Search / Plant Profile / Acmispon argophyllus var. adsurgens

Plant Profile

San Clemente Island Bird's-foot-trefoil (Acmispon argophyllus var. adsurgens)

This shot shows the flowers. Photo Credit: Mark Elvin

Global Rank: T2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Fabaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 132250
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 06/01/2017

Description:

Lotus argophyllus var. adsurgens, a shrubby perennial with silvery leaves and yellow-orange flowers, is endemic to San Clemente Island, part of the Channel Islands, California. The Island's recent history of intense grazing has eliminated much of the natural vegetation. Currently, Lotus argophyllus var. adsurgens is known from three sites on the island that support less than 100 individuals (USFWS 1996) and is listed as state endangered (CDFG 2002).

Where is San Clemente Island Bird's-foot-trefoil (Acmispon argophyllus var. adsurgens) located in the wild?

Habitat:

This species grows on marine terraces in the cholla phase of maritime desert scrub vegetation (CDFG 2002).

Distribution:

Lotus argophyllus var. adsurgens is endemic to the southern tip of San Clemente Island, part of the Channel Islands, California. (CDFG 2002).

States & Provinces:

San Clemente Island Bird's-foot-trefoil can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve San Clemente Island Bird's-foot-trefoil (Acmispon argophyllus var. adsurgens)?

California Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

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, California Botanic Garden holds 7 accessions of Acmispon argophyllus var. adsurgens in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 8458 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, California Botanic Garden has collected 3 seed accessions of Acmispon argophyllus var. adsurgens from 2 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

CNSP List: 1B; R-E-D Code: 3-3-3; State/Fed. Status: CE/C2.

01/01/2010

The introduction of alien herbivores more than a century ago has had dramatic negative effects on plant community composition on all of the Channel Islands. These effects include the reduction of native plant cover, density and biomass. Intensive herbivor

01/01/2010

Lotus argophyllus var. adsurgens is known from 10 populations at the southern tip of San Clemente Island. (USFWS 1996)

01/01/2010

Liston and colleagues (1990) found a low degree of hybridization between Lotus species on San Clemente Island. Although hybridization was not extensive, it may still pose a long-term threat (Liston et al. 1990).

01/01/2010

Since the U.S. Navy has removed goats, as a part of its Feral Animal Removal Program, the general condition of native species has improved (CDFG 2002).

01/01/2010

Population monitoring and continued habitat restoration as well as understanding reproductive ecology and habitat needs through various life stages will all aid in conservation efforts.