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Plant Profile

San Bruno Mountain Manzanita (Arctostaphylos imbricata)

The beautiful rocky slopes of San Bruno Mountain are the only home of this plant. Photo Credit: Roger Raiche

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Ericaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 159465
Lifeform: Shrub
Date Inducted in National Collection: 04/04/1991

Description:

San Bruno Mountain manzanita is an attractive low-growing evergreen shrub with small white flowers. It is known from only five occurrences on San Bruno Mountain in San Mateo County, California. This manzanita is threatened by fungal infection, off-road vehicle activity, and possibly by alteration of fire regimes. The species occurs within the boundaries of a regional park, which falls entirely within the San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) (Skinner 1997). San Bruno Mountain manzanita was withdrawn from consideration for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act because impacts to it are regulated by the HCP.

Where is San Bruno Mountain Manzanita (Arctostaphylos imbricata) located in the wild?

Habitat:

This species is found on shallow soils derived from Franciscan sandstone, greywacke, or shale, on outcrops in exposed areas such as open ridges within coastal scrub or manzanita scrub. (CDFG 2002)

Distribution:

San Bruno Mountain, San Mateo County, California. (USFWS 1997)

States & Provinces:

San Bruno Mountain Manzanita can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve San Bruno Mountain Manzanita (Arctostaphylos imbricata)?

University of California Botanical Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

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

08/19/2020

Seed collection for long-term storage.

08/19/2020

Seed collection for long-term storage.

08/19/2020

Fire is required for seed germination

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Endemic to California, Arctostaphylos imbricata is known from only five occurrences on San Bruno Mountain in San Mateo County. The manzanita is threatened by fungal infection, off-road vehicle activity, and possibly by alteration of fire regimes. The species occurs within the boundaries of a regional park, which has a management plan.

Holly Forbes

01/01/2010

Fungal infection Alteration of fire regimes (fire is required for seed germination) Off-road vehicle activity Development Non-native species Source: CDFG 2002

Holly Forbes

01/01/2010

This species occurs as six small populations on San Bruno Mountain. Five of these are within San Mateo County Park and one is on private land. (CDFG 2002)

Holly Forbes

01/01/2010

None at this time.

Holly Forbes

01/01/2010

All land use on San Bruno Mountain is regulated the nation's first Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), adopted in 1983.

Holly Forbes

01/01/2010

Demographics Genetic variability among populations Ecological requirements

Holly Forbes

01/01/2010

Seed collection for long-term storage.