Silene nelsonii
M.R. Mesler, M.S. Mayer, & S.K. Carothers
Nelson's Stringflower
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1213890
Element CodePDCAR0U2J0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyCaryophyllaceae
GenusSilene
Concept ReferenceMesler, M.R., M.S. Mayer, and S.K. Carothers. 2019. Silene nelsonii, a new large-flowered species from the Trinity River area of northwestern California, USA, and a re-evaluation of S. bolanderi Gray. Madroño 66(4); 176-193.
Taxonomic CommentsMesler et al. (2019) describe Silene nelsonii as a new species. "In the past, plants assignable to this new species have been referred to incorrectly as S. bolanderi or S. hookeri ssp. bolanderi" (Mesler et al. 2019).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2021-11-09
Change Date2021-07-01
Edition Date2021-11-09
Edition AuthorsTomaino, A. (2021)
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank ReasonsSilene nelsonii is endemic to the Trinity River Basin of northwestern California. Most populations occur on relatively remote public lands. Threats include roads, grazing, fire, and industrial forestry practices.
Range Extent CommentsSilene nelsonii is known only from central Trinity and adjacent Humboldt and Shasta counties, California in the vicinity of the Trinity River and its tributaries (Mesler et al. 2019).
Occurrences CommentsSilene nelsonii is known from approximately 70 occurrences (Mesler et al. 2019).
Threat Impact Comments"Potential threats include soil disruption or removal caused by road maintenance and expansion, trampling by grazing cattle, and severe fires that kill taproots. The species appears to benefit from canopy removal and moderate soil disturbance caused by logging, perhaps by creating bare soil for recruitment, but intense site preparation, herbicide use, and repeated disturbance resulting from industrial forestry practices are significant threats (J. K. Nelson, pers. comm., cited by Mesler et al. 2019).
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
"Populations occur in relatively mesic grassy openings in mixed conifer-hardwood forests, along roads, or on exposed dry rocky slopes. The main microsite requirement appears to be relatively deep soils, which are required to allow development of long taproots" (Mesler et al. 2019).
Terrestrial HabitatsForest/WoodlandForest - MixedGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|
| California | S3 | Yes |
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (16)
California (16)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|
| Bell Quinby | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 11,556 |
| Chanchelulla | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 3,915 |
| Cow Creek | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 22,627 |
| Cow Creek | Six Rivers National Forest | 1,271 |
| Lake Eleanor | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 397 |
| Little French C | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 11,529 |
| Orleans Mtn. C | Six Rivers National Forest | 15,589 |
| Panther | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 12,016 |
| Pattison | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 29,299 |
| Pilot Creek | Six Rivers National Forest | 9,192 |
| Salt Gulch | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 6,511 |
| South Fork | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 16,786 |
| Underwood | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 3,046 |
| Underwood | Six Rivers National Forest | 6,591 |
| Weaver Bally | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 829 |
| Wells Mountain | Shasta-Trinity National Forest | 5,919 |
References (1)
- Mesler, M.R., M.S. Mayer, and S.K. Carothers. 2019. <i>Silene nelsonii</i>, a new large-flowered species from the Trinity River area of northwestern California, USA, and a re-evaluation of <i>S. bolanderi </i>Gray. Madroño 66(4); 176-193.