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Hooveria parviflora

(S. Wats.) D.W. Taylor & D.J. Keil

Small-flower Soap-plant

G4Apparently Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.147474
Element CodePMLIL0G030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAsparagaceae
GenusHooveria
Synonyms
Chlorogalum parviflorumS. Wats.
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 Date2025-10-24
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2025-10-24
Edition AuthorsEberly (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Hooveria parviflora is a perennial herb that occurs in western North America in northwestern Baja California, Mexico, and adjacent United States in southern California that is found in a variety of habitats including coastal-sage scrub, chaparral, grassland, and open woodlands. There are around 300 occurrences documented in the last 20 years. More information is needed about threats to this species and its tolerance of disturbances.
Range Extent Comments
Hooveria parviflora occurs in western North America in northwestern Baja California, Mexico, and adjacent United States in southern California in the South Coast Floristic Province covering areas of southeastern Los Angeles and adjacent Riverside counties south through Orange and San Diego counties (Taylor and Keil 2018, Jepson Flora Project 2025). Range extent was estimated at 28,000 sq km using herbarium specimens and photo based observations collected between 1985 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1985 and 2025, there are estimated to be around 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025). This species is generally thought to be common within its range (CNPS 2025); some occurrences are large, encompassing multiple adjacent area of occupancy grid cells.
Threat Impact Comments
Southern California is an area of high development pressure. Models predict this region will continue to have the greatest increases in housing density in the state over the next 20 years (Mann et al. 2014). This species persistence in this area may reflect some tolerance of disturbance, but additional information is needed to support this assertion.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species grows on dry, open areas in coastal-sage scrub, chaparral, grassland, and open woodlands (FNA 2002a, Taylor and Keil 2018, Jepson Flora Project 2025).

Reproduction

This species flowers diurnally meaning the flowers open during the day (Taylor and Keil 2018). The flowering period is between May and August (Jepson Flora Project 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
California (2)
AreaForestAcres
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
References (10)
  1. California Native Plant Society (CNPS), Rare Plant Program. 2025. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California, online edition, v9.5. Online. Available: https://www.rareplants.cnps.org (accessed 2025).
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  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. Mann, M.L., P. Berck, M.A. Moritz, E. Batllori, J.G. Baldwin, C.K. Gately, and D.R. Cameron. 2014. Modeling residential development in California from 2000 to 2050: Integrating wildfire risk, wildland and agricultural encroachment. Land Use Policy. 41:438-452.
  8. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  9. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  10. Taylor, D.W. and D.J. Keil. 2018. <i>Hooveria</i>, a new genus liberated from <i>Chlorogalum </i>(Agavaceae subf. Chlorogaloideae). Phytoneuron 67: 1-6.