Over at San Diego Hiker, they’ve started doing a series of botanical posts called “What is THAT?”

It’s a series of concise, helpful entries on common trail plants we hikers will come across in Southern California, and so far they’ve written entries on California Buckwheat, Ceanothus, and Sage (which is especially handy if the dog you’re hiking with gets sprayed by a skunk an hour into your backpacking trip).

I’m much more of a geographer than a botanist on the trail, but it’s always good to know what the plants are in your area – especially the ones you can eat in a pinch and the ones that can make your skin burn or itch – and the San Diego Hiker does a good job of keeping track. And of course, as he also states, knowing more about your local surroundings will give you a greater appreciation for the intricate diversities all around us.

Tags: botany, plants, san diego hiker, trail