Brodiaea filifolia
Encyclopedia
Brodiaea filifolia is a rare species of flowering plant in the cluster-lily genus
known by the common name threadleaf brodiaea. It is endemic to southern California
, mostly in the region around the junction of Orange
, Riverside
, and San Diego Counties
, where it is a resident of scattered remaining vernal pool
and grassland
habitats. It is a federally listed threatened species and it is listed as an endangered species
on the state level.
It is a perennial producing an inflorescence
20 to 30 centimeters tall which bears bright purple flowers. Each flower has six spreading tepal
s 1 to 1.5 centimeters long with a center containing three stamen
s and narrow or small staminodes, which are flat sterile stamens lying against the tepals.
This plant occurs in grassland
areas, often in floodplain
s, and it is a member of the local vernal pool flora. It requires heavy clay
soils. This type of habitat is becoming very rare as it is being cleared for development, especially as residential areas expand. Undeveloped land near residential areas is degraded by exotic vegetation
, mowing and other fire suppression efforts, sewage
dumping, grazing
of livestock
, off-road vehicle
use, and other processes.
The plant is also at risk for reduced genetic variability
. It often reproduces vegetatively
by producing new corm
s, a method of cloning
which does not produce individuals with new combinations of gene
s. When the plant does reproduce sexually
, it requires unrelated individuals which have different genes; it cannot fertilize itself
, nor can it successfully reproduce with closely related individuals. Small population sizes that have low genetic diversity
and wide distances between populations make it less likely the plant will successfully undergo sexual reproduction. The plant sometimes hybridizes with Brodiaea orcuttii
.
There are about 68 occurrences remaining in widely spaced locations between the San Gabriel Mountains
and west-central San Diego County. Several occurrences have been discovered since the plant joined the endangered species list, including locations on Camp Pendleton, and a few have been extirpated
.
Brodiaea
Brodiaea is a monocot genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Brodiaeoideae, also known by the common name cluster-lilies...
known by the common name threadleaf brodiaea. It is endemic to southern 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...
, mostly in the region around the junction of Orange
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, Riverside
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, and San Diego Counties
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
, where it is a resident of scattered remaining vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
and grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
habitats. It is a federally listed threatened species and it is listed as an 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...
on the state level.
It is a perennial producing an 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...
20 to 30 centimeters tall which bears bright purple flowers. Each flower has six spreading tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s 1 to 1.5 centimeters long with a center containing three stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s and narrow or small staminodes, which are flat sterile stamens lying against the tepals.
This plant occurs in grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
areas, often in floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
s, and it is a member of the local vernal pool flora. It requires heavy clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
soils. This type of habitat is becoming very rare as it is being cleared for development, especially as residential areas expand. Undeveloped land near residential areas is degraded by exotic vegetation
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...
, mowing and other fire suppression efforts, sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
dumping, grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
of livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, off-road vehicle
Off-road vehicle
An off-road vehicle is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with deep, open treads, a flexible suspension, or even caterpillar tracks...
use, and other processes.
The plant is also at risk for reduced genetic variability
Genetic variability
Genetic variability is a measure of the tendency of individual genotypes in a population to vary from one another. Variability is different from genetic diversity, which is the amount of variation seen in a particular population. The variability of a trait describes how much that trait tends to...
. It often reproduces vegetatively
Vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction is a form of asexual reproduction in plants. It is a process by which new individuals arise without production of seeds or spores...
by producing new corm
Corm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
s, a method of cloning
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
which does not produce individuals with new combinations of gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
s. When the plant does reproduce sexually
Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction is the creation of a new organism by combining the genetic material of two organisms. There are two main processes during sexual reproduction; they are: meiosis, involving the halving of the number of chromosomes; and fertilization, involving the fusion of two gametes and the...
, it requires unrelated individuals which have different genes; it cannot fertilize itself
Self-incompatibility in plants
Self-incompatibility is a general name for several genetic mechanisms in angiosperms, which prevent self-fertilization and thus encourage outcrossing...
, nor can it successfully reproduce with closely related individuals. Small population sizes that have low genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity, the level of biodiversity, refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary....
and wide distances between populations make it less likely the plant will successfully undergo sexual reproduction. The plant sometimes hybridizes with Brodiaea orcuttii
Brodiaea orcuttii
Brodiaea orcuttii is a species of flowering plant in the cluster-lily genus known by the common name Orcutt's brodiaea. It is native to southern California, mainly San Diego County, where it is an uncommon species. Its range probably extends into Baja California...
.
There are about 68 occurrences remaining in widely spaced locations between the San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
and west-central San Diego County. Several occurrences have been discovered since the plant joined the endangered species list, including locations on Camp Pendleton, and a few have been extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
.