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Gilia yorkii

Shevok & Day

Boyden Cave Gily-flower

G2Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.149363
Element CodePDPLM04230
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSolanales
FamilyPolemoniaceae
GenusGilia
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2016-08-10
Change Date2016-08-10
Edition Date2016-08-10
Edition AuthorsOliver, L., rev. A. Tomaino (2011), rev. R. Bittman (2016)
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)
Number of Occurrences1 - 5
Rank Reasons
Gilia yorkii is endemic to California. It is only found near Boyden Cave, in the Kings River Canyon, in Fresno County. The number of individuals is not known, under optimum conditions there may be thousands of plants. Because of the rugged nature of its habitat, threats appear to be relatively low but non-native plants are a threat at all sites.
Range Extent Comments
Gilia yorkii is endemic to California and is only known from the southern Sierra Nevada in Fresno County. Specifically, it is known only from the vicinity of Boyden Cave in the Kings River Canyon (Shevock and Day 1998).
Occurrences Comments
There are three documented occurrences (CNDDB 2016).
Threat Impact Comments
Competition from non-native plants is a threat at all occurrences (CNDDB 2016). Population is in a difficult to access location so threats appear to be low (J. Shevock, pers. comm., 2011).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Gilia yorkii is an annual herb with a hairy, glandular stem up to 25 cm tall. The leaves are divided into smooth or toothed lobes, the largest leaves near the base of the plant measuring up to 2.5 cm long and the uppermost tiny and reduced. The inflorescence bears several flowers on threadlike, gland-studded pedicels. Each flower has a calyx of green sepals and white or pale blue or lavender tubular corolla just under a centimeter long. The pale color of the corolla helps the plant blend into the rocky surroundings, making it easy to miss.

Habitat

Growing in fissures, on ledges and on terraces in sandy or gravelly soils on (weathered) limestone outcrops between 1290 and 1800 meters elevation (Shevock and Day 1998). Found in chaparral and cismontane woodland communities (CNPS 2011).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases———
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases———

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
MonarchSierra National Forest697
References (8)
  1. CalFlora. 2005. Information on California plants for education, research and conservation. Berkeley, California: The CalFlora Database [web application]. Available: http://www.calflora.org/. (Accessed 2005)
  2. California Native Plant Society (CNPS). 2001. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California (sixth edition). Rare Plant Scientific Advisory Committee, David P. Tibor, Convening Editor. California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. x + 388pp.
  3. California Native Plant Society (CNPS). 2011. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants. California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. Online. Available: http://www.cnps.org/inventory (accessed 2011).
  4. California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2016. RareFind Version 5.1.1. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  6. Porter, J. M. 2011a. <i>Gilia</i>. In: B. G. Baldwin et al., editors. Jepson Manual II: Vascular Plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley. [Retrieved on 28 April 2011.]
  7. Shevock, J. and A. Day. 1998. A new Gilia (Polemiaceae) from limestone outcrops in the southern Sierra Nevada of California. Madrono 45(2): 137-140.
  8. York, D. 2001. Discovering the endemic plants of Kings River Canyon. Fremontia 29(2): 3-6. [http://www.cnps.org/cnps/publications/fremontia/Fremontia_Vol29-No2.pdf]