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Taraxacum californicum

Munz & Johnston

California Dandelion

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank

Very highThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.134157

Element CodePDAST93050

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single state or province

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderAsterales

FamilyAsteraceae

GenusTaraxacum

Other Common Names

California dandelion (EN) California Taraxacum (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.

Taxonomic Comments

Generally accepted as a distinct species endemic to California (San Bernadino Mountains only) (Munz 1959, Hickman 1993, Skinner and Pavlik 1994, Kartesz 1994, 1999, FNA 2010, Jepson Flora Project 2023).

Conservation Status

Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2

Review Date2023-12-22

Change Date2023-12-22

Edition Date2023-12-22

Edition AuthorsMaybury, K. (1997), rev. Bittman (2015), rev. Treher (2018), rev. Bittman and Eberly (2023)

Threat ImpactVery high

Range Extent250-1000 square km (about 100-400 square miles)

Number of Occurrences6 - 80

Rank Reasons

Taraxacum californicum is a perennial herb that is endemic to the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California in the western United States. There are 25 or fewer occurrences, most of them small in area and population size, and with at least one threat of significance. Extensive habitat was probably lost with the construction of a dam and reservoir in the late 1880s. Habitat has also been destroyed or degraded by recreational (ski area) development, livestock grazing and trampling, and ORVs. About half of the remaining occurrences are in or adjacent to developed areas. Hybridization with the exotic T. officinale is an ongoing threat. Surveys of historical occurrences are needed.

Range Extent Comments

Taraxacum californicum is endemic to California, USA, where it grows in moist, alpine meadows in the San Bernardino Mountains, San Bernardino County.

Occurrences Comments

There are 45 occurrences in the CNDDB (2023), but 26 of those are considered historical, 5 are confirmed extirpated, and 14 are considered to have poor viability.

Threat Impact Comments

Most remaining occurrences are small and subject to hybridization/genetic swamping with the non-native Taraxacum officinale. Various occurrences are also threatened by ORVs, trampling from foot traffic, trail/footpath creation, fire suppression, and campground construction (USFWS 2013, CNDDB 2023). Maintaining the hydrological system is critical to the long term persistence of the meadows, which are especially vulnerable due to large scale hydrological changes with the construction of a dam and reservoir in the late 1880s. Development, as direct or indirect threat, continues to threaten the species at half of the known occurrences. Nearly all occurrences are moderately threatened by competition with non-native plant species (USFWS 2013).

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species occurs at largely flat sites along perennial streams in"vernally wet montane meadows without closed tree canopy or other montane wetland areas dominated by wetland-associated grasses in forest openings " at 1,600 to 2,800 m elevation (USFWS 2013).

Terrestrial Habitats

Grassland/herbaceousAlpine

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN1

Province	Rank	Native
California	S1	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
1 - Residential & commercial development	Large (31-70%)	Serious - moderate	High - low
1.3 - Tourism & recreation areas	Restricted - small	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High - low
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
3 - Energy production & mining	Small (1-10%)	Unknown	Moderate - low
3.2 - Mining & quarrying	Small (1-10%)	Unknown	Moderate - low
6 - Human intrusions & disturbance	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activities	Large (31-70%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
7 - Natural system modifications	Pervasive (71-100%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	High (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppression	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensity	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
7.2 - Dams & water management/use	Pervasive (71-100%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	High (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Pervasive (71-100%)	Serious - moderate	High (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Pervasive (71-100%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
8.1.1 - Unspecified species	Pervasive (71-100%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
8.3 - Introduced genetic material	Pervasive - large	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	High (continuing)

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (3)

California (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Heartbreak Ridge	San Bernardino National Forest	4,455
Sugarloaf	San Bernardino National Forest	8,206
Sugarloaf	San Bernardino National Forest	8,206

References (11)

Bittman, Roxanne. Personal Communication. Botanist, California Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento, Calif.
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.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2010. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 7. Magnoliophyta: Salicaceae to Brassicaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxii + 797 pp.
Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.
Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2023. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2023).
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.
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
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.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1995. Proposed endangered or threatened status for seven plants from the mountains of southern California. Federal Register 60(148): 39337-39347.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2013. <i>Taraxacum californicum</i> (California Taraxacum) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office Carlsbad, California.

Taraxacum californicum

Habitat

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