Search / Plant Profile / Arctostaphylos hookeri ssp. franciscana

Plant Profile

Franciscan Manzanita (Arctostaphylos hookeri ssp. franciscana)

Global Rank: GH - Possibly Extinct
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Ericaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 140720
Lifeform: Shrub, Subshrub
Date Inducted in National Collection: 03/06/1993

Description:

The Franciscan manzanita was historically known to exist in three populations in San Francisco, two in cemeteries and one at Mt. Davidson. Unfortunately for the this plant, it was found on lands that were highly valued for commercial and residential property in the rapidly expanding city of San Francisco. As a result, these three sites had been developed even by 1978, despite efforts by one woman in particular, Lester Roundtree, who lobbied intensely for one of the cemeteries to be maintained as a park in order to preserve this beautiful plant and its unique habitat. In a strange twist of fate, this plant now exists only in botanic gardens and home gardens. Those individuals who lobbied for the plants protection began propagating the species in the 1940's, an initiative that was spearheaded by Louis L. Edmunds of Danville. Mr. Edmunds was successful in his propagation efforts, producing plants that formed visually interesting mats three to four feet broad and six to eight inches high that were capable of surviving the dry California summer with absolutely no water. (Schmidt 1978)

Where is Franciscan Manzanita (Arctostaphylos hookeri ssp. franciscana) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Well drained soil with full sun in coastal areas and partial shade further inland (Schmidt 1978)

Distribution:

San Francisco, California before it went extinct in the wild (Schmidt 1978)

States & Provinces:

Franciscan Manzanita can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Franciscan Manzanita (Arctostaphylos hookeri ssp. franciscana)?

Regional Parks Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

California Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

University of California-Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Assigned 01/17/19

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, University of California Botanical Garden holds 1 accessions of Arctostaphylos franciscana in orthodox seed collection. We are uncertain as to how many total seeds are in this collection.

08/05/2020

Based on an August 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, University of California Botanical Garden has collected 1 seed accessions of Arctostaphylos franciscana from 1 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass an unknown number of maternal plants

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Previously believed extinct in the wild, a single wild plant of this variety was discovered in 2009. Exists in cultivation at RSA Botanic Garden, Claremont, California; at the University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley, California; and at Strybing Arboretum in San Francisco, California.

01/01/2010

Extinct in the wild.

01/01/2010

Extinct in the wild! Exists at Regional Parks Botanic Garden and Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden.

01/01/2010

The phylogeny of species and varieties in the Arctostaphylos hookeri complex have been investigated. (Markos et al.1998)

01/01/2010

None known.

01/01/2010

Habitat restoration and reintroduction programs Education of the public to encourage use of this species as an ornamental plant

01/01/2010

Maintain seeds and plants to maximize known genetic diversity of the taxon