Home/Species/ Taylor's Fawnlily

Erythronium taylorii

Shevock & Allen

Taylor's Fawnlily

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank

UnknownThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.145433

Element CodePMLIL0U0S0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single state or province

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderLiliales

FamilyLiliaceae

GenusErythronium

Synonyms

Erythronium tayloriShevock & Allen

Other Common Names

Pilot Ridge Fawn Lily (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

This taxon has evident affinities to other Californian Erythronium with unmottled leaves, especially E. pusaterii. Accepted by Kartesz (1999), with spelling 'taylorii' (the name was published in Madrono 44: 359-363 as 'taylori').

Conservation Status

Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2

Review Date2021-09-28

Change Date1998-09-29

Edition Date2021-09-28

Edition AuthorsMartinez, M. (TNCHQ), rev. (2004) L. Oliver; rev. R. Bittman 5/2005, rev. Treher (2021)

Threat ImpactUnknown

Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)

Number of Occurrences1 - 5

Rank Reasons

Erythronium taylorii is endemic to California, U.S.A., where it is known from Ascension Mountain in the Stanislaus National Forest of Tuolumne County. It is known only from the type locality, where the population is estimated to have at least 1,000 plants. Although additional surveys might discover more populations, this species is probably a localized endemic and so far the rarest of the Sierra Nevada Erythronium taxa. Rock climbing is a likely threat to the species and poaching is a potential threat.

Range Extent Comments

Erythronium taylorii is endemic to California, U.S.A., where it is known from Ascension Mountain in the South Fork Tuolumne River Basin in the Stanislaus National Forest of Tuolumne County.

Occurrences Comments

This species is currently known only from the type locality on Pilot Ridge (CNDDB 2021). Although additional occurrences may be found in further surveys, this species is probably a localized endemic (Shevoc and Allen 1997). There are several photo-based observations of this species that should be reviewed to determine if they represent new occurrences (iNaturalist 2021).

Threat Impact Comments

This species grows in pockets of soil in rocks and at the base of cliffs in an areas where rock climbing is a popular sport. This species is also highly attractive with a sweet fragrance and collecting for the nursery trade or rock gardening could become a problem in the future as well (CNPS Rare Plant Program 2021, Jennie Haas, pers. comm., n.d.). Overall, this species grows in a rugged area that is not easily accessed.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species colonizes rock terraces, ledges and crevices of steep metamorphic rock outcrops where soil is deep enough to support plants. It occurs on the northeast slope, below the ridge, in a Douglas Fir-mixed conifer-Black Oak Forest at elevations of 1,340 to 1,400 m. While the habitat receives some snow, it doesn't experience a deep winter snowpack. Plants are associated with the rock outcrops, but were not found growing in the adjacent forest (Shevock and Allen 1997).

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest/WoodlandForest - MixedBare rock/talus/scree

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN1

Province	Rank	Native
California	S1	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
5 - Biological resource use	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
5.2 - Gathering terrestrial plants	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbance	Large (31-70%)	Unknown	High (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activities	Large (31-70%)	Unknown	High (continuing)

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (3)

California (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Devil Gulch	Sierra National Forest	30,490
Ferguson Ridge	Sierra National Forest	6,104
Trumbull Peak	Stanislaus National Forest	6,164

References (8)

Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). 2021. PlantSearch online database. Botanic Gardens Conservation International. Richmond, U.K. Available at https://tools.bgci.org/plant_search.php (accessed 2021).
California Native Plant Society (CNPS), Rare Plant Program. 2021. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California, online edition, v9-01 0.0. Online. Available: www.rareplants.cnps.org (accessed 2021).
California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2021. RareFind Version 5.2.14. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
Haas, Jennie. Personal Communication. Sensitive Plant Coordinator. Stanislaus National Forest. US Forest Service.
iNaturalist. 2021. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2021).
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.
Shevock, J.R., and G.A. Allen. 1997. Erythronium taylori (Liliaceae), a new species from the central Sierra Nevada of California. Madrono 44(4): 359-363.

Erythronium taylorii

Habitat

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