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Orcuttia californica

Vasey

California Orcutt Grass

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 21 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very high - highThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.134354
Element CodePMPOA4G010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusOrcuttia
Other Common Names
California Orcutt grass (EN)
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 MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2012-02-06
Change Date2013-08-20
Edition Date2006-01-17
Edition AuthorsAnnable, C., rev. R. Bittman 2006
Threat ImpactVery high - high
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
This vernal pool endemic is variable in number from year to year. It is only known from southern California and adjacent Baja. Many sites, if not most, are extirpated. A few sites are located on the Santa Rosa Plain owned by TNC or affiliates. Additional sites, further south, need protection. Threats over the years that have helped extirpated the plant include development, agriculture, OHVs, border patrol use, and roads.
Range Extent Comments
California, Riverside Co. (Santa Rosa Plateau), San Diego Co. (Otay Mesa, Miramar Mesa), Los Angeles County, Mexico, Baja (near San Quintin). Range extent covers about 130 x 150 miles or about 20,000 sq miles, including Baja.
Occurrences Comments
31 known EO's, at least 18 of which are historic and probably extirpated.
Threat Impact Comments
This plant has been subject to numerous threats over the years, including development, grazing, disking, agriculture, OHV use, border patrol use, and roads.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Orcuttia californica may be characterized by lemmas with 5 relatively long acuminate or awn-tipped teeth and racemes 2 to 5 cm long, often capitate, the spikelets usually crowded toward the summit, remote toward the base; teeth of lemma unequal, the middle longer than the lateral ones, nerves of lemma relatively faint (Hitchcock, 1951).

Habitat

Beds of dried vernal pools typically in grassland or chaparral (Smith and Berg, 1988). Elevation 45-2000 ft., associated with Eryngium spp. and Eleocharis spp.
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOL
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS1Yes
Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (21)
California (21)
AreaForestAcres
AntimonyLos Padres National Forest40,911
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
CuyamaLos Padres National Forest19,631
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
JuncalLos Padres National Forest12,289
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
QuatalLos Padres National Forest7,253
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
Sawmill - BadlandsLos Padres National Forest51,362
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
Sespe - FrazierLos Padres National Forest106,910
TuleAngeles National Forest9,861
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
References (6)
  1. Abrams, L. 1940. Illustrated flora of the Pacific states: Washington, Oregon, and California. Vol. 1. Ophioglossaceae to Aristolochiaceae. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. 538 pp.
  2. Hitchcock, A.S. 1951. Manual of the grasses of the United States. 2nd edition revised by Agnes Chase. [Reprinted, 1971, in 2 vols., by Dover Publications, Incorporated, New York.]
  3. 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.
  4. Munz, P.A. 1974. A flora of southern California. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1086 pp.
  5. Pearson, D.C. 1989. Endangered species alert program manual: Species accounts and procedures. Southern California Edison Environmental Affairs Division.
  6. Smith, J.P., and K. Berg. 1988. California native plant society's inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 4th edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 168 pp.