlarges as the fruit develops, becoming an inflated, angled lanternlike structure about 2 cm long, which contains the berry.

Physalis hederifolia is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family known by the common name ivyleaf groundcherry. It is native to California, the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it can be found in rocky, dry desert and mountain habitat. This is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing a hairy, branching stem 4 to 32 inches long. The gray-green oval leaves are 1 to 2 inches long and have smooth or bluntly toothed edges. The flowers growing from the leaf axils are bell-shaped and are about a half inch long. They are yellow with five brown smudges in the throats. The five-lobed calyx of sepals at the base of the flower enlarges as the fruit develops, becoming an inflated, veined nearly spherical structure 1 to 1.5 inches long which contains the berry. There are several wild varieties of this species.

Physaria chambersii is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name Chambers' twinpod. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it grows in desert woodland and plateau habitat. It is a perennial herb growing from a taproot and producing a clumpy rosette of stems up to 15 centimeters long, growing erect and falling over in fruit. The plant is covered in a silver-white coat of hairs. The leaves in the rosette are rounded to oval, up to 6 centimeters long by 2 wide, and smaller, spoon-shaped leaves are located along the stems. The flower cluster is a raceme of four-petalled golden yellow flowers. The fruit is an inflated pod which may be over a centimeter long. It is notched and divided into two chambers, each containing 4 seeds.