Leaves lance-hastate (triangular but with lanceolate lobes, and the 2 basal lobes are nearly perpendicular to the axial lobe or somewhat swept back over the petiole). The central, axial lobe is usually ~1.5-2 cm long and ~0.5-1 cm wide, while the two basal lobes are nearly as long and wide. The central lobe is often mucronate (showing a small pointed tip), while the basal lobes often have 2 teeth at their tips. Petioles are shorter than the leaves, ~0.5-2 cm. The leaves, petioles, and stems are all glabrous (smooth) and glaucous (covered with a fine greyish wax or resin like substance, as on grapes or blueberries), which gives the plant a bluish-green appearance. Inflorescences are single flowers on axillary peduncles ~1-8 cm long, often curving, the peduncle hanging a little below the leaf. The peduncles carry greenish or purplish leaf-like bracts just under the flower or attached a short distance down from it. The bracts are oval, ~0.5-0.8 cm long, which is even smaller than the sepals, ~0.7-2.5 cm long. The flower's corolla is white or a faded pink, ~2-7 cm long, and shallowly 5-lobed (no separate petals). There are 5 stamens and 1 pistil on top of the corolla. Flowers May and June. The fruit is a balloon-like sphere, containing 4 seeds. The plant's stems are slender and decumbent, loosely sprawling along the ground and over rocks and other plants, rarely taller than 0.4 cm. The plant spreads along rhizomes (underground stems that set out roots and shoots at their nodes). An herbaceous perennial vine but weak climber. Not a very common species anywhere in its range, which is usually on rocky slopes from 1000-1500 m in the San Gabriel Mountains and Antelope Valley. Its presence in Palos Verdes is, thus, unusual.
Calystegia peirsonii aka Convolvulus peirsonii (Convolvulaceae): Peirson's morning glory or Peirson's false bindweed
The development of this key was partially funded through the Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Program (Award #0703798) and through a course of re-assigned time provided by the CSULB Scholarly and Creative Activities Committee. Thanks also to the students in sections of biogeography, introductory physical geography, GDEP, and LSAMP for "test-driving" various editions of this key.