The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today released a draft recovery plan for Otay tarplant (Deinandra conjugens), a native plant that occurs only in portions of San Diego County, California and Baja California, Mexico.
Public review and comment on the document is invited through 5:00 p.m. on March 2, 2004. Comments and materials related to the draft recovery plan should be submitted in writing to: Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, 6010 Hidden Valley Road, Carlsbad, California 92009. Comments and information may also be submitted by electronic mail to tarplant@fws.gov.
Otay tarplant was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1998. In December 2002 critical habitat was designated for Otay tarplant on approximately 6,330 acres of land in San Diego County. Federal Register Notice
The goal of the ESA is to recover listed species to the point where they are secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystems and no longer need federal protection. A recovery plan is a blueprint providing guidance for actions by federal, state and other public agencies and private interests that will lead to the recovery and delisting of a species. Recovery plans are advisory only. They do not obligate the expenditure of funds or require that the recommended actions be implemented.
A member of the sunflower family, Otay tarplant ranges from 2 to 10 inches high and produces yellow flowers. The plant is self-incompatible which means an Otay tarplant can only be fertilized by pollen from another Otay tarplant if the two plants are genetically distinct from one another. Pollinating insects, and mammals and birds are very important to Otay tarplant pollination because they transport pollen between individual plants and, in the case of mammals and birds, aid in the dispersal of the plant
