National Collection of Imperiled Plants

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Photographer:

Roger Raiche

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CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Clarkia imbricata

Family:	Onagraceae
Common Name:	Vine Hill clarkia
Author:	Lewis & Lewis
Growth Habit:	Forb/herb
CPC Number:	984

Distribution
Protection
Conservation
References

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Photographer: Roger Raiche

Clarkia imbricata is Not Sponsored

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

University of California Botanical Garden

Holly Forbes contributed to this Plant Profile.

Clarkia imbricata

Vine Hill clarkia is a late-blooming, slender annual herb with large white or pinkish flowers. This species grows in habitats with sandy loam soils. Historically, it is known from only two natural occurrences in the Vine Hill area of Sonoma County, California. One of these is extirpated, leaving a single native population. A transplanted population exists at the California Native Plant Society's one-acre Vine Hill Preserve (CDFG 2002).

Distribution & Occurrence

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State Range

California

Habitat

Chaparral, valley and foothill grasslands in acidic sandy loam soils (Skinner 1997).

Distribution

Historically, it is known from only two natural occurrences in the Vine Hill area of Sonoma County. One of these is extirpated, leaving a single native population. A transplanted population exists at the California Native Plant Society's one-acre Vine Hill Preserve (CDFG 2002).

Number Left

Vine Hill Clarkia is currently known from two populations in southern Sonoma County, California, one natural and one planted in a reserve. The natural population contains 2,000 to 5,000 plants; the planted population has fluctuated between 200 and 300 plants.

Protection

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Global Rank:	G1	11/20/2003	Guide to Global Ranks
Federal Status:	LE	10/22/1997	Guide to Federal Status
Recovery Plan:	No

State/Area Protection

	State/Area	Rank	Status	Date
	California	S1.1	1	11/1/1978

Conservation, Ecology & Research

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Ecological Relationships

Observations suggest that the plant depends on the presence of an undisturbed soil crust for seedling establishment.

Threats

� Proposed land use conversion
� Inadequate regulatory mechanisms
� Stochastic events
� Damage associated with trespassers collecting other rare plants
� Unauthorized collection

Current Research Summary

None at this time.

Current Management Summary

The native population of Vine Hill clarkia was formerly split between two privately owned parcels. Until several years ago, The Nature Conservancy had cooperative agreements with both landowners to protect the population. Since then, the soil on one of the parcels was scraped, and the plants there have been extirpated. The other parcel was sold in 1997 and a portion of the Vine Hill clarkia habitat on this second parcel was disturbed. Plants may not reestablish on the disturbed soil based on prior observations that the plant depends on the presence of an undisturbed soil crust. The new landowner wants to build on the plant's habitat, but is willing to sell the parcel instead. The California Department of Fish & Game is seeking cooperation to protect this last remaining portion of the native population of Vine Hill clarkia (CDFG 2002).

Research Management Needs

Additional information is needed to identify suitable sites for reintroduction as well as for vegetation management.

Ex Situ Needs

Additional seed collection for long-term storage is desirable.

References

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Books (Single Authors)

Skinner, M.W.; Pavlik, B.M. 1997. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California: Electronic Inventory Update of 1994, 5th edition. Sacramento: California Native Plant Society.

Electronic Sources

CalPhotos. (2002). CalPhotos: Berkely Digital Library Project. University of California, Berkeley. http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/photos/. Accessed: 2002.

CDFG. (2002). California's Plants and Animals, Threatened and Endangered Plants. List and Species Accounts. California Department of Fish and Game, Habitat Conservation Planning Branch. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/hcpb/species/t_e_spp/teplant/teplanta.shtml. Accessed: 2002.

USFWS. (2002). Some Threatened & Endangered Plants Found Mainly in California. Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. http://sacramento.fws.gov/es/plant_spp_accts/acctplant.htm. Accessed: 2002.

Journal Articles

USFWS. 1976. Proposed Endangered Status for 1700 U.S. Plants. Federal Register. 41: 24523-24572.

USFWS. 1995. Proposed Endangered Status for Nine Plants from the Grasslands or Mesic Areas of the Central Coast of California. Federal Register. 60, 148: 39314-39326.

USFWS. 1997. Determination of Endangered Status for Nine Plants from the Grasslands or Mesic Areas of the Central Coast of California. Federal Register. 62, 204: 55791-55808.

Reports

Sanguamphai. 1989. 1988 Annual Report on the Status of California's State Listed Threatened and Endangered Plants and Animals. State of California, Department of Fish and Game.

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This profile was updated on 3/4/2010