Thlaspi californicum | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Brassicales |
Family: | Brassicaceae |
Genus: | Thlaspi |
Species: | T. californicum |
Binomial name | |
Thlaspi californicum | |
Thlaspi californicum is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae [1] known by the common name Kneeland Prairie penny-cress. It is endemic to California, where it is known from only one stretch of grassland in Humboldt County. It is threatened by development. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. [2]
The taxonomy of this species is uncertain. Authors call it Thlaspi californicum, [3] [1] [4] Thlaspi montanum var. californicum, [5] Noccaea californica, [6] and Noccaea fendleri ssp. californica, [7] and there are other synonyms. [7]
This plant is a perennial herb growing roughly 10 centimeters tall, [7] the height varying from 1 to 20 centimeters. [3] There are spatula-shaped [7] lower leaves a few centimeters long and a few leaves higher on the plant. The inflorescence is a raceme of mustardlike flowers with white spoon-shaped [3] petals just under a centimeter in length. The fruit is a silique. [3] [7] The plant often reproduces vegetatively by cloning. [4]
As of 2000 there was only one population of this plant. [2] It is located adjacent to the Kneeland Airport on the Kneeland Prairie near Eureka in Humboldt County. In the area there are three colonies growing on separate serpentine outcrops on the prairie. Two of the colonies are separated by the Kneeland Airport. The plant is limited to the serpentine soils of the local landscape. [2]
This plant is threatened by development at the airport and other facilities nearby, including roads and a helitack base. In the past few decades the amount of available habitat has been decreased 50% or more, [4] possibly as much as 70%. [2] It has also led to habitat fragmentation as the population is bisected by the airport and the road. Planned expansion projects at the airport, including installation of a parking lot, may reduce the amount of suitable habitat further. [4]
Fremontodendron, with the common names fremontia, flannelbush, and flannel bush, is a genus of three known species of shrubs native to the Southwestern United States and northwest Mexico.
Serpentine soil is an uncommon soil type produced by weathered ultramafic rock such as peridotite and its metamorphic derivatives such as serpentinite. More precisely, serpentine soil contains minerals of the serpentine subgroup, especially antigorite, lizardite, and chrysotile or white asbestos, all of which are commonly found in ultramafic rocks. The term "serpentine" is commonly used to refer to both the soil type and the mineral group which forms its parent materials.
Fremontodendron californicum, with the common names California flannelbush, California fremontia, and flannel bush, is a flowering shrub native to diverse habitats in southwestern North America.
Thlaspi, or pennycress, is a genus of herbs of temperate regions of the Eurasian continent. They occur in Central and South Europe, South-West Asia and two species are endemic to China. The Thlaspi has been proven to be a hyperaccumulator of heavy metals such as zinc and cadmium and therefore may be used in phytoremediation initiatives.
Kneeland Airport is a public airport operated by Humboldt County 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Eureka, California. Located on a mountain ridge at over 2,700 feet (820 m) above sea level, this airfield is used by general aviation aircraft, which sometimes seek an alternate airport when nearby low-lying airports are under fog. The airport has a California Dept. of Forestry (CDF) Helitack Station. Kneeland Airport is also used as an excellent sky watching location for the Humboldt Astronomers club.
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Festuca californica is a species of grass known by the common name California fescue.
Galium californicum is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family known by the common name California bedstraw.
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Oenothera californica, known by the common name California evening primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family.
Orobanche californica, known by the common name California broomrape, is a species of broomrape. It is a parasitic plant growing attached to the roots of other plants, usually members of the Asteraceae.
Silene campanulata is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Red Mountain catchfly and bell catchfly. It may be a synonym of Silene greenei.
Clematis socialis is a rare species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Alabama leather flower. It is native to the US states of Alabama and Georgia, where it is known from only five populations. The species is seriously threatened by habitat destruction. It is a federally listed endangered species.
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Echinocereus fendleri is a species of cactus known by the common names pinkflower hedgehog cactus and Fendler's hedgehog cactus. It is named in honor of Augustus Fendler.
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Glaucocarpum is a monotypic plant genus containing the single species Glaucocarpum suffrutescens, a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common names Uinta Basin waxfruit, waxfruit mustard, toad-flax cress, and shrubby reed-mustard. It is endemic to Utah in the United States, where it is known only from Duchesne and Uintah Counties. It is threatened by habitat degradation and destruction. It is federally listed as an endangered species of the United States.
Hastingsia bracteosa is a rare species of flowering plant in the agave subfamily of the asparagus family known by the common name large-flowered rushlily. It is endemic to Oregon in the United States, where it is limited to a twelve-mile stretch of the Illinois Valley in the southwestern part of the state.