Fritillaria striata

Fritillaria striata is endemic to Kern and Tulare Counties, California, U.S.A., where it is scattered in the southeastern San Joaquin Valley and adjacent foothills. There are between 6 and 22 extant occurrences and and an additional three are extirpated. All occurrences occur on private land, although at least a few are believed to be managed appropriately. Although probably never common, this species is believed to have been once more abundant and widespread; at least three occurrences have been extirpated by urban and agricultural land conversion. These processes continue to threaten the species today, along with particular grazing regimes (heavy grazing and/or grazing at sensitive times of the year), road widening and maintenance, possible competition with annual non-native grasses, off-highway vehicles, and other minor threats. Occurrences also exhibit low levels of sexual reproduction and seedling establishment, which may be a concern for long-term viability.

Fritillaria striata is endemic to California (U.S.A.) and found only in grasslands of Kern and Tulare Counties. It occurs in the southeastern San Joaquin Valley and adjacent foothills (southern Sierra Nevada foothills in the Greenhorn Mountains and the northern foothills of Tehachapi Mountains).

There are 23 occurrences in total, but of these, 3 are extirpated and 18 are historical and need to be surveyed. The occurrences are in three general areas within the species range: southeast of Bakersfield, northeast of Bakersfield, and southeast of Tulare.

Threats include grazing, trampling, agriculture, development, roads, and weeds (CNDDB 2015). Approximately half (USFWS 1994, 1998) of the known occurrences have had specific threats documented, although the proportion of occurrences actually threatened may be higher (Stebbins 1989). Agricultural land conversion, particularly the expansion of citrus orchards in Tulare County, threatens at least two occurrences (Stebbins 1989, USFWS 1998). Urbanization is also a potential threat, as new housing construction could occur on private land (USFWS 1994). Non-native grasses such as Avena and Bromus co-occur with this species at many of its locations; these grasses may pose a threat via competition, but more study is required (USFWS 1998). Livestock grazing occurs at most occurrences, and heavy grazing and trampling at sensitive times of the year is believed to be a threat at a few sites (USFWS 1998). However, many of the other occurrences have persisted for many years with grazing. Lighter grazing with avoidance of the flowering season may benefit the species by reducing the biomass of associated annual grasses (Stebbins 1989, USFWS 1998). Road widening and maintenance pose a threat to at least one occurrence, as the clay soils on which this species occurs are very unstable during the wet months, potentially necessitating damaging slope stabilization procedures. Other potential or minor threats include off-highway vehicle use, vehicle impacts on plants that grow in access roads/firebreaks (1-2 occurrences), deer herbivory, low rates of sexual reproduction and seedling establishment, and the effects of altered fire regime (Stebbins 1989, USFWS 1998).