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Plant Profile

Tree Anemone (Carpenteria californica)

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Hydrangeaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 145491
Lifeform: Shrub
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

Carpenteria californica is an evergreen shrub that is currently down to about 8 occurrences left in the wild. Of these eight, they’re all found on the western foothills of Sierra Nevada with most located on federally or privately owned property (NatureServe 2017). The primary contributor to this species’ endangered status is the plant’s inability to germinate seedlings unless specific conditions are met. For example, studies have proven that controlled wildfires are required to both establish/expand its population and to reduce native competition upon re-sprouting (USFWS 1998). When fully grown, C. californica can be identified by its glossy leaves and smooth, pale bark that peels annually (NatureServe 2017).

Where is Tree Anemone (Carpenteria californica) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Otherwise known as the Tree Anemone, it can be found in woodlands along bodies of water (streams, rivers, ravines) or wherever the earth is moist (NatureServe 2017).

Distribution:

C.californica is distributed along the eastern sides of Fresno and Madera counties where the western woodlands of Sierra Nevada are (NatureServe 2017).

States & Provinces:

Tree Anemone can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Tree Anemone (Carpenteria californica)?

California Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

University of California-Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Assigned 01/17/19

The Huntington

Not Sponsored

Assigned 10/30/23

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

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, California Botanic Garden holds 3 accessions of Carpenteria californica in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 518361 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 Carpenteria californica from 2 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass 2 maternal plants

01/01/2010

development construction native stands show little sign of natural reproduction

01/01/2010

native to a small geographical area in Fresno Co. in the San Joaquin and King's River Canyon area