Kern Mallow
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Sacramento Fish & Wildlife Office
Species Account
KERN MALLOW
(Eremalche kernensis)
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 San Joaquin Valley, California, September 30. 1998. (pdf format), September 30. 1998. (pdf format)
DESCRIPTION:
Kern mallow (Eremalche kernensis) is a small, annual herb belonging to the mallow family (Malvaceae). It has predominantly white to sometimes pale lavender, hollyhock-like flowers.
The most recent treatment (Hickman 1993) assign Kern mallow the name Eremalche parryi ssp. kernensis. However, this argument has not been completely accepted by the scientific community. For the time being, the Service will use E. kernensis, which was the name used when Kern mallow was listed in 1990.
Kern mallow seeds typically germinate in January and February, and plants begin flowering in March. Fruit production begins within a few days after flowers appear. Flowering and fruit production may continue into May under favorable moisture and temperature conditions. The duration of seed viability in the soil is unknown and it is thought that at least some seeds remain ungerminated in the following growing season. Seed dispersal agents are unknown, but may include animals and wind.
Like many annual plants, population size varies with rainfall and has been observed to fluctuate dramatically from one year to another, to the point that it may not be detected at all at known locations in years of below-average rainfall.
See Hickman (1993) in General Information about California Plants, below, for a detailed description of the species.
DISTRIBUTION:
Kern mallow is known from a single metapopulation consisting of intermittent occurrences within an area of approximately 40 square miles at the eastern base of the Temblor Range in the Lokern area of western Kern County. The distribution runs from the vicinity of McKittrick to near Buttonwillow.
The species typically occurs in valley saltbush scrub communities, where it grows under and around spiny and common saltbushes and in patches with other herbaceous plants. It typically grows in areas where shrub cover is less than 25 percent, on alkaline sandy loam or clay soils, and at elevations of 315 to 900 feet.
THREATS:
Approximately 85 percent of the Kern mallow habitat is privately owned and is vulnerable to effects of many uses, particularly oil and gas exploration and development. Although the current level of petroleum production, as practiced with Kern mallow impact avoidance and minimization measures implemented by private companies as well as in Bureau of Land Management-authorized actions, does not seem to significantly threaten the remaining Kern mallows, increased production levels could cause further habitat fragmentation and loss of localized Kern mallow colonies.
Either uncontrolled grazing or the absence of grazing may threaten the Kern mallow. Sheep have grazed private land in the Lokern area for decades, and continue to do so during the growing season. While grazing can remove leaves, flowers, and fruits of Kern mallow, it also reduces competition in areas dominated by aggressive nonnative plants, where Kern mallow does not thrive.
Population and plant size can vary dramatically, depending on site and weather conditions. Several botanists familiar with Kern mallow were unable to find it at known locations during below-average rainfall years.
STATE & CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY STATUS:
The California Native Plant Society has placed this species on List 1B (rare or endangered throughout its range). Although the species has not been officially listed by the State of California, the Department of Fish and Game considers it to be "very threatened."
REFERENCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Bates, D.M. 1992. Gynodioecy, endangerment, and status of Eremalche kernensis (Malvaceae). Phytologia 72:48-54.
Sandoval, T.M. and E.A. Cypher. Endangered Species Recovery Program profile.
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 & Wildlife Service. 1998. Recovery plan for upland species of the San Joaquin Valley, California. Portland, Oregon.
Wolf, C.B. 1938. California plant notes: II. Occasional Papers, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Series 1(2):44-90.
General Information about California Plants
Photo credit: Photo of Kern mallow by Ted D. Murphy
Prepared by Endangered
Species Div., Sacramento Fish & Wildlife
Office, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service
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