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Home/Species/ Merced Clarkia

Clarkia lingulata

H.F. & M.E. Lewis

Merced Clarkia

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very high - mediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157586
Element CodePDONA050P0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderMyrtales
FamilyOnagraceae
GenusClarkia
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.
Taxonomic Comments
Recognized as a distinct species by Kartesz (1999 checklist and floristic synthesis), following treatment of Lewis and Lewis (1955).
Conservation Status
Review Date2015-12-14
Change Date1984-11-02
Edition Date1997-08-13
Edition AuthorsMaybury, K., and M. Martinez (1997), rev. L. Morse (1999), rev. L. Oliver (2003)
Threat ImpactVery high - medium
Range Extent<100-250 square km (less than about 40-100 square miles)
Number of Occurrences1 - 5
Rank Reasons
Known only from two sites - about 0.6 km apart - along the Merced River in Mariposa County, California. The largest of the 2 occurrences was damaged by herbicide spraying in the past. Threats by road construction and maintenance activities, power line maintenance, and landslides are expected to decrease due to protection measures stated in a Memorandum of Understanding singed by the U.S. Forest Service, Caltrans, and Pacific Gas and Electric.
Range Extent Comments
Endemic to Merced River, Mariposa County, California.
Occurrences Comments
Known from only two sites in Mariposa County, California.
Threat Impact Comments
The largest of the two populations was damaged by herbicide spraying in the past. Threats by road construction and maintenance activities, power line maintenance, and landslides are expected to decrease due to protection measures stated in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the U.S. Forest Service, Caltrans, and Pacific Gas and Electric (USFWS, 1997). As of 1998, there were signs posted that prohibited spraying, however, road maintenance, grazing, fire, exotics and slumping of slope still exist as threats (CNDDB 2003). The California Native Plant Society states that there was a multiagency conservation agreement created for this species (2001). Also, because there are only two occurrences of this species, it is susceptible to random natual events that decimate the species.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Petals oblanceolate; corolla rotate; 2-3 times as long as broad, bright pink. Merced River, Mariposa Co., California.

Habitat

Steep north-facing slopes of a river canyon in open chaparral, pine-oak woodland, or closed-cone coniferous forest communities. 400-455 m elevation. Substrate can be slate or silt/clay with philite rock parent material.

Ecology

C. lingulata is an understory component of Pinus sabiniana-Quercus wislizenii foothill woodland.

Reproduction

Annual reproducing exclusively from seed. Seeds are small and have no special dispersal features, falling close to parent plant. Seeds germinate in fall and flowering is completed by late July. C. lingulata is insect pollinated and outcrossing is reinforced by protandry; however, this species is also self compatible and self pollination does occur, resulting in viable seed.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture———
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching———
4 - Transportation & service corridors———
4.1 - Roads & railroads———
7 - Natural system modifications———
7.1 - Fire & fire suppression———
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases———
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases———
9 - Pollution———
9.5 - Air-borne pollutants———
10 - Geological events———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
California (2)
AreaForestAcres
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Ferguson RidgeSierra National Forest6,104
References (10)
  1. California Department of Fish and Game. 2000. Natural Diversity Database (RareFind 2), Version 2.1.2, January 25, 2000. Downloaded in 2003.
  2. 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.
  3. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2021. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 10. Magnoliophyta: Proteaceae to Elaeagnaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 456 pp.
  4. Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.
  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. Lewis, Harlan, and Margaret Ensign Lewis. 1955. The genus Clarkia. University of California Publications in Botany 20(4): 241-392.
  7. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  8. Skinner, M.W., and B.M. Pavlik, eds. 1997 (1994). Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 1997 Electronic Inventory Update of 1994 5th edition, California Native Plant Society, Special Publication No. 1, Sacramento.
  9. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1995. Category and Listing Priority Form.
  10. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1997. Notice of reclassification of ten candidate taxa. Federal Register 62(182): 49191-49193.