Suaeda californica
| Suaeda californica | |
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| (unranked): | |
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| Species: | S. californica
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| Binomial name | |
| Suaeda californica | |
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Suaeda americana | |
Suaeda californica is a rare species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common name California seablite.[1] It is endemic to San Luis Obispo County, California, where it is known from a few occurrences in the marshes around Morro Bay.[2]
Description
Suaeda californica is a mound-shaped shrub up to 80 centimeters tall with hairless or slightly hairy succulent green or red-tinged herbage. The woody stems have many branches which are covered with the knoblike bases of old leaves. Between these grow the new leaves, which are lance-shaped and up to 3.5 centimeters long. The flowers occur between the leaves, all along the stems. Each cluster has 1 to 5 flowers and is accompanied by a leaflike bract. The calyx is a cone of fleshy, rounded sepals, and there are no petals. The fruit is an utricle that grows within the calyx.
Habitat
This rare plant, Suaeda californica, grows in a restricted area within the intertidal zone of salt marshes.[3] It is threatened by anything that alters the hydrology of the area, such as changes in sedimentation, including dredging, erosion, and recreation.[2] It requires a porous substrate high in nitrogen, which may come from decaying plant matter and bird droppings.[4] Invasive plant species such as introduced ice plant threaten remaining occurrences and reintroductions.[4]
Endangered status
It once occurred around the San Francisco Bay, but any populations there are now extirpated.[2] It probably once grew along the Petaluma River north of the bay, as remains of the species have been found in adobe bricks there.[5] By 1991 the total remaining number of individuals was estimated to be below 500, and the plant was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1994.[2][3] Some carefully tended populations have been planted as reintroductions at locations around the San Francisco Bay.[4][6]
References
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Suaeda californica". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d The Nature Conservancy
- ^ a b USFWS. Endangered or threatened status for five plants and the Morro shoulderband snail from western San Luis Obispo County, California. Federal Register 59:240 December 15, 1994.
- ^ a b c Eaton, J. and R. Sullivan. Recovery plan for endangered seablite. San Francisco Chronicle March 21, 2010.
- ^ California Native Plant Society Rare Plant Profile
- ^ Audubon Society