Unexpected native vegetation
Coastal terrace grassland prairie?
The original survey of Point Molate noted that “the native perennial grasses … exhibit very high levels of density and diversity. Native grasslands of comparable quality are extremely uncommon in the East Bay, as well as in more coastal areas in Marin County.”
…California has lost over 90% of its coastal terrace prairie grasslands…
Coastal terrace prairie grasslands are assemblages of perennial species of grasses, any of which can put down roots that extend six feet into the soil. Most of these plants are challenging to identify unless they are blooming, and each species can be on a different bloom schedule. Consequently, it can take years to identify the species that are present. Most plant surveys do not have the luxury of several years, so rare species can be missed. Also, conservation laws generally emphasize individual plant species, rather than plant communities, making it difficult to protect these ancient grasslands. It is generally accepted that California has lost over 90% of its coastal terrace prairie grasslands as a result of coastal development and lack of protection.
Fortunately, remnants of the coastal terrace prairie are found at Point Molate! These gently undulating grasslands are often interspersed with the invasive annual briza grasses, but visitors can still imagine what the huge fields must have looked like.
A catalog of rare plant species
The California Native Plant Society (CNPS), East Bay Chapter, has carried on the work of defining the plants found at Point Molate. Their work is accessible online, with listings of rare plant species specific to Point Molate. In addition, CNPS hosts a rare plant database for the entire East Bay, as well as lists of plants that fall into specific categories of rarity. As late as 2020, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife advocated for additional botanical surveys of Point Molate to be sure that all rare plants have been identified. For example, the Suisun marsh aster is found at Point Molate in a moist and somewhat swampy area. Its California Rare Plant Rank is 1B.2, which means that it is rare or endangered in California.
Photo Credits: Jack Scheinman
Rare plants references:
https://rareplants.ebcnps.org/PtMlt.html