Santa Ynez Groundstar (Ancistrocarphus keilii)

Diminutive plant not seen in nearly 30 years, re-located and seen for the first time since being described as new species from herbarium specimens. First photos of live plants in the field taken this April. Photo Credit: Kristen Nelson

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Crossosomataceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 786432
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 11/20/2023

Description:

Santa Ynez Groundstar (Ancistrocarphus keilii) is a diminutive plant known only from Santa Barbara County, CA. Three populations have been documented totaling only 180 plants, but for 30 years no individuals of this species were observed and documented. In 2023, a collaborative group of botanists from Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and California Native Plant Society conducted an expedition to survey the last documented occurrence of this plant. The expedition was successful and scientists collected new voucher specimens, completed conservation seed banking, acquired the first-ever photos of this plant in living condition, and collected detailed data about the status of the population and its habitat.

Where is Santa Ynez Groundstar (Ancistrocarphus keilii) located in the wild?

Distribution:

Chaparral/shrubland bordering woodlands

States & Provinces:

Santa Ynez Groundstar can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Santa Ynez Groundstar (Ancistrocarphus keilii)?

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Assigned 11/20/23

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

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