This plant has dense, rust-colored, thin branches/stems in the fall and winter. It's extremely common along hiking trails here in San Luis Obispo, California. Possibly some sort of dogwood.

This plant has dense, rust-colored, thin branches/stems in the fall and winter. It's extremely common along hiking trails here in San Luis Obispo, California. Possibly some sort of dogwood.

A large oak tree with several trunks and many branches is growing from a pile of rocks along the ridge of a hill. The Johnson Ranch Trail passes by this tree in the hills of San Luis Obispo, California. Black and white image emphasizes all the textures of the rocks, grasses, and tangled branches of the oak tree.

A large oak tree with several trunks and many branches is growing from a pile of rocks along the ridge of a hill. The Johnson Ranch Trail passes by this tree in the hills of San Luis Obispo, California. Black and white image emphasizes all the textures of the rocks, grasses, and tangled branches of the oak tree.

Closeup of a branch from a dead thistle plant. The stem is almost black and has a coarse texture that follows the curvature of the branch. In the upper right is the remains of a thistle blossom, but all that is left are long, thin thorns. The branches become blurry, as is the background. Only the thorns are in sharper focus.

Closeup of a branch from a dead thistle plant. The stem is almost black and has a coarse texture that follows the curvature of the branch. In the upper right is the remains of a thistle blossom, but all that is left are long, thin thorns. The branches become blurry, as is the background. Only the thorns are in sharper focus.