The Swanton Pacific Ranch (SPR) is located north of the town of Davenport, in Santa Cruz County, California, and is owned by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. SPR is approximately 1295 ha and contains areas of salt marsh, coastal prairie, coastal bluff scrub, northern coastal scrub, riparian forest, redwood forest, mixed evergreen forest, and chaparral. The property extends over an elevational gradient from 0 m to 420 m. In this study, we conducted a floristic inventory at SPR and documented 636 taxa. Between 2017 and 2019 we vouchered 547 taxa with 974 specimens. We were unable to locate 63 taxa that had been previously reported, 27 represented from historic collections and 36 represented by personal observations, but lacking vouchers. We relocated, but did not collect, 26 taxa known from previous collections. Overall, we documented 93 families at SPR, with Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Fabaceae having the most species, respectively. California rare taxa, listed by the California Native Plant Society, made up 2.5% of the flora (n = 18). Locally rare taxa made up 10% of the flora (n = 65). Non-native taxa made up 26% of the flora (n = 169). We vouchered one new taxon for Santa Cruz County, Senecio aphanactis Greene, which has a California Rare Plant Rank of 2B.2; documented a new occurrence of Hesperocyparis abramsiana (C.B.Wolf) Bartel var. abramsiana, a Federally Threatened conifer; and collected a form of Sanicula crassicaulis Poepp. Ex DC that we have published as a distinct variety. Overall, this relatively small coastal ranch contained approximately 10% of the flora of California. The 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned ca. 90% of SPR within a year of this study being completed. This opens the possibility for this study to be used as a baseline for future studies examining post-fire shifts in plant diversity at a landscape scale.

Light response curves were generated using photosynthetic rates measured for mature canopy leaves and leaves from juvenile plants below the canopy of Arbutus xalapensis Kunth (Texas Madrone, Ericaceae) plants in central Texas. We hypothesize that understory juvenile plants will have higher photosynthetic rates at lower light levels and larger leaf areas; and saturate at lower light levels, lower light compensation points, lower dark respiration rates than canopy leaves. Plants were measured in a Juniperus ashei J. Buchholz/Quercus fusiformis Small (Ashe Juniper/Live Oak) hilltop woodland. In the area, A. xalapensis tree density was 2 ± 3 plants/ha x̄ ± 1 standard deviation) and basal area was 210 ± 190 cm²/plant. The photosynthetic flux density (PFD) on a clear sunny day at midday with sun at its zenith was 1870 ± 11 µmol/m²/s at the upper canopy edge; below the canopy light levels were 36 ± 4 µmol/m²/s, indicating the dense shade of the community. No differences were found in maximum photosynthetic rates (A_max), which were ∼ 16 µmol CO₂/m²/s, between canopy and subcanopy leaves. Light saturation was slightly over 400 µmol/m²/s for both canopy and subcanopy leaves. Light levels below the canopy were 8.3% of the light saturation point of A. xalapensis, which means the plants were fixing carbon at less than 10% of their potential maximum rate. As indicated by light response curves, photosynthetic rates of leaves below the canopy or in light gaps would increase to the same level as canopy leaves, suggesting that recruitment in shade is possible for this species. However, leaves appear to be adapted to high light, having similar photosynthetic characteristics as high light canopy leaves, suggesting juveniles can respond to light gaps quickly in various community types.

Dudleya delgadilloi S.McCabe is endemic to a small area of Isla Cedros, which is on the Pacific side of Baja California. The species is similar to the much more widespread D. albiflora Rose. It differs from D. albiflora by having smaller rosettes, inflorescences, lower bracts, and flowers. Dudleya albiflora is usually glaucous and not tightly caespitosely branched, where D. delgadilloi is usually not glaucous and is tightly caespitosely branched. Dudleya delgadilloi is restricted to a ridge top, fog-influenced habitat, while D. albiflora is a polymorphic complex that grows in a wide variety of habitats, but not in this specific habitat. Dudleya pachyphytum Moran & M.Benedict grows on the same fog-shrouded ridges, but is dramatically thicker-leaved than the other species.

Dudleya cochimiana S.McCabe is described from Isla Cedros. It differs from all other species on the island, but has some similarities to some mainland species, including D. gatesii D.A.Johans. It differs from D. gatesii by having forest-green to white leaves, large, broad lower bracts, a congested inflorescence, and shorter petals, vs. D. gatesii, which has light green/olive-green leaves with a light coating of wax, narrow, smaller lower bracts, a less congested inflorescence, and longer petals. A key to the Dudleya of Isla Cedros is provided.

Dudleya delgadilloi S.McCabe se nombran de Isla Cedros es endémica de una pequeña área de la isla, que se encuentra en el lado del Pacífico de Baja California. La especie es similar a la mucho más común D. albiflora Rose. Se diferencia de D. albiflora por tener rosetas, inflorescencias, brácteas inferiores y flores más pequeñas. Dudleya albiflora suele ser glauco y no muy ramificado cespitosamente, mientras que D. delgadilloi no suele ser glauco y está muy ramificado cespitosamente. Dudleya delgadilloi está restringido a un hábitat influenciado por la niebla en la cima de una cresta, mientras que D. albiflora es un complejo polimórfico que crece en una amplia variedad de hábitats pero no en este hábitat específico. Dudleya pachyphytum Moran & M.Benedict crece en las mismas crestas cubiertas de niebla, pero tiene hojas dramáticamente más gruesas que las otras especies.

Dudleya cochimiana S.McCabe se describe en Isla Cedros. Se diferencia de todas las demás especies de la isla, pero tiene algunas similitudes con algunas especies del continente, incluida D. gatesii D.A.Johans. Se diferencia a D. gatesii por tener hojas de color verde bosque a blancas, brácteas inferiores grandes y anchas, una inflorescencia congestionada y pétalos más cortos, frente a D. gatesii, que tiene hojas de color verde claro/ verde oliva con una ligera capa de cera, brácteas inferiores estrechas y más pequeñas, una inflorescencia menos congestionada y pétalos más largos. Se proporciona una clave para el Dudleya de Isla Cedros.