RARE PLANTS

CNPS Rare Plant Program Discovers New Population of Pincushion Navarretia in Sacramento County!  The mission of the Rare Plant Program of the California Native Plant Society is to develop current, accurate information on the distribution, ecology, and conservation status of California's rare and endangered plants, and to use this information to promote science-based plant conservation in California.
Volunteers from the local chapter are the primary advocates for rare plant protection and conservation planning throughout California. Local expertise from regional professionals and volunteer rare plant enthusiasts contribute important field based information on rare plant occurrences, population trends and conservation threats that are used to maintain and update the state's rare plant inventory. Local rare programs also review development projects, participate in local planning processes, and distribute information to agency biologists, consultants and the general public.

In May, 2005 volunteers from the Sacramento Chapter in cooperation with Nature Conservancy Staff from the Consumnes River Preserve identified a new population of Pincushion Navarretia - Navarretia myersii ssp. myersii  - in southwestern Sacramento County. This new population was a significant find as this species was previously known from fewer than 10 occurrences.

Facts about California's Flora  California's flora is the largest in the nation, due in large part to the state's varied topography, climate, and soils. The flora consists of approximately 7000 total species, including 6000 native plants, and about 1000 introduced species, most of which are weeds. Of the 6000 native plants, 36% are endemic, occurring nowhere else on earth. A total of 2073 plant species (nearly 33% of the native flora) are considered rare, threatened, or uncommon. Conservation biologists generally agree that California s flora is among the most endangered in the United States.
The Rare Plant Program currently recognizes 1021 plant taxa (species, subspecies and varieties) as rare, threatened, or endangered in California. Another 29 native plants are presumed to have gone extinct in California in the last 100 years, primarily because of land conversion to agriculture and urban development. The State of California officially lists 216 plants as Endangered, Threatened, or Rare. A 1996 Department of Fish and Game report revealed that up to 74% of these state-listed plant species are declining, in spite of protection afforded by the California Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Government has recognized the perilous condition of the California flora by listing 183 plants as Endangered or Threatened under the provisions of the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Sacramento Chapter much of the northern Valley including Sacramento, Yolo, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada and part of Placer County. Currently there are 15 federally-listed threatened and endangered species and an additional 6 state-listed rare, threatened or endangered species in our area. In addition to these species there are another 110 plants that are considered to be rare, threatened or endangered, but have not been formally listed.

If you would like to help with the program please contact Russell Huddleston, or call either 916-456-1988 or 916-286-0239

For more information about rare plants please visit the following web sites:

Rare Plant Lists by County in SacValley Chapter Area

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