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Rafinesquia californica

Nutt.

California Chicory

G5Secure Found in 39 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.135344
Element CodePDAST7W010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusRafinesquia
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 Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-10
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2025-03-10
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Rafinesquia californica is an annual forb occurring in open areas in chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and oak woodlands of western North America from Oregon south to California and east to Utah and Arizona in the United States, and south into Baja California and Sonora, Mexico. There are over 1,000 estimated occurrences of this species, which are potentially threatened by urban development, road maintenance, invasive species, recreation, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent and high number of occurrences, Rafinesquia californica is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Rafinesquia californica occurs in western North America, from Oregon south to California and east to Utah and Arizona in the United States south into Baja California and Sonora, Mexico (FNA 2006, Villasenor 2016, UNHP 2024). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are more than 1,000 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Rafinesquia californica is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. In Utah, this species may be threatened by impacts from habitat loss and recreation in the Washington County area (UNHP 2024).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Rafinesquia californica is found in open areas in chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and oak woodlands at elevations ranging from 100 to 1,500 meters in elevation (FNA 2006). In California, it commonly occurs after fire (Jepson Flora Project 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodShrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS2Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
UtahS1Yes
NevadaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
1.1 - Housing & urban areasUnknownUnknownUnknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownUnknown
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (39)
Arizona (1)
AreaForestAcres
Lime CreekTonto National Forest42,568
California (38)
AreaForestAcres
Arroyo SecoAngeles National Forest4,703
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
Black MountainLos Padres National Forest16,818
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
GrindstoneMendocino National Forest26,031
Hixon FlatSan Bernardino National Forest8,095
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
JuncalLos Padres National Forest12,289
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
Raywood Flat BSan Bernardino National Forest11,373
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
Stanley MountainLos Padres National Forest14,674
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
TuleAngeles National Forest9,861
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
References (12)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 19. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 6: Asteraceae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 579 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. Gottlieb, L.D. 2020. Flora of North America. <i>Rafinesquia californica</i>. Accessed: September 22, 2022. http://floranorthamerica.org/Rafinesquia_californica
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  5. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  6. 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.
  7. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  8. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  10. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  11. Utah Natural Heritage Program (UNHP). 2024. Element Subnational Ranking Form: <i>Rafinesquia californica</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 10 March 2025).
  12. Villaseñor, J.L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.