Thysanocarpus conchuliferus
Encyclopedia
Thysanocarpus conchuliferus is a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name Santa Cruz Island fringepod. It is endemic to Santa Cruz Island
, one of the Channel Islands of California
, where has been recently observed at only one location; some years it is totally absent.
It is a federally listed endangered species
of the United States, and a review by the US Fish & Wildlife Service in 2009 suggests it should remain on the list. The plant's habitat is the coastal scrub on the rocky, windblown slopes and canyons of its single island.
This is a delicate annual herb with slender, waxy stems growing no more than about 20 centimeters long. The leaves are linear or lance-shaped with toothed edges or sometimes lobes, and a base that clasps the stem. The inflorescence
is a dense raceme
of flowers with four spoon-shaped white to purple petals each about 2 millimeters long. The fruit is a flat, round, disc-like capsule with a fringed, often perforated wing encircling it.
Threats to the species have included herbivory by non-native animal species
such as feral pigs, picking and trampling of plants by collectors of rare species, competition
from introduced and weedy plant species such as ice plant
(Carpobrotus spp.), fire suppression, and climate change
. The feral pigs, which damaged many populations of rare plants, have been removed from the Channel Islands.
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
known by the common name Santa Cruz Island fringepod. It is endemic to Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island was the largest privately owned island off the continental United States, but is currently part-owned by the National Park service . The island, located off the coast of California, is long and from wide...
, 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 has been recently observed at only one location; some years it is totally absent.
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...
of the United States, and a review by the US Fish & Wildlife Service in 2009 suggests it should remain on the list. The plant's habitat is the coastal scrub on the rocky, windblown slopes and canyons of its single island.
This is a delicate annual herb with slender, waxy stems growing no more than about 20 centimeters long. The leaves are linear or lance-shaped with toothed edges or sometimes lobes, and a base that clasps the stem. 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 dense raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
of flowers with four spoon-shaped white to purple petals each about 2 millimeters long. The fruit is a flat, round, disc-like capsule with a fringed, often perforated wing encircling it.
Threats to the species have included herbivory by non-native animal 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...
such as feral pigs, picking and trampling of plants by collectors of rare species, competition
Competition (biology)
Competition is an interaction between organisms or species, in which the fitness of one is lowered by the presence of another. Limited supply of at least one resource used by both is required. Competition both within and between species is an important topic in ecology, especially community ecology...
from introduced and weedy plant species such as ice plant
Carpobrotus
Carpobrotus is a genus of ground-creeping plants, with succulent leaves and large daisy-like flowers. The name refers to the edible fruits. It comes from the Greek "karpos" and "brota" .There are about 25 species in this genus, having a disperse distribution worldwide...
(Carpobrotus spp.), fire suppression, and climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
. The feral pigs, which damaged many populations of rare plants, have been removed from the Channel Islands.