California Jewelflower
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Sacramento Fish & Wildlife Office

Species Account

CALIFORNIA JEWELFLOWER
(Caulanthus californicus)

CLASSIFICATION: Federal Endangered Species (Federal Register 55:29361; July 19, 1990.)

CRITICAL HABITAT:  None designated.

RECOVERY PLAN:  Recovery plan for the upland species of the SanJoaquin Valley, California, September 30. 1998. (pdf format), September 30. 1998. (pdf format)

DESCRIPTION:

California jewelflower (Caulanthus californicus), an annual herb in the mustard family (Brassicaceae), has flattened, sword-shaped fruits. Its stems are erect, up to about 1 foot tall, and produce several flowering branches. The leaves are wavy-margined and most are in a basal rosette.

Seeds begin to germinate in the fall, and seedlings may continue to emerge for several months. The seedlings develop into rosettes of leaves during winter months, after which stems elongate and flower buds appear in February or March. Translucent white flowers with purple to green tips may continue blooming as late as May if rainfall and temperatures are favorable.

It is thought that this species forms a persistent seed bank, but seeds appear to germinate only when exposed to conditions simulating prolonged weathering. Seed dispersal agents are unknown, but may include gravity, seed-eating animals such as giant kangaroo rats, wind and water.

Fruit, stem and foliar hair characteristics distinguish this species from other jewelflowers. See Hickman (1993) in General Information about California Plants, below, for detailed information.

DISTRIBUTION:

Known populations of California jewelflower occur in nonnative grassland, upper sonoran subshrub scrub, and cismontane juniper woodland and scrub communities. Historical records suggest that it also occurred in the valley saltbush scrub community in the past. Populations have been reported from subalkaline, sandy loam soils at elevations of approximately 240 to 2,950 feet. The naturally-occurring populations known to exist today are distributed in three concentrations: (1) Santa Barbara Canyon, (2) the Carrizo Plain, and (3) the Kreyenhagen Hills in Fresno County.

As is typical of annual plant species, plant size and population size can vary dramatically, depending on site and weather conditions. Undiscovered populations may persist in the foothills of Fresno, Kern and Kings counties where potential habitat remains in rangeland.

THREATS:

Potential threats to remaining populations include competition from nonnative plants, pesticide effects on pollinators, small population size and development on private land in the Santa Barbara Canyon area. Cattle grazing may be a threat if the grazing occurs between the rosette stage and seed set.

STATE & CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY STATUS:

This species was listed as endangered by the California Department of Fish and Game in January 1987. The California Native Plant Society has placed it on List 1B (rare or endangered throughout its range). The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield and Holister field offices have it on their sensitive species lists. Those offices manage a number of the extant populations.

REFERENCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Sandoval, T.M. and E.A. Cypher. Endangered Species Recovery Program. Species Account.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 1990. Endangeredand Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Endangered or Threatened Status for Five Plants from the Southern San Joaquln Valley. Portland, Oregon.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Recovery plan for upland species of the San Joaquin Valley, California. Region 1, Portland, OR.

See also: Fremontia 16(1):18-19 (1988).

General Information about California Plants

Credits: Photo of California jewelflower © William Sleuter Calphoto ID: 0000 0000 0102 0023

Prepared by Endangered Species Div., Sacramento Fish & Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

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