In my observations I discuss flowering plants and non flowering plants; the next topic to incorporate are for the observations I gathered were to identify the difference of plants by water and away from water. This purpose was to gather information based on the health of the LA river and ecosystem and the affects of observation of plants by water and away from water. In my observations there is a variety of xerophytic plants. What I found interesting and learned is the resilience of the xerophytic plants and how they are able to adapt to terrains with low preservation's of water. In my observation i found about 7-10 xerophytic plants and fall under the subphylum tracheophyta. In addition, what I learned because of the result my observations were that xerophytic plants are typically not usually seen in wet damp areas and have distinct features such like thick cuticles, stomatal exposure, reduction in number of stomata, hairy, waxy and thicker leaves. For example, the vacular plant in one of my observations shows signs of a succulent plant by its thick leaves and waxy texture. To discuss the diversity found in the plants common flowering plants that were found by the rivers were smart weeds, paper flowers, and horse weeds. The reasons the observation of flowers are diverse and vary depending on each location is what I concluded not only from the presence or absence of water but also the environmental health of where the observations are being recorded.
Scholarly Article:
"Xerophytes, xeromorphs and sclerophylls: the history of some concepts in ecology G Seddon - Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 1974 - Wiley Online Library"
An Adaptation to Xerophytic Conditions: The CAM Plants | SpringerLink
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-009-3121-3_12
Why Do Flowers Vary? | BioScience | Oxford Academic
https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/49/8/631/254663
The previous journal entries discuss the difference between flowering plants in the dry alpines deprived with water and flowering plants by water specifically related to the phylum Magnoliophyta. Although phylum magnoliophyta was the the most common types of plants that were observed, there were 4 other plant phylas. What I am planning on doing next is expand the amount of phyla of plants that I have found in these locations. I am expanding to all the phyla's observed to identify the significance of the location based on the phyla. For example, in the following scholarly article it was discussed that, pinophytic plants are known as conifers the great majority of pinophytic plants are trees like pine trees and are found in vast areas and forests. Magnoliophytic plants, also known as flowering plants or angeosperms. The Magnoliophytic phyla is known to be the most diverse; these diverse plants may be found by freshwater, marine habitats and other terrains. They show characteristics such like shrubs, vines, giant trees and herbs. The next phyla of plants I observed were Anthocerophyta, Anthocerophytic plants are known as hornworts and are quite common. These plants are not attracted by the eye and grows along stream sides and tropical forests and have greasy blue patches. The next phyla of plants observed was the cycadophyta, cycadophytic plants are known to be primitive vascular plants and have been in existence for over 200 million years. Cynadophytic plants can be found growing by steep limestone mountains with a thick cylindracal trunk. Cynadophytic plants recently have decreased in abundance and conservation status is endangered. The last phyla that was observed was the Pteridophyta, pteridophyta are known as ferns or fern allies are seedless and can e found in areas like the forest.
Scholarly Articles:
"The conifer (Pinophyta) DS Gerndant, A Willyard, JV Syring...-...and breeding of conifers, 2011-books.google.com"
Magnoliophyta facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles ...
www.encyclopedia.com › Plants and Animals › Plants › Plants
Introduction to the Anthocerotophyta
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/anthocerotophyta.html
ISSR Variation in the Endemic and Endangered Plant Cycas ...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4242375/
Phytoliths of pteridophytes - ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254629910001985
Traveling down the mountain towards vegetation of plants by water, I visited the LA river at the Steelhead location in Los Angeles. The flowers that were observed were Red amaranth, paper flowers, smart weeds, and mule fats. I noticed what was interesting was the difference of these flowering plants coming from the phylum Magnoliophta had similar characteristics to those in the alpine mountains however, were displaying signs as flower bearing plants. I believe because of the location and water source around plants were able to express their features a little more. An over viewing the following scholarly article it discusses the characteristics of flowering plants and how exposure to water within the plant and soil affect physiological process of plants.
Scholarly Articles:
"Water relations of plants and soils, PJ Kramer, JS Boyer - 1995 - books.google.com"
As I visited many locations to observe plants both by water and away from water. One of the locations visited were in the San Bernardino mountains were water levels are relatively low at during the month of October. The flowers that were found in that location were short mustard plants, white clover, rabbitfoot grass, california incense cedar, japanese honeysuckle, as well as other flowering plants. I found it interesting how the plants that were observed although were part of the phylum magnoliophyta, the plants did not present much color or flowers. The flowers appeared to be more dry and have xerophytic qualities such like being waxy, and fuzzy( hairy). As stated in the following link to scholarly article below, alpine plants are resilience to both drought and freezing temperatures also lower in oxygen levels and humidity; the plants cell membranes are able to tolerate dehydration.
Scholarly Articles:
"Alpine plant life: functional plant ecology of high mountain ecosystems; with 47 tables"
