Verbena californica
Encyclopedia
Verbena californica is a rare species of verbena
known by the common names California vervain and Red Hills vervain. This flower is endemic to Tuolumne County, California
, where it is known from ten or eleven occurrences in the Red Hills
, a section of the Sierra Nevada foothills near Chinese Camp
. It grows in moist woodland habitat, often on serpentine soil
s. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
This is a green herb about half a meter in height with a fuzzy stem and long, grasslike leaves. It bears spike inflorescences
of tiny purple flowers.
This rare plant is threatened by a number of factors, including cattle
grazing
, trash dumping, gold mining
, off-road vehicle
s, and development in its habitat. The plant reproduces asexually
by sprouting from its underground bulb
; this may be a factor in its limited distribution.
Verbena
Verbena , verbenas or vervains, is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the New World from Canada south to southern Chile, but some are also native in the Old...
known by the common names California vervain and Red Hills vervain. This flower is endemic to Tuolumne County, California
Tuolumne County, California
Tuolumne County is a county in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The northern half of Yosemite National Park is located in the eastern part of the county. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,365, up from 54,501 at the 2000 census...
, where it is known from ten or eleven occurrences in the Red Hills
Red Hills (Tuolumne County)
The Red Hills are a mountain range in Tuolumne County, California.Elevations within the Red Hills vary between 750 and 1,750 feet above sea level. Slopes of the hills themselves vary from about 30% to 75%.-Red Hills Area of Critical Environmental Concern:...
, a section of the Sierra Nevada foothills near Chinese Camp
Chinese Camp, California
Chinese Camp is a census-designated place in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 126 at the 2010 census, down from 146 at the 2000 census. It lies in the grassy foothills of the Sierra Nevada near the southern end of California's Gold Country.-History:Chinese Camp is the...
. It grows in moist woodland habitat, often on serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
This is a green herb about half a meter in height with a fuzzy stem and long, grasslike leaves. It bears spike inflorescences
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...
of tiny purple flowers.
This rare plant is threatened by a number of factors, including cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
, trash dumping, gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
, 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...
s, and development in its habitat. The plant reproduces asexually
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 sprouting from its underground bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
; this may be a factor in its limited distribution.