Update to the Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Santa Cruz County, California

In 2013, the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) published the second edition of the Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Santa Cruz County, California by Dylan Neubauer—a book that the journal Madroño called “an exceptional resource.” This edition greatly expanded upon the content included in the first edition (by Randall Morgan et al.), which was published in 2005. 

Currently, the second edition is the only compendium of information on the flora of Santa Cruz County. However, as only 300 copies were printed, the book is now out of print. Therefore, the information it contained—including much of the late Randall Morgan’s irreplaceable knowledge—is in danger of being lost. In addition, due to ever-evolving taxonomic concepts, nomenclature has changed for many Santa Cruz County plants and requires renewed attention. Furthermore, many new data sources including iNaturalist have become available since 2013, and this new information needs to be reviewed and incorporated.

So, with one eye toward the past and one toward the future, the Santa Cruz County Chapter is providing a grant to support Dylan Neubauer’s effort to create a third edition. With an expected publication date of early 2027, the Checklist will provide a go-to resource for botanists and naturalists, government agencies, environmental non-profits, and students. The book will be printed in the same portable 5 x 8” spiral-bound format as the second edition. Contents will include an introduction; updated maps by Ben Pease highlighting public lands and county floristic regions; individual entries for ca. 1700 minimum-rank taxa with notes providing characters useful in field identification; appendices treating listed taxa, locally rare taxa, endemic taxa, extirpated taxa, and most-invasive taxa; an index with a crosswalk for names updated since the publication of the 2012 The Jepson Manual, second edition; plus color illustrations of several county endemic species by local artist-naturalist Brooke Andrews. 

We anticipate that the publication of this resource will enhance the legacy of the Santa Cruz County Chapter’s ongoing work to document and conserve our county’s diverse and fascinating flora. The chapter will be covering printing and other costs as funds allow. Tax-deductible donations to the chapter are welcome to help bring this worthwhile project to fruition.

Contributions to the California Native Plant Society are tax-deductible as allowed by law. CNPS Tax ID: 94-6116403. To donate, please send checks to:

CNPS – Santa Cruz County Chapter

P.O. Box 1622

Santa Cruz, CA 95061               

*Please indicate “For Checklist” in the subject line of your check.

Thank you for your support!