Presidio Mock Heather Field
Map SatelliteThis area, which includes Bakers Beach and some of the hillside to the east, is of both historic and current botanical interest.
At Bakers Beach is one of the few remaining dune areas on the Bay or the adjacent coast with a good stand of endemics. Most probably this is the type locality for the California State flower, the California poppy, Eschscholzia californica. Among the many other natives found here is the rare white variety of the non-native sea fig, Carpobrotus chilensis, as well as beach-bur, Franseria chamissonis ssp. bipinnatisecta, the non-native sea-rocket, Cakile edentula var. californica, and beach primrose, Camissonia cheiranthifolia.
The hillside supports a classic field, several acres extent, of mock heather, Ericameria ericoides, the only remaining stand in San Francisco of what was once a very common plant in the dunes in the city. This is probably the type locality. Nearby is the type locality for Ceanothus thyrsiflorus and a stand of the rare Arctostaphylos hookeri ssp. franciscana.
Bakers Beach is one of the three known sites where the slug Ariolimax californiana brachyphallus is found.
Integrity: Portions of the area have been heavily disturbed and the beach is well used. A number of exotics are found in the area. The hillside is relatively undisturbed. The lower part of the area is included in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Use: Current
July 1975
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
