{ "schemaVersion": 2, "collection": { "name": "California pilot & Pacific Northwest starter", "geographicScope": "12 California profiles and 2 Washington-focused Pacific Northwest profiles; wider North American coverage planned", "checkedAt": "2026-10-27", "reviewPolicy": "Source checked means the core summary was compared with its linked reference, not independent expert review or confirmation of every field. Seasonal fields are approximate. Specimen maps show a bounded GBIF snapshot, not a full range or independently validated identifications. Cultural accounts require community review." }, "sources": { "nps-poppy": { "title": "California Poppy — Presidio of San Francisco", "publisher": "National Park Service", "url": "https://home.nps.gov/prsf/learn/nature/california-poppy.htm", "scope": "Description, California range, and historical accounts; not evidence of medical efficacy." }, "usfs-oak": { "title": "Quercus agrifolia — Fire Effects Information System", "publisher": "USDA Forest Service · Peter D. Steinberg, 2002", "url": "https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/queagr", "scope": "Description, range, ecology, and historical uses." }, "usda-sage": { "title": "White Sage — Plant Guide", "publisher": "USDA NRCS & Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden", "url": "https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/cs_saap2.pdf", "scope": "Botanical description, distribution, and secondary ethnobotanical accounts. Historical medical claims are not endorsed." }, "nps-redwood": { "title": "Plants — Redwood National and State Parks", "publisher": "National Park Service", "url": "https://www.nps.gov/redw/learn/nature/plants.htm", "scope": "Forest ecology and associated species; does not support an exact statewide range map." }, "uc-hemlock": { "title": "Poison Hemlock — Pest Notes", "publisher": "University of California Statewide IPM Program", "url": "https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/poison-hemlock/", "scope": "Toxicity, description, California habitat, and comparison with wild carrot." }, "uc-oak": { "title": "Poison Oak — Pest Notes", "publisher": "University of California Statewide IPM Program", "url": "https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/poison-oak/", "scope": "Dermatitis risk, morphology, and safe avoidance." }, "cdc-deathcap": { "title": "Amanita phalloides Mushroom Poisonings — Northern California, December 2016", "publisher": "CDC · Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2017", "url": "https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6621a1.htm", "scope": "Amatoxin poisoning and the danger of consuming misidentified wild mushrooms." }, "myko-chanterelle": { "title": "California Fungi — Cantharellus californicus", "publisher": "MykoWeb · Michael Wood & Fred Stevens", "url": "https://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Cantharellus_californicus.html", "scope": "Species morphology, coast live oak association, and fall-to-early-spring fruiting; field identity and safe consumption are not established by this page." }, "myko-jack": { "title": "California Fungi — Omphalotus olivascens", "publisher": "MykoWeb · Michael Wood & Fred Stevens", "url": "https://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Omphalotus_olivascens.html", "scope": "Toxicity, wood association, and comparison with California chanterelles." }, "poison-help": { "title": "Get help online or by phone", "publisher": "National Capital Poison Center", "url": "https://www.poison.org/how-to-get-help-from-poison-control", "scope": "Immediate US poison exposure advice and 1-800-222-1222 contact." }, "calflora": { "title": "Calflora — Search for plants", "publisher": "The Calflora Database", "url": "https://www.calflora.org/search.html", "scope": "External research starting point. Draft entries have not been fully checked against taxon records." }, "usfs-fern": { "title": "Polystichum munitum — Fire Effects Information System", "publisher": "USDA Forest Service · Kristin Zouhar, 2015", "url": "https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/polmun", "scope": "Evergreen fronds, moist forest habitat, North American distribution, and seasonal development; regional phenology varies." }, "usfs-yarrow": { "title": "Achillea millefolium — Fire Effects Information System", "publisher": "USDA Forest Service · Keith C. Aleksoff, 1999", "url": "https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/achmil", "scope": "Morphology, open habitats, North American occurrence, and the difficulty of separating native and introduced forms; historical taxonomy." }, "kew-yarrow": { "title": "Achillea millefolium L. — Plants of the World Online", "publisher": "Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew", "url": "https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:2294-2", "scope": "Current accepted-name treatment and native-range interpretation; differs from older broad North American treatments." }, "uc-carrot": { "title": "Wild Carrot — Weeds Identification Gallery", "publisher": "University of California Statewide IPM Program · updated September 2025", "url": "https://ipm.ucanr.edu/weeds-identification-gallery/wild-carrot/", "scope": "Morphology, May–September flowering, disturbed habitat, and California distribution excluding the Great Basin and deserts." }, "uc-carrot-report": { "title": "Wild carrot — Weed Control in Natural Areas in the Western United States", "publisher": "UC Weed Research and Information Center · DiTomaso, Kyser et al., 2013", "url": "https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2020-05/326160.pdf", "scope": "Eurasian and North African origin, disturbance ecology, and relationship to cultivated carrot. Management instructions are not reproduced." }, "gbif-maps": { "title": "GBIF occurrence records & citation guidance", "publisher": "GBIF Secretariat and contributing data publishers", "url": "https://www.gbif.org/citation-guidelines", "scope": "Specimen occurrence snapshot. Each contributing dataset, DOI where available, record identifier, and license is retained in the downloadable map data." }, "census-boundary": { "title": "TIGERweb — States and Counties", "publisher": "US Census Bureau", "url": "https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/State_County/MapServer", "scope": "Generalized California state outline only; does not imply a species distribution." }, "nps-journaling": { "title": "Nature Journaling — lesson plan", "publisher": "National Park Service · Acadia National Park", "url": "https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/nature-journaling.htm", "scope": "Observation and journal metadata as a learning practice. Leaf & Spore worksheet is an original editorial template." }, "blm-products": { "title": "Forest and Wood Product Permits", "publisher": "Bureau of Land Management", "url": "https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/forests-and-woodlands/forest-product-permits", "scope": "Land-manager-specific forest product information. Current local rules and permission must be checked for each site." }, "nps-olympic-coastal": { "title": "Coastal Forest — Olympic National Park", "publisher": "National Park Service", "url": "https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/coastal-forest.htm", "scope": "Olympic coastal-forest context and its listed plants; not a complete Pacific Northwest distribution account.", "checkedAt": "2026-10-27" }, "uw-pnw-swordfern": { "title": "Polystichum munitum — Burke Herbarium", "publisher": "University of Washington Herbarium · David Giblin", "url": "https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Polystichum+munitum", "scope": "Regional habitat and distribution; botanical description displayed from Flora of North America. Photographs remain at the source and are not reproduced.", "checkedAt": "2026-10-27" }, "uw-pnw-salal": { "title": "Gaultheria shallon — Burke Herbarium", "publisher": "University of Washington Herbarium · David Giblin & Hattie Palmer", "url": "https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Gaultheria+shallon", "scope": "Salal leaf, flower, growth and Washington habitat descriptions. Not evidence of identification or edible safety.", "checkedAt": "2026-10-27" }, "uw-pnw-redcedar": { "title": "Thuja plicata — Burke Herbarium", "publisher": "University of Washington Herbarium · Don Knoke & David Giblin", "url": "https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Thuja+plicata", "scope": "Western redcedar foliage, bark, growth and regional habitat. Not a diagnostic key or a cultural-use account.", "checkedAt": "2026-10-27" } }, "species": [ { "id": "california-poppy", "common": "California poppy", "scientific": "Eschscholzia californica", "family": "Papaveraceae", "group": "Plants", "image": "poppy", "status": "checked", "native": "Native", "habitat": "Grasslands & open slopes", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer" ], "seasonNote": "Spring is a useful starting point for observing blooms; coastal flowering can extend beyond spring. Timing varies by location and rainfall.", "summary": "Golden bowls of color above finely divided, blue-green foliage. California’s state flower is an annual or perennial found across the state, from grassy hills to coastal bluffs.", "naturalHistory": "The Presidio is the type locality for this species: the place from which the specimens used in its scientific description were collected. Its delicate-looking flowers belong to a plant with a substantial taproot. Observe without picking; flowering varies considerably with local conditions.", "distribution": "Found throughout California in open habitats including grasslands, bluffs, dunes, and rocky slopes.", "range": "statewide", "toxicity": "Not evaluated", "warning": "Historical uses do not establish medical safety. This archive does not assess this plant for consumption.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "The National Park Service records Ohlone and Pomo uses of California poppy. These are secondary historical accounts, not community-reviewed guidance or evidence of treatment efficacy. Details of medicinal preparation are withheld pending cultural and specialist review.", "sourceIds": [ "nps-poppy" ] }, "sourceIds": [ "nps-poppy", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-22", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "white-sage", "common": "White sage", "scientific": "Salvia apiana", "family": "Lamiaceae", "group": "Plants", "image": "sage", "status": "checked", "native": "Native", "habitat": "Coastal sage scrub & chaparral", "regions": [ "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer" ], "seasonNote": "Look for flowering stalks in spring and summer. Seasonal inclusion is a broad editorial guide, not a local flowering forecast.", "summary": "Silvery, aromatic leaves and tall flowering stems mark this shrub of Southern California and Baja California. Dense leaf hairs give the foliage its pale appearance.", "naturalHistory": "White sage grows on dry slopes in coastal sage scrub and chaparral. Its pale flowers attract pollinators, and its seeds support wildlife. The USDA guide documents concerns about commercial overharvesting; observe wild populations without collecting.", "distribution": "Southern California south into Baja California, especially coastal sage scrub and chaparral. This California view omits the Mexican portion of its range.", "range": "south", "toxicity": "Not evaluated", "warning": "Cultural importance is not an invitation to harvest. Historical accounts are not medical recommendations.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "The USDA guide describes Cahuilla seed-food traditions and ceremonial relationships between white sage and several California Native communities. These distinct, living traditions should not be treated as interchangeable. This summary awaits review by appropriate community knowledge holders; preparation instructions are not included.", "sourceIds": [ "usda-sage" ] }, "sourceIds": [ "usda-sage", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-22", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "coast-live-oak", "common": "Coast live oak", "scientific": "Quercus agrifolia", "family": "Fagaceae", "group": "Trees", "image": "oak", "status": "checked", "native": "Native", "habitat": "Oak woodland & coastal foothills", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer", "Autumn", "Winter" ], "seasonNote": "Evergreen foliage can be observed year round. Autumn browsing emphasizes acorns and the wildlife they support; timing varies.", "summary": "An evergreen oak with a broad, branching crown. A defining presence in California’s coastal woodlands, it supports an intricate community of birds, mammals, and other plants.", "naturalHistory": "Coast live oak occurs in Mediterranean climates with wet winters and dry summers. Acorns support species including acorn woodpeckers and scrub jays. Older trees provide nesting cavities and shade in a woodland shaped by fire, water, and long histories of human care.", "distribution": "Coastal and adjacent ranges from Mendocino County south into Baja California, with some inland and island populations.", "range": "coast", "toxicity": "Not evaluated", "warning": "Acorns are not assessed here as ready-to-eat food. This archive provides no processing or consumption instructions.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "The Forest Service review documents acorns as an important food resource for California Native peoples. The summary is secondary literature and does not represent authorization from a community. A fuller account needs specific community attribution and review; processing instructions are not included.", "sourceIds": [ "usfs-oak" ] }, "sourceIds": [ "usfs-oak", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-22", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "california-chanterelle", "common": "California chanterelle", "scientific": "Cantharellus californicus", "family": "Cantharellaceae", "group": "Fungi", "image": "chanterelle", "status": "checked", "native": "California species", "habitat": "Oak woodland", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Autumn", "Winter" ], "seasonNote": "MykoWeb describes fruiting from autumn into early spring and occasional coastal fruiting in late summer with fog drip. This broad seasonal collection cannot predict local fruiting.", "summary": "Golden-yellow fruiting bodies with forked ridges beneath the cap characterize this oak-associated California fungus. Similar-colored mushrooms include toxic species, so appearance alone cannot establish identity.", "naturalHistory": "MykoWeb records this chanterelle chiefly beneath coast live oak and less frequently with tanoak and California bay. Its reduced, branching ridges differ from the true gills of western jack-o’-lantern. Habitat, color, or one feature cannot establish a safe identification.", "distribution": "Recorded in California oak woodland. The map shows selected georeferenced specimen records from GBIF; these historical collections do not define the full distribution or confirm current presence.", "range": "coast", "toxicity": "Lookalike risk", "warning": "Do not consume a mushroom based on this profile or a comparison. Toxic lookalikes occur in California.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "No community-attributed historical account has been reviewed for this pilot record. Absence of an account here does not mean a species has no cultural history.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "myko-chanterelle", "myko-jack", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-26", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "coast-redwood", "common": "Coast redwood", "scientific": "Sequoia sempervirens", "family": "Cupressaceae", "group": "Trees", "image": "redwood", "status": "checked", "native": "Native", "habitat": "Coastal conifer forest", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer", "Autumn", "Winter" ], "seasonNote": "An evergreen forest species for year-round observation. Visit conditions and seasonal understory changes vary locally.", "summary": "A towering evergreen at the heart of the coast’s cool, moist forests. Sheltered valleys and streamside flats provide especially favorable conditions for redwood growth.", "naturalHistory": "Redwood forests are communities rather than single-species stands. In Redwood National and State Parks, Douglas-fir shares the canopy, while sword fern and redwood sorrel are common below. Upland, streamside, and near-ocean groves differ in their associated species.", "distribution": "Coastal redwood forests occur in northern and central California. The linked NPS account describes forest ecology in Redwood National and State Parks; the specimen snapshot is a separate data source.", "range": "north-coast", "toxicity": "Not evaluated", "warning": "Respect closures and sensitive forest floors. Collecting is not part of this archive’s purpose.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "A community-attributed account of redwood’s cultural history has not yet been reviewed for this record. The archive will not substitute a generalized narrative for the knowledge of distinct coastal Native nations.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "nps-redwood", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-22", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "western-sword-fern", "common": "Western sword fern", "scientific": "Polystichum munitum", "family": "Dryopteridaceae", "group": "Ferns", "image": "fern", "status": "checked", "native": "Native", "habitat": "Shaded conifer forest", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer", "Autumn", "Winter" ], "seasonNote": "Evergreen fronds allow observation throughout the year. New-frond growth and spore release vary by region; Pacific Northwest timing in the Forest Service review should not be treated as a California forecast.", "summary": "A perennial, evergreen fern with arching fronds, often abundant beneath moist conifer and mixed-evergreen forest. It is a familiar part of California’s redwood understory.", "naturalHistory": "The Forest Service describes leathery fronds that can persist for several years and round spore-bearing sori on their undersides. Moist, shaded sites favor this fern. Its broader Pacific coastal distribution reaches from southeastern Alaska to Baja California, with scattered inland populations.", "distribution": "A Pacific coastal fern, especially associated with moist forests in northwestern California. Its broader range extends well beyond this California map; selected specimen locations are not a complete range.", "range": "north-coast", "toxicity": "Not evaluated", "warning": "Related ferns and hybrids can complicate identification. This record does not assess edibility or provide collection instructions.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "No historical-use account has been reviewed. A future entry requires a named community, a traceable source, and appropriate cultural review.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "usfs-fern", "nps-redwood", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-26", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "death-cap", "common": "Death cap", "scientific": "Amanita phalloides", "family": "Amanitaceae", "group": "Fungi", "image": "death-cap", "status": "checked", "native": "Introduced", "habitat": "Woodland & urban trees", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Autumn", "Winter" ], "seasonNote": "A wet-season awareness selection, not a prediction of fruiting or a claim that the species is absent in other seasons.", "summary": "A potentially lethal mushroom associated with amatoxin poisoning. California poisoning cases show the severe consequences of confusing wild mushrooms with familiar food species.", "naturalHistory": "Amatoxins can cause severe liver injury. Illness may be delayed after ingestion, and temporary improvement does not establish recovery. Cooking does not make amatoxin-containing mushrooms safe. Photographs and brief feature lists cannot establish a safe mushroom identity.", "distribution": "California occurrence and poisoning are documented. Specimen records do not establish local safety or absence; poisonous mushrooms can occur outside recorded collection areas.", "range": "statewide", "toxicity": "Potentially fatal", "warning": "Suspected ingestion is urgent. Call US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately; do not wait for symptoms.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "No historical-use account is included. The verified focus of this record is poisoning risk; historical narratives must never imply that this mushroom is safe to ingest.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "cdc-deathcap", "poison-help", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-22", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "poison-hemlock", "common": "Poison hemlock", "scientific": "Conium maculatum", "family": "Apiaceae", "group": "Plants", "image": "hemlock", "status": "checked", "native": "Introduced", "habitat": "Roadsides & disturbed wet ground", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer" ], "seasonNote": "Spring and summer flowering is described by UC IPM. Toxic material may be present outside the flowering season.", "summary": "A highly poisonous biennial with finely divided foliage and clusters of white flowers. Its resemblance to members of the carrot family has led to dangerous mistakes.", "naturalHistory": "UC IPM describes hairless foliage and hollow stems often marked with purple mottling. These are educational features, not a reliable checklist for safe collection. Poison hemlock occurs in disturbed ground, including ditch banks and roadsides. All parts should be treated as hazardous.", "distribution": "Widely distributed in western North America and California’s disturbed, often moist low-elevation habitats.", "range": "statewide", "toxicity": "Highly poisonous", "warning": "Do not ingest or experimentally crush or taste this plant. For suspected poisoning call US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "Historical narratives are withheld pending review. The current record prioritizes documented toxicity and dangerous confusion with food plants.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "uc-hemlock", "poison-help", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-22", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "pacific-poison-oak", "common": "Pacific poison oak", "scientific": "Toxicodendron diversilobum", "family": "Anacardiaceae", "group": "Plants", "image": "poison-oak", "status": "checked", "native": "Native", "habitat": "Woodland edges & chaparral", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer", "Autumn", "Winter" ], "seasonNote": "Seasonal appearance changes, but exposure risk persists even on leafless or dead plant material.", "summary": "A variable shrub or climbing vine whose urushiol oil can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Green, red, or absent leaves do not provide a reliable measure of exposure risk.", "naturalHistory": "Leaflets commonly occur in threes, but appearance and growth form are variable. UC IPM warns that detached and dried material can still cause dermatitis. Do not burn poison oak: smoke can expose people to hazardous material.", "distribution": "A California woodland, scrub, and edge-habitat species. Historical specimen locations cannot establish absence or safety along a trail.", "range": "coast", "toxicity": "Contact hazard", "warning": "Avoid contact with the plant and contaminated objects. Dead or leafless material may remain hazardous.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "No historical-use account is reviewed in this pilot. Documented cultural knowledge requires careful attribution and must not be translated into unsupervised handling instructions.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "uc-oak", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-22", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "wild-carrot", "common": "Wild carrot", "scientific": "Daucus carota", "family": "Apiaceae", "group": "Plants", "image": "carrot", "status": "checked", "native": "Introduced", "habitat": "Open & disturbed ground", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer", "Autumn" ], "seasonNote": "UC IPM gives May through September as the flowering period. Spring, summer, and autumn inclusion reflects that broad interval; local conditions vary.", "summary": "Finely divided leaves and compound clusters of small white flowers mark this introduced carrot-family plant. Confusion with highly poisonous hemlock makes casual identification unsafe.", "naturalHistory": "UC IPM describes a rosette stage followed by bristly flowering stems, with flowers generally appearing from May through September. Wild carrot occupies roadsides, fields, and other disturbed ground and can cross with cultivated carrot. Hairiness varies with plant part and growth stage; no single feature establishes safety.", "distribution": "UC IPM reports wild carrot across much of California apart from the Great Basin and deserts, especially in northern and coastal areas. Specimen dots show a selected historical record subset, not continuous occupancy.", "range": "statewide", "toxicity": "Lookalike risk", "warning": "Confusion with poison hemlock can be fatal. This record is not permission to collect or consume wild carrot.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "No reviewed historical-use account is included. Cultivated carrot and wild plants should not be treated as interchangeable in identification or use.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "uc-carrot", "uc-carrot-report", "uc-hemlock", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-26", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "common-yarrow", "common": "Common yarrow", "scientific": "Achillea millefolium", "family": "Asteraceae", "group": "Plants", "image": "yarrow", "status": "review", "native": "Taxon concept unresolved", "habitat": "Meadows & open ground", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer" ], "seasonNote": "Spring and summer remain approximate editorial browsing tags. A locally appropriate flowering calendar and taxon-specific treatment remain pending.", "summary": "A rhizomatous perennial with finely divided leaves and flat flower clusters, often found in open habitats. This profile retains a review flag because North American taxon concepts and native-status treatments differ.", "naturalHistory": "The Forest Service describes dry, open habitats and both native and introduced North American forms that are difficult to separate and can hybridize. Kew’s current treatment gives a narrower native-range interpretation. These differing concepts require a current California taxonomic review before a local plant can be assigned native status.", "distribution": "Yarrow is documented in California, but older broad species concepts and current treatments are not fully aligned. GBIF specimen records follow its matched taxon concept; they do not resolve identity or native status.", "range": "statewide", "toxicity": "Not evaluated", "warning": "Medicinal efficacy, dosage, and consumption safety have not been evaluated in this archive.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "Historical-use claims are deliberately withheld until a specific community, taxon, and source can be responsibly attributed and reviewed. No therapeutic claims are made.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "usfs-yarrow", "kew-yarrow", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-26", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "id": "western-jack-o-lantern", "common": "Western jack-o’-lantern", "scientific": "Omphalotus olivascens", "family": "Omphalotaceae", "group": "Fungi", "image": "jack", "status": "checked", "native": "Review pending", "habitat": "Hardwood stumps & buried roots", "regions": [ "Northern California", "Central California", "Southern California" ], "seasons": [ "Autumn", "Winter" ], "seasonNote": "MykoWeb describes fruiting from late autumn through midwinter. Local conditions and rainfall affect timing.", "summary": "An orange to olive-toned mushroom that often grows in clusters from wood or buried roots. It is toxic and can be mistaken for a chanterelle.", "naturalHistory": "MykoWeb describes true gills and an association with hardwood stumps or roots. The resemblance to chanterelles makes superficial color matching especially unsafe. This species can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.", "distribution": "Documented in California, often associated with hardwood stumps and buried roots. The specimen snapshot records collections rather than an inferred continuous range.", "range": "coast", "toxicity": "Poisonous", "warning": "Do not consume. Appearance alone cannot establish the safety of any orange woodland mushroom.", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "No reviewed cultural account is included. This record focuses on documented toxic lookalike risk.", "sourceIds": [] }, "sourceIds": [ "myko-jack", "poison-help", "gbif-maps", "census-boundary" ], "checkedAt": "2026-10-22", "mapStatus": "sourced-records", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "california" ] }, { "status": "checked", "native": "Native in Washington", "regions": [ "Pacific Northwest" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer", "Autumn", "Winter" ], "range": "pacific-northwest", "toxicity": "Not evaluated", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "A historical-use account has not yet been prepared for this profile. A future account requires a named community, traceable attribution, and appropriate cultural review. No cultural practice or medicinal preparation is endorsed here.", "sourceIds": [] }, "checkedAt": "2026-10-27", "mapStatus": "planned", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "pacific-northwest" ], "id": "salal", "common": "Salal", "scientific": "Gaultheria shallon", "family": "Ericaceae", "group": "Plants", "image": "salal", "habitat": "Forest understory & coastal headlands", "summary": "An evergreen shrub with leathery, alternate leaves and white to pinkish, urn-shaped flowers. This starter account focuses on Washington, where salal occurs chiefly west of the Cascades.", "naturalHistory": "The University of Washington Herbarium describes an erect or spreading shrub with oval to egg-shaped leaves and finely toothed margins. Flower clusters bear small, urn-shaped blossoms. Olympic National Park lists salal among the shrubs in its coastal forest. These selected features support observation; they do not form a complete identification key.", "distribution": "The Washington account places salal in forest understory and on marine headlands, from sea level to moderate mountain elevations. It gives a broader range from Alaska to California. This profile does not provide a local occurrence map.", "seasonNote": "Evergreen foliage offers year-round observation. The Washington herbarium account lists flowering in May–July; this regional reference is not a local forecast. The season tags refer to observation, not harvest readiness.", "warning": "Edibility, medicinal safety, and collection permission have not been evaluated here. A photograph and a short botanical description cannot establish identity or safe use.", "sourceIds": [ "uw-pnw-salal", "nps-olympic-coastal" ] }, { "status": "checked", "native": "Native in Washington", "regions": [ "Pacific Northwest" ], "seasons": [ "Spring", "Summer", "Autumn", "Winter" ], "range": "pacific-northwest", "toxicity": "Not evaluated", "uses": { "status": "review", "text": "A historical-use account has not yet been prepared for this profile. A future account requires a named community, traceable attribution, and appropriate cultural review. No cultural practice or medicinal preparation is endorsed here.", "sourceIds": [] }, "checkedAt": "2026-10-27", "mapStatus": "planned", "countries": [ "US" ], "coverageRegions": [ "pacific-northwest" ], "id": "western-redcedar", "common": "Western redcedar", "scientific": "Thuja plicata", "family": "Cupressaceae", "group": "Trees", "image": "western-redcedar", "habitat": "Moist forests & swampy ground", "summary": "A large conifer with flattened branchlets, scale-like leaves, and fibrous bark. This Washington starter account introduces a tree listed in Olympic National Park’s coastal forest.", "naturalHistory": "The Washington herbarium describes slender, drooping leaders and spreading branches ending in flattened sprays. Its small leaves resemble overlapping scales. Reddish-brown bark peels in long fibrous strips; older trees may have strongly fluted bases. Compare several features with a botanical reference rather than identifying a tree from its common name alone.", "distribution": "Recorded on both sides of the Cascades in Washington, in moist or swampy places from sea level to middle mountain elevations. The herbarium gives a wider range from Alaska to northern California and east to Alberta, Idaho, and Montana. A regional specimen map is still pending.", "seasonNote": "Foliage and bark can be observed across seasons. Seasonal tags are observation prompts, not predictions of cone maturity or guidance for collecting. Local timing and conditions need regional review.", "warning": "This profile does not evaluate foliage, bark, or oils for consumption or medicinal use. No preparation or harvesting instructions are provided. Identification and local collection permission require separate, qualified evidence.", "sourceIds": [ "uw-pnw-redcedar", "nps-olympic-coastal" ] } ] }