Gilia yorkii
Encyclopedia
Gilia yorkii is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family
known by the common names Boyden Cave gilia and monarch gilia. It is endemic to Fresno County, California
, where it is known from only one location in the southern Sierra Nevada. This plant grows in rock cracks in the limestone
cliffs and outcrops in the chaparral
and woodlands of the canyon.
in the Kings River Canyon
, and described to science as a new species in 1998. To date there are no other populations known.
bears several flowers on threadlike, gland-studded pedicel
s. Each flower has a calyx of green sepal
s and white or pale blue or lavender tubular corolla just under a centimeter long. The pale color of the corolla helps the plant blend into the rocky surroundings, making it easy to miss.
Polemoniaceae
Polemoniaceae are a family of about 25 genera with 270-400 species of annual and perennial plants, native to the Northern Hemisphere and South America, with the center of diversity in western North America, especially in California.Only one genus is found in Europe, and two in Asia, where they...
known by the common names Boyden Cave gilia and monarch gilia. It is endemic to Fresno County, California
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
, where it is known from only one location in the southern Sierra Nevada. This plant grows in rock cracks in the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
cliffs and outcrops in the chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
and woodlands of the canyon.
Distribution
It was first discovered on July 31, 1995, near Boyden CaveBoyden Cave
Boyden Cave is karst cavern located in California's Giant Sequoia National Monument, along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, and just west of Kings Canyon National Park. Regular tours of the cave are given by a licensed guide company between April and November. It is a magnificent cavern with many...
in the Kings River Canyon
Kings River
-In the United States:*Kings River, former name of Centerville, Fresno County, California*Kings River in Arkansas and Missouri, United States*Kings River in California, United States*Kings River in Nevada, United States...
, and described to science as a new species in 1998. To date there are no other populations known.
Description
This is an annual herb with a hairy, glandular stem up to 25 centimeters tall. The leaves are divided into smooth or toothed lobes, the largest leaves near the base of the plant measuring up to 2.5 centimeters long and the uppermost tiny and reduced. The inflorescenceInflorescence
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...
bears several flowers on threadlike, gland-studded pedicel
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
s. Each flower has a calyx of green 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 and white or pale blue or lavender tubular corolla just under a centimeter long. The pale color of the corolla helps the plant blend into the rocky surroundings, making it easy to miss.