Clarkia franciscana

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids II
Ordo: Myrtales

Familia: Onagraceae
Subfamilia: Onagroideae
Tribus: Onagreae
Genus: Clarkia
Sectio: C. sect. Rhodanthos
Subsectio: C. subsect. Primigenia
Species: Clarkia franciscana
Name

Clarkia franciscana F.H.Lewis & P.H.Raven, 1958.
References

Lewis, F.H. & Raven, P.H. 1958. Brittonia 10: 7.
The Plant List 2010. Version 1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2011 Sept 20.

Vernacular names

Clarkia franciscana is a rare species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name Presidio clarkia. It is endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where it is known only from two populations at the Presidio of San Francisco and three occurrences in Oakland.[1] The plant is known only from serpentine soils.

Distribution

Clarkia franciscana is a federally listed endangered species. The two San Francisco populations are on land which is protected from development but is affected by many other factors including invasive plant species, trampling, and landscaping of vegetation.[1] The three Oakland populations are probably the remnants of one population that was fragmented by development in the heavily altered urban habitat.[1] The largest of the three occurrences is partially protected at Redwood Regional Park, but the other two are on privately owned property which is proposed to undergo some development.[1][2] Construction of housing is proposed on the site, with less than an acre being left undeveloped as a compromise between developers and environmental advocates.[3]
Description

The Presidio clarkia, Clarkia franciscana, is an erect annual herb growing up to about 40 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves are narrowly lance-shaped and up to about 3.5 centimeters long. The top of the stem is occupied by the inflorescence, which bears opening flowers and closed, erect flower buds. The sepals stay fused together as the petals bloom from one side. The small corolla is bowl-shaped, with petals up to 1.3 centimeters long and wedge-shaped with mostly flat tips. The petals are lavender-pink in color, darkest at the tips and lightening to nearly white at the base, where there is a deep red spot. The plant is self-pollinating. The population sizes are variable from year to year; sometimes there are no plants seen at all, the seed banks remaining dormant until conditions improve.[1]
References

Center for Plant Conservation Archived 2009-08-23 at the Wayback Machine
Center for Biological Diversity Press Release June 26, 2007
Zamora, J. H. Dispute over flower: habitat vs. housing San Francisco Chronicle June 5, 2007