Acanthomintha ilicifolia
(A. Gray) A. Gray
San Diego Thornmint
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very highThreat Impact
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.151284
Element CodePDLAM01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderLamiales
FamilyLamiaceae
GenusAcanthomintha
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 Date2016-05-23
Change Date2016-05-23
Edition Date2016-05-23
Edition AuthorsBittman, R.L., 6/87; rev. K. Maybury, 1997, D. Gries, 1998, B. MacBryde, 8/2000, L. Oliver (2003), rev. G. Davis (2012), rev. Bittman and Treher (2016)
Threat ImpactVery high
Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Acanthomintha ilicifolia is know from 59 extant occurrences in coastal San Diego County, California, and at least 9 occurrences in Baja California Norte, Mexico (Sierra Juarez and coastal).Aside from about 23 occurrences with larger populations size, most are small, and all are isolated by surrounding extensive urban and agricultural development. Habitat loss and fragmentation are expected to continue with the development of southern California and northern Baja California. At least 40% of the historic known sites in the U.S. have been extirpated by residential and commercial development. Ongoing off-road vehicle use, trampling by cattle, erosion, and invasion by non-native plants are also threatening populations.
Range Extent Comments
Only known from coastal San Diego County, California and adjacent Baja California Norte, Mexico.
Occurrences Comments
Fifty-nine occurrences extant in United States and at least 9 in Mexico known to have recently had the species. Twenty-three extirpated occurrences in the United States (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1998).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats include urbanization, highway expansion and other development, and grazing. Other threats are off-road vehicle activity, illegal dumping, trampling, competition from non-native plants, and fragmentation (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1998). Specifically, in California, this plant is seriously threatened by urbanization, road construction, vehicles, grazing, trampling, erosion, and non-native plants (CNPS 2001).
Ecology & Habitat
Diagnostic Characteristics
Anthers glabrous, 2 fertile, 2 obsolete. San Diego County, California (Munz 1959).
Habitat
Restricted to gabbro soils or heavy clay soils in coastal sage scrub, grasslands, and chapparral. Often in open areas, clay depressions, vernal pool habitats; below 900 meters (Hickman 1993; Beauchamp 1986; Munz 1959; Abrams 1951). In Mexico, in rocky or gravelly soil on western slope of the Sierra Juarez, and along the coastal area between Ensenada and Tijuana (Wiggins 1980).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOL
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| California | S1 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - Residential & commercial development | Pervasive (71-100%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 2 - Agriculture & aquaculture | Pervasive (71-100%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching | Pervasive (71-100%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 4 - Transportation & service corridors | Pervasive (71-100%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 4.1 - Roads & railroads | Pervasive (71-100%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 6 - Human intrusions & disturbance | Restricted (11-30%) | Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 6.1 - Recreational activities | Restricted (11-30%) | Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Pervasive (71-100%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Pervasive (71-100%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 9 - Pollution | Restricted (11-30%) | Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 9.4 - Garbage & solid waste | Restricted (11-30%) | Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (6)
California (6)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Eagle Peak | Cleveland National Forest | 6,481 |
| Eagle Peak | Cleveland National Forest | 6,481 |
| No Name | Cleveland National Forest | 4,897 |
| Pine Creek | Cleveland National Forest | 503 |
| Pine Creek | Cleveland National Forest | 503 |
| Sill Hill | Cleveland National Forest | 5,294 |
References (10)
- Abrams, L. 1951. Illustrated flora of the Pacific states: Washington, Oregon, and California. Vol. 3. Geraniaceae to Scrophulariaceae. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. 866 pp.
- Beauchamp, R.M. 1986. A flora of San Diego County, California. Sweetwater River Press, California. 241 pp.
- California Native Plant Society (CNPS). 2001. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California (sixth edition). Rare Plant Scientific Advisory Committee, David P. Tibor, Convening Editor. California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. x + 388pp.
- Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.
- 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.
- Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
- Skinner, M.W., and B.M. Pavlik, eds. 1994. California Native Plant Society's Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 5th edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 338 pp.
- 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.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1995. Proposed endangered status for four plants from southwestern California and Baja California, Mexico. Federal Register 60(153): 40549-40557.
- Wiggins, I.L. 1980. Flora of Baja California. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. 1025 pp.