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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)?

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/13/17

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, 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

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