Salt Creek Canyon
Map SatelliteAt this location there is one of the largest known relict stands of the native bunchgrass, Aristida ternipes var. hamulosa. It occurs on a south-facing hillside at the mouth of the canyon. Two needlegrasses, Nassella pulchra and Stipa sp., also occur here. This is the most xeric of the Central Valley prairie communities. Such relict stands are remnants of the pristine vegetation of the Central Valley. The Aristida is maintaining itself on the drier slopes with shallow soil; on the better-watered alluvium there are various exotic grasses. In the areas between the bunches, plantain, Plantago sp., dominates.
Tilted Mesozoic sandstone formations outcrop near the creek mouth; as they weather slowly they produce the shallow soils which the Aristida appears to favor.
Upstream 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) is what is believed to be a native stand of the California black walnut, Juglans hindsii, which is rare in the natural state. Further investigation, however, may prove this to be an introduced stand.
Integrity: Heavily grazed; however, this eliminates some of the exotics and favors the growth of the less palatable Aristida.
Use: Private.
March 1976
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman