Home/Species/ Sierra Woodrush

Luzula orestera

C.W. Sharsmith

Sierra Woodrush

G3Vulnerable Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G3VulnerableGlobal Rank

UnknownThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157240

Element CodePMJUN020W0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single nation

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderJuncales

FamilyJuncaceae

GenusLuzula

Other Common Names

Sierra woodrush (EN)

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.

Taxonomic Comments

Luzula orestera is recognized as distinct by Kartesz (1999) and FNA (vol. 22, 2000) but not by Kartesz (1994).

Conservation Status

Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Biotics v1

Review Date2020-01-27

Change Date2020-01-27

Edition Date2020-01-27

Edition AuthorsTreher (2020)

Threat ImpactUnknown

Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences81 - 300

Rank Reasons

Luzula orestera is a sedge of alpine or subalpine zones of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California but it is also reported from northeastern Oregon and suspected to occur in Nevada. There are many occurrences reported from California but its range is limited. Threats to this species are not documented but climate change may threaten the species in the future

Range Extent Comments

The core range of Luzula orestera is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California but it is also reported from northeastern Oregon and suspected to occur in Nevada.

Occurrences Comments

There is one extant occurrence in Oregon and an additional five that are historic (not seen or surveyed for over 40 years). There are likely 100 or more occurrences in California.

Threat Impact Comments

Climate change might be a threat to this species because this species occurs in alpine zones where they may be limited areas for species to migrate higher in elevation.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This sedge occurs in alpine and subalpine meadows and fell-fields (FNA 2000).

Terrestrial Habitats

Grassland/herbaceousAlpineBare rock/talus/scree

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN3

Province	Rank	Native
Oregon	S1	Yes
California	SNR	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
11 - Climate change & severe weather	Pervasive - large	Unknown	Low (long-term)

Plant Characteristics

DurationBIENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (6)

California (6)

Area	Forest	Acres
Hall Natural Area	Inyo National Forest	5,236
Hoover - Virginia Lks	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,050
Mt. Olsen	Inyo National Forest	2,161
Night	Stanislaus National Forest	3,173
Rock Creek West	Inyo National Forest	3,626
San Joaquin	Sierra National Forest	22,474

References (2)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2000. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 22. Magnoliophyta: Alismatidae, Arecidae, Commelinidae (in part), and Zingiberidae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiii + 352 pp.
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.

Luzula orestera

Habitat

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