The middle (and lower) canopy are characterized by the growth patterns of the upper story. "Beneath dense stands where the canopy is relatively closed and the substrate damp, the understory is usually crowded with California wax myrtle, coffeeberry, huckleberry, and salal" (Evens p. 47, 1993). In more sparsely populated stands, many of the same plants exist but they too are less dense allowing space for grass and other lower canopy plants to grow. For example, in some of the less dense bishop pine groves, manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.) and blue blossom (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus) may be more common than California wax myrtle (Myrica californica) and salal (Gaultheria shallon) (Evens 1993; Kozloff and Beidleman 1994; Shuford & Timossi 1989).

Among the manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.) and blue blossom (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus), there are a few rare species associated with bishop pine forests. Bolinas manzanita (Arctostaphylos virgata) is found along the edge of the forest on the granitic slopes of Inverness Ridge. It is "an early blooming shrub with hairy leaves and branchlets" (Evens p. 47, 1993). Huckleberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos cushingiana) is another species requiring the unique plant and geologic associations found among the dwarfed, bonsai-like bishop pine on the exposed, granitic out-croppings of Inverness Ridge (Evens 1993; Johnston 1994).

As for the blue blossom, also know as ceanothus or 'wild lilac', there are two endemic varieties found on the Peninsula: Mount Vision ceanothus (Ceanothus gloriosus var. porrectus ) and Point Reyes ceanothus (Ceanothus gloriosus var. gloriosus). C. gloriosus var. porrectus is a low lying and endangered variety that is restricted to the slopes of Mount Vision, Point Reyes Hill, Ledum Swamp and near the top of Point Reyes Road. C. gloriosus var. gloriosus is a coastal variety that prefers the edges of bishop pine forests and exposed ridges of Pierce Point Road and the coastal strand (Evens 1993; Ferris 1970).