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Plant Profile

Otay Mesa Mint (Pogogyne nudiuscula)

Photo Credit: Joe Davitt

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Lamiaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 128274
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 03/08/1989

Description:

Pogogyne nudiuscula is an annual herb in the mint family (Lamiaceae) that is endemic to the vernal pool systems in southwestern California. Its purple tinged flowers bloom after the rainy season when pools begin to dry down, from May through early July (USFWS 1998). This species is currently found in only seven vernal pool complexes in San Diego County (USFWS 1998) and was listed as endangered in August, 1993 (USFWS 1993).

Where is Otay Mesa Mint (Pogogyne nudiuscula) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Vernal pool systems occur in the western United States and are a unique form of seasonal wetlands supporting a variety of plant genera endemic to California: Pogogyne, Downingia, Psilocarphus and Orcuttia. The rich flora and fauna of vernal pools differentiate these systems from other ephemeral wetlands (Stebbins 1976). The pools are utilized by birds, mammals, amphibians and insects as food, water or nesting sources (USFWS 1998). Today, approximately 95% of vernal pool habitat has been lost due to urbanization and agricultural development (USFWS 1998).

Distribution:

Pogogyne nudiuscula is only found in the vernal pool systems on the border between San Diego County and Baja California, Mexico (USFWS 1998).

States & Provinces:

Otay Mesa Mint can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Otay Mesa Mint (Pogogyne nudiuscula)?

California Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Partially Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Center for Plant Conservation

08/19/2021

In 2021, CPC contracted San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance to recollect seed from a population currently held in long term orthodox seed storage as part of an IMLS-funded seed longevity experiment. The National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation will evaluate how germination tested viability and RNA Integrity of seed lots decline over time in storage.

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, San Diego Zoo Global holds 1 accessions of Pogogyne nudiuscula in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 10563 seeds of this species in their collection - although some may have been used for curation testing or sent to back up.

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, California Botanic Garden holds 6 accessions of Pogogyne nudiuscula in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 34482 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, San Diego Zoo Global has collected 1 seed accessions of Pogogyne nudiuscula from 1 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass 170 maternal plants

08/05/2020

Based on an August 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, California Botanic Garden has collected 6 seed accessions of Pogogyne nudiuscula from 4 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

Pogogyne nudiuscula is restricted to San Diego Co., California (and neighboring Baja California), where it is seriously threatened by urbanization, road building, other land use changes, agriculture, weeds, ORVs and more. There may be a handful (fewer than 5) extant sites left but exact knowledge of what's left is not known. Current data are needed and an immediate protection strategy would be helpful.

01/01/2010

Urban development still remains the primary threat to Pogogyne nudiuscula. Development project include expansion of airports, landfills, road construction and residential and commercial building. Additional threats to remaining habitat include off road ve

01/01/2010

Pogogyne nudiuscula is currently known from seven vernal pool complexes (USFWS 1998).

01/01/2010

None known.

01/01/2010

Several conservation measures have been taken to protect vernal pool habitats. Currently, the Department of Defense, the City of San Diego, the City of Chula Vista and the County of San Diego have jurisdiction over the largest portion of remaining vernal pool habitats in California (USFWS 1998).A Multiple Species Conservation Planning Program (MSCP) and the Multiple Habitat Conservation Planning Program (MHCP), initiated by the City and County of San Diego plans to protect about 700,000 acres of natural habitat including vernal pool systems (USFWS 1998).

01/01/2010

The current management strategy set forth by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1998) is twofold: populations need to be stabilized through habitat management and expansion of existing populations. Under the current conservation plan, monitoring populations and restoring will be vital. Restoration efforts need to address the reestablishment of abiotic and biotic characteristics such as soil and water quality, hydrology, nutrient cycling, species diversity, reproductive mechanisms and species and interactions (USFWS 1998).