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Tonella tenella

(Benth.) Heller

Small-flower Tonella

G4Apparently Secure Found in 30 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.132726
Element CodePDSCR1Y020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderPlantaginales
FamilyPlantaginaceae
GenusTonella
Other Common Names
lesser baby innocence (EN) Tonelle délicate (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-31
Change Date2025-03-31
Edition Date2025-03-31
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Tonella tenella is an annual forb occurring in shaded canyons, coniferous and deciduous forests, chaparral, and talus slopes of western North America from British Columbia, Canada south through Washington, Oregon, and California in the United States. There are 248 estimated occurrences of this species, which are potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, forest harvest, recreation, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats and trends, and monitoring populations is important to improving our understanding of the status of Tonella tenella.
Range Extent Comments
Tonella tenella occurs in western North America, from British Columbia, Canada south through Washington, Oregon, and California in the United States (FNA 2019). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are 248 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Tonella tenella is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. In British Columbia, this species is potentially threatened by forest harvest and recreation (NatureServe 2025).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Tonella tenella occurs in "moist, shaded canyons, moist open coniferous and deciduous forests, [and] talus slopes" (FNA 2019). In California, this species is found in chaparral, oak, and mixed woodland communities (Jepson Flora Project 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - HardwoodForest - ConiferShrubland/chaparralBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS3Yes
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
OregonSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (30)
California (25)
AreaForestAcres
Bakeoven RidgeShasta-Trinity National Forest46
Bell QuinbyShasta-Trinity National Forest11,556
Black ButteMendocino National Forest15,461
ChanchelullaShasta-Trinity National Forest3,915
Cow CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest22,627
Cow CreekSix Rivers National Forest1,271
East GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest27,894
GrindstoneMendocino National Forest26,031
Kettle Mtn.Shasta-Trinity National Forest4,589
Lake EleanorShasta-Trinity National Forest397
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Orleans Mtn.Klamath National Forest49,090
Orleans Mtn. BSix Rivers National Forest17,183
Orleans Mtn. CSix Rivers National Forest15,589
PantherShasta-Trinity National Forest12,016
Pilot CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,192
PortugueseKlamath National Forest18,915
Salt GulchShasta-Trinity National Forest6,511
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
SoliderSix Rivers National Forest14,918
South ForkShasta-Trinity National Forest16,786
Tom MartinKlamath National Forest9,031
UnderwoodSix Rivers National Forest6,591
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
West GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest37,516
Oregon (5)
AreaForestAcres
EagleMt. Hood National Forest16,841
FairviewUmpqua National Forest7,417
French Pete (a)Willamette National Forest1,668
LarchMt. Hood National Forest12,961
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2019. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 17: Magnoliophyta: Tetrachondraceae to Orobanchaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 737 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  7. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).