Ciervo Hills

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Ciervo Hills
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Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Ciervo Hills
Location of Ciervo Hills in California [1]
Highest point
Elevation 1,027 m (3,369 ft)
Geography
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
Region(s) California Coast Ranges,
San Joaquin Valley
District Fresno County
Range coordinates 36°28′23.829″N120°34′47.602″W / 36.47328583°N 120.57988944°W / 36.47328583; -120.57988944
Topo map USGS  Ciervo Mountain

The Ciervo Hills are a low mountain range in west Fresno County, in the western San Joaquin Valley of central California. [1]

Contents

Interstate 5 runs parallel to the hills on the east.

Geography

The Ciervo Hills are in the Southern Inner California Coast Ranges System, adjacent to the Diablo Range on the west, Tumey Hills to the north, and Big Blue Hills to the south. Their highest point is 1,027 metres (3,369 ft) in elevation.

Cantua Creek and its Arroyo de Cantúa canyon divides them from the Big Blue Hills.

Flora

Several California rare plant species are endemic to the Ciervo Hills and bordering Tumey Hills including Panoche peppergrass (Lepidium jaredii ssp. album) [2] , Idria buckwheat (Eriogonum vestitum) [3] , and gypsum-loving crownscale (Atriplex gypsophila) [4] [5] .

Related Research Articles

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Epilobium canum, also known as California fuchsia or Zauschneria, is a species of willowherb in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae). It is native to dry slopes and in chaparral of western North America, especially California. It is a perennial plant, notable for the profusion of bright scarlet flowers in late summer and autumn.

<i>Eriogonum</i> Genus of North American wild buckwheats

Eriogonum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polygonaceae. The genus is found in North America and is known as wild buckwheat. This is a highly species-rich genus, and indications are that active speciation is continuing. It includes some common wildflowers such as the California buckwheat.

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<i>Clarkia amoena</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Eriogonum fasciculatum</i> Species of flowering shrub

Eriogonum fasciculatum is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common names California buckwheat and flat-topped buckwheat. Characterized by small, white and pink flower clusters that give off a cottony effect, this species grows variably from a patchy mat to a wide shrub, with the flowers turning a rusty color after blooming. This plant is of great benefit across its various habitats, providing an important food resource for a diversity of insect and mammal species. It also provides numerous ecosystem services for humans, including erosion control, post-fire mitigation, increases in crop yields when planted in hedgerows, and high habitat restoration value.

<i>Galium californicum</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Clarkia tembloriensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Clarkia tembloriensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family, known by the common name Temblor Range clarkia and belonging to the Onagraceae family.

<i>Eriogonum contiguum</i> Species of wild buckwheat

Eriogonum contiguum is an uncommon species of wild buckwheat. It is commonly known as Reveal's buckwheat and annual desert trumpet. It is native to Death Valley in California and adjacent sections of Nevada. It is commonly found in Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Eriogonum contiguum grows in sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, or rocky hills, and lower bajadas with Atriplex species. It is an annual herb which produces an erect, spreading stem up to about 30 centimeters high. Leaves are basal, small rounded, and woolly. The many scattered inflorescences are small, compact clusters of tiny hairy yellow flowers. Flowers bloom April to June. It is threatened due to habitat degradation by off-road vehicles, competition with exotic plant species, trampling, grazing, and erosion.

<i>Artemisia cana</i> Species of plant

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<i>Pentagramma triangularis</i> Species of fern

Pentagramma triangularis, commonly known as the gold fern or the goldback fern, is a species of fern in the family Pteridaceae, native to Western North America, with highest abundance in the state of California. Its common name "goldback" refers to the light yellow color of the fern's protective coating which inhibits moisture loss. The gold texture appears as a dry powder that is excreted on the underside of the fern. The Latin specific epithet Pentagramma derives from "five lines" or "stripes" while triangularis derives from "three sided", describing the shape of the fern's broad triangular fronds.

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<i>Rumex bucephalophorus</i> Species of flowering plant

Rumex bucephalophorus, also known as horned, red, or ruby dock is an annual herbaceous plant that is part of the family Polygonaceae. The scientific name Rumex bucephalophorus was first described and published by Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum. Other scientific names have also been given to Rumex bucephalophorus such as Bucephalophora aculeata and Lapathum bucephalophorum. R. bucephalophorus is most commonly found in subcoastal or coastal regions, but also are "casual aliens", few and far between, among inland populations. Rumex bucephalophorus is native to the Mediterranean Basin and grows best in areas with little human intervention.

<i>Papaver heterophyllum</i> Plant species

Papaver heterophyllum, previously known as Stylomecon heterophylla, and better known as the wind poppy, is a winter annual herbaceous plant. It is endemic to the western California Floristic Province and known to grow in the area starting from the San Francisco Bay Area of Central Western California southwards to northwestern Baja California, Mexico. Its main habitat is often described as mesic and shady, with loamy soils such as soft sandy loam, clay loam, and leaf mold loam.

<i>Dudleya cymosa <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> pumila</i> Subspecies of plant

Dudleya cymosasubsp. pumila, most commonly known as the low canyon dudleya, chalky canyon dudleya or California live-forever, is a species of perennial succulent plant. It has diamond to spoon shaped leaves, sometimes coated with a fine white powder, and in May through July, bright red, orange or yellow flowers adorn the short inflorescence. A leaf succulent primarily found growing in rocky cliffs and slopes, it is endemic to California, and grows in the Transverse Ranges and South Coast Ranges, with some outlying populations. A variable plant, in some localities it is difficult to distinguish from other plants in the genus.

<i>Euphorbia terracina</i> Species of plant

Euphorbia terracina, commonly known as the Geraldton carnation weed and False caper, is a species of perennial herb in the family Euphorbiaceae. It has a self-supporting growth form and simple, broad leaves. Flowers are visited by Lipotriches brachysoma, Lipotriches natalensis, Lipotriches crassula, and Nomia bouyssoui. It produces small, three lobed fruits, with each lobe containing one seed.

<i>Eriogonum elongatum</i> Species of plant

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References

  1. 1 2 "Ciervo Hills". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  2. "Lepidium jaredii ssp. album Calflora". www.calflora.org. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
  3. "Eriogonum vestitum Calflora". www.calflora.org. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
  4. "Atriplex gypsophila Calflora". www.calflora.org. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
  5. Preston, Robert E. (2024-01-29). "A NEW ATRIPLEX SPECIES (CHENOPODIACEAE) FROM CENTRAL WESTERN CALIFORNIA, USA". Madroño. 70 (2). doi:10.3120/0024-9637-70.2.104. ISSN   0024-9637.