California Gardening: Plant ID Please, 1 by SingingWolf

SingingWolf wrote:
I found this plant growing on a slope the other day, and can't quite figure out what it is. I thought it might be a milkweed. Okay, I'm really hoping it is. Especially since it's growing in an area that I intend to use for educational purposes. I'm planning a butterfly education center there, and hope to identify all the native plants growing in the area.
The last photo is a mix of plants in the shade of one of the oaks. There are several of these plants I'm hoping to ID mixed in with something that looks like a wild grape.
Any help ID'ing the plant will be greatly appreciated.
Need more photos, please let me know. I'll go take more.
Thank you!
WIB~
SW