National Collection of Imperiled Plants

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

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J. Kagan

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CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Limnanthes floccosa ssp. bellingeriana

Family:	Limnanthaceae
Common Name:	Bellinger's meadowfoam
Author:	(M.E. Peck) Arroyo
Growth Habit:	Annual
CPC Number:	2556

Distribution
Protection
Conservation
References

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Photographer: J. Kagan

Limnanthes floccosa ssp. bellingeriana is Not Sponsored

Primary custodian for this plant in the CPC National Collection of Endangered Plants is:

The Berry Botanic Garden

Edward Guerrant, Ph.D. contributed to this Plant Profile.

Limnanthes floccosa ssp. bellingeriana

In contrast to some of its showier relatives, such as the outbreeding Limnanthes alba, which form spectacular carpets of creamy white flowers in California's Central Valley in May and June, wooly meadowfoam (L. floccosa ssp. bellingeriana) has a more subtle beauty. The plants are small in stature, and their small self-pollinating creamy white flowers often do not open widely.

Fortunately for this rare plant, the very nature of its habitat helps to protect it from some common threats. The rocky, shallow soils in which the diminutive annual plant Limnanthes floccosa ssp. bellingeriana grows are poorly suited to farming. Nevertheless, urban development and road construction are still a threat.

Currently, there is no commercial use for any of the subspecies of Limnanthes floccosa. However, the related Limnanthes alba, a common vernal pool species in the northern part of California's great Central Valley, is being developed as an oil crop for use in Oregon's Willamette Valley, in part because it can grows well in shallow, nutrient poor, waterlogged soils. The oil derived from the seeds is used as an environmentally friendly alternative to whale oils in cosmetics and industrial uses (see Meadowfoam.org (2002) for the story of how this new crop was developed over the last half of the twentieth century). In addition to its intrinsic value, L. floccosa ssp. bellingeriana may harbor important genetic properties, such as those related to self-pollination, which could be used to improve the newly domesticated meadowfoam as an even more environmentally friendly crop. But, unless habitat is protected from development, we may never find out.

Distribution & Occurrence

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State Range

California
Oregon

Habitat

High-elevation vernal pools (seasonal wetlands) in rocky meadows with shallow soils that are at least partially shaded in the spring. Elevations range from 3600 to 3900 ft (1100-1200 m) in Oregon, and California populations from 950 to 3600 ft (290 -1100 m).

Distribution

CA(?), OR
CA?: Cascade Range and its foothills (Shasta Co). [California populations of L. floccosa ssp. bellingeriana are not recognized as distinct from L. floccosa ssp. floccosa and in need of additional study (Hickman 1993).]

Number Left

Approximately 14 Oregon populations known, all in Jackson and Klamath counties. On the order of 5000 to 20,000 flowering plants recorded in different years for different populations. An additional 5 populations described from California, all in Shasta county (see Tibor 2001, Ornduff 1993)

Protection

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Global Rank:	G4T2	11/18/1997	Guide to Global Ranks
Federal Status:	SC		Guide to Federal Status
Recovery Plan:	No

State/Area Protection

	State/Area	Rank	Status	Date

Conservation, Ecology & Research

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Ecological Relationships

As a species found growing in vernal pools, Limnanthes floccosa ssp. bellingerniana is adapted to grow in soil that transitions from being inundated by water in the winter and spring to being dry in the summer and fall. This seasonal filling and drying of the pools helps to exclude exotics from the pools. However, exotics are often a problem just beyond the edge of the pool where soils are not waterlogged for significant periods of time.

Threats

As stated by USFWS 2000, threats include:
� Habitat loss due to residential and urban development.
� Habitat destruction due to changes in hydrology.
� Invasive exotic weeds.
� Roadside mowing and herbicide spraying.

Current Research Summary

� Morphological comparisons with between Limnanthes floccosa ssp. floccosa and L. floccosa ssp. bellingeriana. Differences in pollen morphology, flower shape and wooliness, and the absence of intermediates (indicating interbreeding barriers) between the two taxa suggest that they are two separate species. The researchers suggest that L. floccosa ssp. bellingeriana be elevated to its own species (Southworth and Seevers 1997).
� Electrophoretic study of genetic diversity in Limnanthes, section Inflexae, to which L. floccosa ssp. bellingeriana belongs (McNeill and Jain 1983).

Current Management Summary

� Limnanthes floccosa ssp. bellingeriana is considered a candidate for listing in the state of Oregon. It has no legal federal status.
� Seeds stored at The Berry Botanic Garden.

Research Management Needs

� Determine outcrossing rate.
� Determine ecological relationships with other species.
� Determine extent and longevity of naturally occurring soil seed bank.

Ex Situ Needs

� Collect and store seeds from across the range.
� Determine effective germination procedures.
� Determine reliable propagation and reintroduction protocols.

References

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Books (Single Authors)

Meinke, R.J. 1982. Threatened and Endangered Vascular Plants of Oregon: An Illustrated Guide. Portland, Oregon: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Region 1. 326p.

Nakamura, Gary; Kierstead Nelson, J. 2001. Illustrated Field Guide to Selected Rare Plants of Northern California. University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources. Publication 3395. 370p.

ONHP. 2001. Rare, Threatened and Endangered Plants and Animals of Oregon.

Thorp, R.W. 1976. Insect pollination of vernal pool flowers. University of California, Davis: Institute of Ecology Publication No. 9. 36-40p.

Books (Sections)

Southworth, D.; Kwiatkowski, S. 1994. Somatic embryogenesis and clonal propagation in meadowfoam (Limnanthes species). In: Bajaj, YPS, editor. Biotechnology in agriculture and forestry. Vol 31. Somatic Embryogenesis and synthetic seed II. Springer. New York, NY. p 274-282.

Southworth, D.; Seevers, J. 1997. Taxonomic status of Limnanthes floccosa subspecies bellingeriana. In: Kaye, T.N.; Liston, A.; Love, R. M.; Luoma, D.L.; Wilson, M.V., editors. Conservation and Management of Native Flora. Native Plant Society of Oregon. Corvallis, Oregon. p 147-152.

Books (Edited Volumes)

James C. Hickman, Editor. 1993 The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1400p.

Electronic Sources

(2000). CalFlora: on California plants for education, research and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: The CalFlora Database [a non-profit organization]. http://www.calflora.org/.. Accessed: 2002.

CDFG. (2001). Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List. Biannual Publication, Mimeo. 141 pp. California Department of Fish and Game, Natural Diversity Database. Accessed: 2001.

CNDDB. (2000). Calfornia Natural Diversity Data Base (CNDDB). Version 2.1.2. California Natural Diversity Database. Accessed: California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.

Meadowfoam.org. (2002). Farming Meadowfoam. http://www.meadowfoam.org/farming_meadowfoam.htm. Accessed: 2002.

ONHDB. (2000). Oregon Natural Heritage Program Database. Portland, Oregon.

Journal Articles

1973. (Original Publication). Brittonia. 25: 177-178, 186-188.

Dole, J.A. 1992. Reproductive Assurance mechanisms in Three Taxa of the Mimulus-Guttatus Complex (Scrophulariaceae). American Journal of Botany. 79, 6: 650-659.

Dole, J.A.; Sun, M. 1992. Field and genetic survey of the endangered Butte County meadowfoam - Limnanthes floccosa ssp. californica (Limnanthaceae). Conservation Biology. 6: 549-558.

Gentry, H.S.; Miller, R.W. 1965. The search for new industrial crops. IV: prospectus of Limnanthes. Economic Botany. 19: 25-32.

Jolliff, G.D.; Seddigh, M.; Norberg, O.S.; Fiez, T.E. 1993. Seeding rate, nitrogen fertilization, and irrigation effects on Floral meadowfoam oil yield. Agronomy Journal. 85: 188-193.

McNeill, C.L.; Jain, S.K. 1983. Genetic differentiation studies andphylogeneic inference in the plant genus Limnanthes (Section Inflexae). Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 66: 257-269.

Southworth, D.; Kwiatkowski, S. 1992. Clonal propagation of meadowfoam (Limnanthes sp.) from bisected seeds. Northwest Science. 66: 40-43.

USFWS. 2000. Proposed Endangered Status for the Plants Lomatium cookii (Cook�s lomatium) and Limnanthes floccosa ssp. grandiflora (Large-Flowered Wooly Meadowfoam) in Oregon. Federal Register. 65, 94: 30941-30951.

USFWS. 2002. Reopening of Comment Period on the Proposed Endangered Status of two Plants Lomatium cookii (Cook�s lomatium) and Limnanthes floccosa ssp. grandiflora (Large-Flowered Wooly Meadowfoam). Federal Register. 67, 9: 1712-1713.

Reports

Knight, L.; Seevers, J. 1992. Special Status Plants of the Medford District BLM. Medford, Oregon: Bureau of Land Management-Medford District. p.228.

Theses

Guerrant, Edward Owings, Jr. 1984. The Role of Ontogeny in the Evolution and Ecology of Selected Species of Delphinium and Limnanthes. [Ph. D.]: University of California. Berkeley. 99p.

Ritland, Kermit Mark. 1982. The Life History Strategies of two Limnanthes species (California). [Ph. D.]: University of California. Davis. 198p.

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This profile was updated on 7/8/2010