8:06 p.m. on July 7, 2012 (EDT)
bheiser1
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Does anyone recognize this plant? It was at maybe 4K' elevation in the Trinity Alps in northern California this week (July). I tried to steer clear of it, guess as a kid I was taught to stay away from shiny-leafed plants. Not sure if that was warranted or not. Plus, note the flowers...
All of the ones I saw were ~1ft or less tall, encroaching on the trail.
Any ideas on this one? :)

4:34 a.m. on July 8, 2012 (EDT)
BigRed
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My best call is California yerba santa, Eriodictyon californicum. The Wikipedia picture is poor an unconvincing, but I think if you look at others you'll see that the flowers and sometimes leaves are right -- seems to betty pretty variable in appearance. Definitely not a poison oak or ivy.
11:37 a.m. on July 8, 2012 (EDT)
bheiser1
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You're right, the description fits. That must be it. Thanks!
10:28 a.m. on July 9, 2012 (EDT)
FromSagetoSnow
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4:20 p.m. on July 10, 2012 (EDT)
bheiser1
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I'm thinking it's the one BigRed suggested ... the description matches it even if the Wikipedia photo is a little off. Thanks for the feedback!
10:13 a.m. on July 11, 2012 (EDT)
gonzan
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There may be more than one plant called Mountain Laurel, but it is not the species of that name that grows west of the Mississippi. It is somewhat similar in growth pattern and shares habitat with Rhododendron. The Mountain Laurel of the eastern mountains is this one:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=kala
I am not at all familiar with the plant Big Red suggested, but the description and plant anatomy seem to match.
1:41 p.m. on July 14, 2012 (EDT)
Wolfman
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Here is an different picture of Eriodictyon californicum also known as Yerba Santa, Mountain Balm, Consumptive's Weed and Bear Weed.

Do the leaves look the same? I'm not sure, although the Flowers do.
This is also the same plant - Notice there is some veneration in the leaves.

What do you think bheiser1?
7:21 p.m. on July 14, 2012 (EDT)
Rick-Pittsburgh
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I want to call it "The green, shiny leaf, little flowered, plant thing-a-ma-bobber." :p
12:48 p.m. on July 16, 2012 (EDT)
bheiser1
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I think the pics from Wolfman (especially the second one) confirm what BigRed suggested. That looks like it.
At least now I know my concerns, and the great care I took to avoid brushing against it, were unfounded.