Sonoma Shortawn Foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis var. sonomensis)

Global Rank: T1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Poaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 148177
Lifeform: Graminoid
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

The Sonoma shortawn foxtail is a sub-species of the Alopecurus aequalis or shortawn foxtail. Unlike the rest of the shortawn foxtails, which are widespread across America and Canada, A. aequalis var. sonomensis is endemic to the Sonoma and Marin counties in the northern California coastline. Belonging to the grass family, it prefers freshwater wetlands and marshes and typically grows to be 50-75 cm tall. It is a flexible, slender, and produces white, tufted blooms between May and July under natural conditions. Out of 16 known historical populations of A. aequalis sonomensis, there are only 5 left with approximately 200 surviving individual plants in total. Since being added to the endangered species list, it has since been updated as a critically endangered plant species. Current threats include aggressive non-native plants, trampling, and cattle grazing.

Where is Sonoma Shortawn Foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis var. sonomensis) located in the wild?

Habitat:

permanent freshwater wetlands

States & Provinces:

Sonoma Shortawn Foxtail can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Sonoma Shortawn Foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis var. sonomensis)?

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 4 accessions of Alopecurus aequalis var. sonomensis in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 3477 seeds of this species in their collection - although some may have been used for curation testing or sent to back up.

01/01/2010

Competition from nonnative plant species , trampling and grazing y cattle, low regeneration, inadequate regulatory mechanisms

01/01/2010

five natural populations; three sites in Sonoma County are privately owned, and the two sites on the Point Reyes National Seashore are federally owned.