Malacothamnus clementinus
Encyclopedia
Malacothamnus clementinus is a rare species of flowering plant in the mallow family
known by the common name San Clemente Island bushmallow. It is endemic to San Clemente Island, one of the Channel Islands of California
, where it is known from fewer than ten occurrences in the steep, rocky seaside canyons. The plant became a federally listed endangered species
in 1977 when it was limited to a single population nearing extinction due to herbivory by the feral goat
s which once infested the small island. The goats have since been removed and the plant is recovering well, but many threats still remain, including competition with introduced species
of plants, wildfire
, erosion
, and damage to the landscape by United States Navy
bomb
ing exercises.
Since the Navy removed goats from the island in the 1990s and started an intensive management program this species has recovered significantly. There are now over 80 known populations on the island consisting of over 1,500 individuals. In the last review of this species, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service recommended downlisting this species due to its recovery and the ongoing management that the Navy has committed to.
This is a bushy shrub
with a thin, multibranched stem coated in long, fine hairs. It reaches heights between 40 centimeters and one meter. It bears rounded dark green leaves several centimeters long which are divided into sharp lobes. The inflorescence
is a spikelike cluster of a few pale pink, lavender, or nearly white flowers with somewhat lance-shaped, hairy petals several millimeters long. It rarely produces fertile seed and it is believed to propagate itself mainly via rhizome
s.
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
known by the common name San Clemente Island bushmallow. It is endemic to San Clemente Island, one of the Channel Islands of California
Channel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
, where it is known from fewer than ten occurrences in the steep, rocky seaside canyons. The plant became 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...
in 1977 when it was limited to a single population nearing extinction due to herbivory by the feral goat
Feral goat
The feral goat is the domestic goat when it has become established in the wild. Feral goats occur in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Great Britain, Hawaii, the Galapagos and in many other parts of the world...
s which once infested the small island. The goats have since been removed and the plant is recovering well, but many threats still remain, including competition with introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
of plants, wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
, erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
, and damage to the landscape by United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
ing exercises.
Since the Navy removed goats from the island in the 1990s and started an intensive management program this species has recovered significantly. There are now over 80 known populations on the island consisting of over 1,500 individuals. In the last review of this species, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service recommended downlisting this species due to its recovery and the ongoing management that the Navy has committed to.
This is a bushy shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
with a thin, multibranched stem coated in long, fine hairs. It reaches heights between 40 centimeters and one meter. It bears rounded dark green leaves several centimeters long which are divided into sharp lobes. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a spikelike cluster of a few pale pink, lavender, or nearly white flowers with somewhat lance-shaped, hairy petals several millimeters long. It rarely produces fertile seed and it is believed to propagate itself mainly via rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s.