Baker's larkspur
Encyclopedia
Baker's larkspur is a perennial
herb
in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is endemic to California
in the United States, where it is a federally listed endangered species
. It is known in the wild from one remaining occurrence near Salmon Creek
in Sonoma County
, where only seven plants remained as of March, 2006.
This endangered species
grows from a thickened, tuber-like, fleshy cluster of roots, to a height of 70 cm (26 inches). The leaves occur primarily along the upper third of the stem and are green at the time the plant flowers.
The flowers are irregularly shaped. It has five conspicuous sepal
s, bright dark blue or purplish, with the rear sepal elongated into a spur
. The inconspicuous petal
s occur in two pairs. The lower pair is oblong and blue-purple, the upper pair oblique and white. Seed
s are produced in several dry, many-seeded fruit
s that split open at maturity on only one side. The species flowers from April through May.
Baker's larkspur grows on decomposed shale
within coastal scrub plant community. Its range historically included the Point Reyes Peninsula and areas between Camp Meeker
and Petaluma, California
.
mowing weeds in the critical habitat area cut down 30 to 50 Baker's larkspurs. Scientists initially believed the action may have caused the species' extinction.
In October 2004, the plant was nearly made extinct in earnest by road workers using heavy machinery
to unclog a roadside drain. The last remaining population of about 100 plants was reduced to five individuals.
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the United States, where it is a federally listed endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. It is known in the wild from one remaining occurrence near Salmon Creek
Salmon Creek (Sonoma County, California)
Salmon Creek is an stream in western Sonoma County, California that springs from coastal hills west of the town of Occidental and empties into the Pacific Ocean north of Bodega Head.-Course:...
in Sonoma County
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
, where only seven plants remained as of March, 2006.
This endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
grows from a thickened, tuber-like, fleshy cluster of roots, to a height of 70 cm (26 inches). The leaves occur primarily along the upper third of the stem and are green at the time the plant flowers.
The flowers are irregularly shaped. It has five conspicuous sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s, bright dark blue or purplish, with the rear sepal elongated into a spur
Spur (biology)
A spur in botany is a spike, usually part of a flower.In certain plants, part of a sepal or petal develops into an elongated hollow spike extending behind the flower, containing nectar which is sucked by long-tongued animals . Plants with such structures include Delphinium, Aquilegia, Piperia, and...
. The inconspicuous petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s occur in two pairs. The lower pair is oblong and blue-purple, the upper pair oblique and white. Seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s are produced in several dry, many-seeded fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s that split open at maturity on only one side. The species flowers from April through May.
Baker's larkspur grows on decomposed shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
within coastal scrub plant community. Its range historically included the Point Reyes Peninsula and areas between Camp Meeker
Camp Meeker, California
Camp Meeker, California is an unincorporated village located on the Bohemian Highway, between Occidental and Monte Rio. It has approximately 350 homes on properties ranging from a couple thousand square feet to many acres, some flat and sunny, some on steep narrow gauge railroad type one-way streets...
and Petaluma, California
Petaluma, California
Petaluma is a city in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. In the 2010 Census the population was 57,941.Located in Petaluma is the Rancho Petaluma Adobe, a National Historic Landmark. It was built beginning in 1836 by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, then Commandant of the San...
.
Near-extinction incidents caused by road crews
In July 2002, county-hired road crewsRoad
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
mowing weeds in the critical habitat area cut down 30 to 50 Baker's larkspurs. Scientists initially believed the action may have caused the species' extinction.
In October 2004, the plant was nearly made extinct in earnest by road workers using heavy machinery
Backhoe
A backhoe, also called a rear actor or back actor, is a piece of excavating equipment or digger consisting of a digging bucket on the end of a two-part articulated arm. They are typically mounted on the back of a tractor or front loader...
to unclog a roadside drain. The last remaining population of about 100 plants was reduced to five individuals.
External links
- Jepson Manual Treatment
- USDA Plants Profile
- Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office Species Account
- US Fish & Wildlife News Release. Critical Habitat Designated for Two Imperiled California Coastal Plants. March 18, 2003.
- Photo gallery