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Home/Species/ California Yerba Santa

Eriodictyon californicum

(Hook. & Arn.) Torr.

California Yerba Santa

G4Apparently Secure Found in 90 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.136633
Element CodePDHYD04030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderBoraginales
FamilyNamaceae
GenusEriodictyon
Other Common Names
California yerba santa (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
Review Date2002-03-28
Change Date1987-04-20
Edition Date2002-07-01
Edition AuthorsMaybury, K.
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Locally common in the Coast Range of northern California and also occurring in southern California/Baja California, and in Oregon. Collection of wild plants for medicinal purposes occurs but at this time does not appear to be a significant threat to native populations, except potentially in parts of southern California. Development is also a potential threat.
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs from Baja California and the coastal mountains of California to Oregon (Vance et al. 2001); it grows at elevations of 6,000 feet in inland ranges and 1,000 feet in coastal ranges (Moore 1979).
Threat Impact Comments
Botanists familiar with this species suggest that collecting is not currently a significant threat to most native populations. However, populations in southern California (where the species is much less frequent) are potentially threatened (Robbins 1999). Domestic and international markets currently exist for leaves for medicine, herbal, and food processing (Vance et al. 2001). Demand as a medicinal has increased over the last ten years and trade in it is characterized as "medium, medium-large, or large" (Robbins 1999). Habitat loss due to development also threatens some populations of this species. Increased pollution may also be a threat (pers. comm. R. Bittman, March 2002).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Dry, rocky slopes and ridges.

Ecology

Colonizes and survives in disturbed areas, but will gradually be replaced in later successional stages by such species as chaparral whitethorn (Ceanothus leucodermis) (Howard 1999). A fire-adapted speces.
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
OregonSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (90)
California (87)
AreaForestAcres
AgnewSequoia National Forest9,561
BackboneShasta-Trinity National Forest11,466
Bald RockPlumas National Forest4,675
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Big Butte ShinboneSix Rivers National Forest1,102
BlackKlamath National Forest6,530
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
Black Mtn.Sequoia National Forest15,102
Blue Creek Rare ISix Rivers National Forest12,134
Bonanza KingShasta-Trinity National Forest16,402
Bucks LakePlumas National Forest680
Carson - IcebergStanislaus National Forest56,430
Castle Crags AShasta-Trinity National Forest113
Castle Crags BShasta-Trinity National Forest1,619
Chalk PeakLos Padres National Forest7,472
ChanchelullaShasta-Trinity National Forest3,915
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
Cherry LakeStanislaus National Forest1,106
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
Deer MountainMendocino National Forest11,716
Dennison PeakSequoia National Forest6,293
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Devils RockShasta-Trinity National Forest16,209
Dinkey LakesSierra National Forest34,171
Dog CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest5,001
Domeland Add.Sequoia National Forest3,046
EagleShasta-Trinity National Forest6,553
East BeegumShasta-Trinity National Forest8,425
Ferguson RidgeSierra National Forest6,104
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
GrindstoneMendocino National Forest26,031
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
JohnsonKlamath National Forest10,652
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
KellySix Rivers National Forest5,195
KelseyKlamath National Forest3,237
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
Lake EleanorShasta-Trinity National Forest397
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Middle ForkPlumas National Forest29,278
Middle YubaTahoe National Forest7,379
Mill CreekLassen National Forest7,587
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
MonarchSierra National Forest697
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
Mt. RebaStanislaus National Forest3,869
North Fork American RiverTahoe National Forest38,495
North Fork Middle Fork American RiverTahoe National Forest11,245
North Fork SmithSix Rivers National Forest37,898
North MountainStanislaus National Forest7,856
Orleans Mtn.Klamath National Forest49,090
Orleans Mtn. BSix Rivers National Forest17,183
Orleans Mtn. CSix Rivers National Forest15,589
PacksaddleSix Rivers National Forest3,862
PattisonShasta-Trinity National Forest29,299
Pilot CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,192
Polk SpringsLassen National Forest9,466
PortugueseKlamath National Forest18,915
RinconSequoia National Forest54,610
RussianKlamath National Forest21,771
Salt CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,505
Salt SpringsEldorado National Forest133
San JoaquinSierra National Forest22,474
Silver HillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,423
SiskiyouKlamath National Forest54,039
Siskiyou BSix Rivers National Forest18,871
Skeleton GladeMendocino National Forest9,237
Slate Mtn.Sequoia National Forest12,299
Slide CreekSix Rivers National Forest11,458
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
Snow MountainMendocino National Forest14,457
SoliderSix Rivers National Forest14,918
South ForkShasta-Trinity National Forest16,786
South KalmiopsisSix Rivers National Forest321
Thomes CreekMendocino National Forest16,616
Timbered CraterLassen National Forest4,096
Tom MartinKlamath National Forest9,031
Trumbull PeakStanislaus National Forest6,164
UnderwoodSix Rivers National Forest6,591
WaterhouseStanislaus National Forest4,394
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
West GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest37,516
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
WoolstaffSequoia National Forest41,445
Oregon (3)
AreaForestAcres
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
Shasta CostaSiskiyou National Forests14,420
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
References (7)
  1. Bittman, Roxanne. Personal Communication. Botanist, California Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento, Calif.
  2. Howard, J.L. 1999. Eriodictyon californicum. In: U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Fire effects information system. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis. Accessed July 1, 2002.
  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. Moore, M. 1979. Medicinal plants of the mountain west. Museum of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.
  5. Robbins, C. 1999. Medicine from US wildlands: An assessment of native plant species harvested in the United States for medicinal use and trade and evaluation of the conservation and management implications. Traffic North America. Prepared for The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. Available at http://www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal/.
  6. Rolle, Wayne. SW botanist, living in Ashland. Forest botanist for Rogue River and Siskiyou NF, 1989?-
  7. Vance, N.C., M. Borsting and D. Pilz. 2001. Special forest products species information guide for Pacific Northwest. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, General Technical Report PNW-GTR-XX.