Otay Mountain
Map SatelliteVirtually undisturbed, the mountain above the 460-meter (1,500-foot) level is covered with a dense stand of chaparral composed of an association of species found in no other part of California. At the lower elevations coastal sage scrub dominates.
There are seven dominants in the chaparral, Adenostoma fasciculatum, Arctostaphylos glandulosa, Arctostaphylos otayensis, Ceanothus oliganthus, Ceanothus crassifolius (may be hybrid Ceanothus x otayensis), Chamaebatia australis, and Cupressus forbesii. The Arctostaphylos otayensis and the Cupressus are rare.
Additionally, there are eleven other rare species on the mountain, Brodiaea orcuttii, Calamagrostis koelerioides, Calochortus dunnii, Dodecahema leptoceras, Dichondra occidentalis, Dudleya variegata, Fremontodendron mexicanum, Lepechinia ganderi, Monardella hypoleuca ssp. lanata, Solanum xanti, and Achnatherum diegoensis.
Integrity: There are two dirt roads to the radio facility atop the peak and several other roads in the area. The scrub has been modified by grazing. Much of the mountain was burned in the 1870's and again in 1947; in the latter, several islands of chaparral and cypress were missed and clearly show age differences.
Use: Research, education, light recreation.
July 1975
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
