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AT MILL CREEK SUMMIT
MT. GLEASON ROAD
This location covers some of the higher elevations at the western extremity of the San Gabriel Mountains.
We begin at Mill Creek Summit (4,900 ft), on the short interpretive trail to the lookout, which is a good place to see several manzanitas, including the San Gabriel Manzanita (Arctostaphylos gabrielensis).
Then we explore Mt. Gleason Road, following the ridge line all the way to Mt. Gleason (6,500 ft), with views sometimes to the west and sometimes to the east. A particular botanical attraction in this area is the Mt. Gleason paintbrush, which is our chapter logo, but there is also a good variety of other subalpine flora. The date was late April.
After passing a correctional facility (via a gravel road that detours around one side of the facility) the road ascends Mt. Gleason itself, where there is a disused microwave communications tower.
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Parry's manzanita (Arctostaphylos parryana) is common at Mill Creek Summit. Here we see the flowers (L) and the full tree (R).
Parry's has a bright green leaf. Glauca has a whitish green leaf., and very sticky, green fruit. The Parry's fruit is shiny, red, non-sticky. Glauca fruit will later turn red like a “little apple,” it's common name in Spanish. Here we see the Parry's fruit (L) and the Bigberry fruit (R).
Here we see the trunk of Bigberry Manzanita with its magnificent bark. This specimen is along the interpretive trail at Mill Creek Summit.
San Gabriel manzanita ([i]Arctostaphylos glandulosa[/i] subsp. [i]gabrielensis[/i]) is one of the rare plants at Mill Creek Summit — rank 1B2 (rare, threatened or endangered ia CA and elsewhere).
Distinguishing features, as shown in these three photos: relatively open flowers (L); erect nature of the tree (C); groiund level burl (R). The flowers of this species are white, but here had become charactyeristically pink after about a week.
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Here we see (L) Parry's manzanita ([i]A. parryana[/i] and behind it bigberry manzanita ([i]A. glauca[/i]). Then (R) a very large bigberry manzanita [i]A. glauca[/i].
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Thanks to Jane Strong for assistance in identification of plants and flowers.