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Plant Profile

Sandmat Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pumila)

Photo Credit: Steve Matson
  • Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Ericaceae
  • State: CA
  • Nature Serve ID: 136945
  • Lifeform: Subshrub, Shrub
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 01/17/2019
Description:

Arctostaphylos pumila is a perennial evergreen shrub endemic to the Monterey Bay coastline, Arctostaphylos pumila has two interchangeable common names. The Dune Manzanita because of how A. pumila favors Monterey Bay’s sand dunes and sea bluffs; The Sandmat Manzanita because of how A. pumila stays low to the ground and forms flat, creeping “mats” as it grows (hence, a “sandmat”). Unlike most manzanita species, A. pumila’s red bark does not shred/peel and it mostly collects water from the fog layer that frequently occurs in this area. A. pumila is currently Critically Imperiled due to urbanization and frequent military activity from nearby Ft. Ord.

Where is Sandmat Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pumila) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Arctostaphylos pumila is primarily found in coastal habitats.

Distribution:

Arctostaphylos pumila has its greatest distribution in California throughout Monterey County but a few plants have also been obsereved in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. [CNPS]

States & Provinces:

Sandmat Manzanita can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Sandmat Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pumila)?

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
  • Orthodox Seed Banking

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden holds 1 accessions of Arctostaphylos pumila in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 50 seeds of this species in their collection - although some may have been used for curation testing or sent to back up.

  • 08/05/2020
  • Seed Collection

Based on an August 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has collected 1 seed accessions of Arctostaphylos pumila from 1 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass 18 maternal plants

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Nomenclature
Taxon Arctostaphylos pumila
Authority Nutt.
Family Ericaceae
CPC Number 238
ITIS 23518
USDA ARPU4
Duration Perennial
Common Names Dune Manzanita | Sandmat Manzanita | sand-mat manzanita
Associated Scientific Names Arctostaphylos pumila | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. pumila | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. pumila | Daphnidostaphylis pumila | Uva-ursi pumila
Distribution Arctostaphylos pumila has its greatest distribution in California throughout Monterey County but a few plants have also been obsereved in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. [CNPS]
State Rank
State State Rank
California S1
Ecological Relationships

Photos

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