Brodiaea filifolia
S. Wats.
Threadleaf Brodiaea
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very highThreat Impact
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.156359
Element CodePMLIL0C050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAsparagaceae
GenusBrodiaea
Other Common Names
threadleaf brodiaea (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
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2015-08-17
Change Date2015-08-17
Edition Date2016-04-04
Edition AuthorsRoth, E., rev. R. Bittman, rev. Maybury (1997), rev. L. Oliver (2003), rev. G. Davis (5/07), rev. L. Oliver (2009), rev. Bittman and Treher (2016)
Threat ImpactVery high
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Endemic to southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties). Populations are seriously threatened by ongoing, intensive development and by conversion to agriculture. In addition, this species is self-incompatible and requires pollination with plants that have different alleles at the incompatible locus.
Range Extent Comments
Endemic to southern California; presently known from Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Orange Counties. The historic range of this species extends from the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles Co., east to the western foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino Co., south through the eastern portion of Orange Co., and in western Riverside Co. to the central portion of San Diego Co. (USFWS 2005).
Occurrences Comments
Of the 131 occurrences, 12 are extirpated.
Threat Impact Comments
There are several primary threats to this species including: loss and degradation of habitat, invasive species which alter the vegetation composition and structure of its habitat, recreational use of the land, mowing, disking and sewage dumping (USFWS 2005). In places where deep discing or repeated discing has occurred and land has been left fallow populations do persist, however, numbers are reduced and declining (USFWS 1998).
The major threat to this species is loss and degradation of its habitat. The majority of the occurrences occur in counties (San Diego, Orange, and Riverside) where human population numbers and pressure from needed housing exist. Natural areas in these counties are often surrounded by urban areas and development removes the vegetation needed for natural habitat and alters the clay soils that the species requires (USFWS 2005). In addition, nonnative species can alter the vegetative structure and composition of its habitat and can directly compete with the species for light and water (USFWS 2005). Recreation activities such as hiking and off-road vehicle use may change the vegetation composition and alter the soil. Mowing may reduce the number of seeds produced and dispersed, and can alter the vegetation such that the pollinators are less available. Finally, sewage sludge dumping can cover the plants and the soil, and can alter the soil chemistry such that the vegetation community is impacted (USFWS 2005).
The California Native Plant Society reports that this species is seriously threatened (2001).
The major threat to this species is loss and degradation of its habitat. The majority of the occurrences occur in counties (San Diego, Orange, and Riverside) where human population numbers and pressure from needed housing exist. Natural areas in these counties are often surrounded by urban areas and development removes the vegetation needed for natural habitat and alters the clay soils that the species requires (USFWS 2005). In addition, nonnative species can alter the vegetative structure and composition of its habitat and can directly compete with the species for light and water (USFWS 2005). Recreation activities such as hiking and off-road vehicle use may change the vegetation composition and alter the soil. Mowing may reduce the number of seeds produced and dispersed, and can alter the vegetation such that the pollinators are less available. Finally, sewage sludge dumping can cover the plants and the soil, and can alter the soil chemistry such that the vegetation community is impacted (USFWS 2005).
The California Native Plant Society reports that this species is seriously threatened (2001).
Ecology & Habitat
Diagnostic Characteristics
Brodiaea filifolia can be distinguished by flowers 1 mm long and staminodia (abortive stamen) present; perianth-tube thin-membranous and splitting (Munz, 1959).
Habitat
Grasslands, often in association with vernal pools and in floodplains. 90-300 m elevation.
Ecology
Grows in heavy clay soil (Munz, 1959).
Reproduction
Brodiaea filifolia's main means of reproduction is vegetative; it produces small cormlets. When reproducing sexually, this species is an obligate out-crosser, in other words it cannot produce seed when pollinated by flowers on the same plant or flowers from other plants that have the same alleles (USFWS 2005).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOL
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| California | S2 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - Residential & commercial development | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 1.1 - Housing & urban areas | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 2 - Agriculture & aquaculture | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 2.1 - Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 6 - Human intrusions & disturbance | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 6.1 - Recreational activities | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 7 - Natural system modifications | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 7.3 - Other ecosystem modifications | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 9 - Pollution | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 9.1 - Domestic & urban waste water | Pervasive - large | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (17)
California (17)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Barker Valley | Cleveland National Forest | 11,940 |
| City Creek | San Bernardino National Forest | 9,997 |
| Coldwater | Cleveland National Forest | 8,402 |
| Coldwater | Cleveland National Forest | 8,402 |
| Crystal Creek | San Bernardino National Forest | 6,783 |
| Cutca Valley | Cleveland National Forest | 14,530 |
| Hixon Flat | San Bernardino National Forest | 8,095 |
| Mill Peak | San Bernardino National Forest | 7,884 |
| Raywood Flat B | San Bernardino National Forest | 11,373 |
| San Dimas | Angeles National Forest | 7,160 |
| San Mateo Canyon | Cleveland National Forest | 65 |
| San Mateo Canyon | Cleveland National Forest | 65 |
| Sheep Mountain | Angeles National Forest | 21,098 |
| Trabuco | Cleveland National Forest | 23,341 |
| Trabuco | Cleveland National Forest | 23,341 |
| Wildhorse | Cleveland National Forest | 1,483 |
| Wildhorse | Cleveland National Forest | 1,483 |
References (13)
- Abrams, L. 1940. Illustrated flora of the Pacific states: Washington, Oregon, and California. Vol. 1. Ophioglossaceae to Aristolochiaceae. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. 538 pp.
- California Department of Fish and Game. 2000. Natural Diversity Database (RareFind 2), Version 2.1.2, January 25, 2000. Downloaded in 2003.
- 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.
- Cox, R. 1983. Element preservation plan for Brodiaea filifolia. Unpublished. The Nature Conservancy files.
- 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.
- Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.
- 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.
- Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
- Pearson, D.C. 1989. Endangered species alert program manual: Species accounts and procedures. Southern California Edison Environmental Affairs Division.
- Smith, J.P., and K. Berg. 1988. California native plant society's inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 4th edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 168 pp.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1994. Proposed rule to list four southwestern California plants as endangered or threatened. Federal Register 59(240): 64812-64823.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1998. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants: determination of endangered or threatened status for four southwestern California plants from vernal wetlands and clay soils. Federal Register 63(197):54975-54994.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2005. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; Designation for critical habitat for <i>Brodiaea filifolia</i> (thread-leaved brodiaea) final rule. Federal Register 70: 73820-73863.