Kenwood Marsh checkermallow
See photo info

Sacramento Fish & Wildlife Office

Species Account

KENWOOD MARSH CHECKERMALLOW
(Sidalcea oregana ssp. valida)

CLASSIFICATION: Federal Endangered Species (Federal Register 62-54791   pdf; October 22, 1997)

CRITICAL HABITAT:  None designated.

RECOVERY PLAN: None

DESCRIPTION:

Kenwood Marsh checkermallow (Sidalcea oregana ssp. valida), also known as Kenwood Marsh checkerbloom, is a perennial herb in the mallow family (Malvaceae). The plants are 3 to 4 feet tall with rounded leaves. Lower leaves are shallowly lobed and toothed. Upper leaves become increasingly deeply and narrowly lobed. Uppermost leaves are generally smaller and divided into three to five long, narrow segments.

Flowers appear from late June to September. The inflorescence consists of densely-flowered, spike-like stems that are 0.8 to 2 inches long. The petals are approximately 0.5 inch long, notched at the tip, and deep pink-mauve.

See Hickman (1993) in General Information about California Plants, below, for information about Sidalcea oregana.

DISTRIBUTION:

Kenwood Marsh checkermallow has only been found at its two present locations, Kenwood Marsh and Knights Valley in Sonoma County. Both sites occur in freshwater marshes surrounded by grasslands in association with Himalaya berry (Rubus discolor), common tule (Scirpus acutus), willow (Salix spp.), pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), and sedges (Carex spp.).

THREATS:

Kenwood Marsh checkermallow is threatened by grazing, encroachment by other plants, and the possibility of development and habitat destruction. Both sites are privately owned. There were less than 100 plants in 1998.

STATE & CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY STATUS:

This species was listed as endangered by the California Department of Fish and Game in January 1982 under the name Kenwood Marsh checkerbloom. The California Native Plant Society has placed it on List 1B (rare or endangered throughout its range), also as checkerbloom.

REFERENCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Hitchcock, C. L. 1957. A study of the perennial species of Sidalcea. Part I. Taxonomy. University of Washington.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 1997. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Endangered Status for Nine Plants From the Grasslands or Mesic Areas of the Central Coast of California. Portland, Oregon.

General Information about California Plants

Photo credit: Kenwood Marsh checkermallow © Bonnie McClellan

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

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