Baccharis malibuensis
Encyclopedia
Baccharis malibuensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name Malibu baccharis. It is endemic to Los Angeles County, California
, where it is known from only six occurrences in the Malibu Creek
drainage in the Santa Monica Mountains
near Malibu. It grows in chaparral
, coastal sage scrub
, and oak woodlands. Most of the occurrences contain fewer than 200 individual plants. The species was described to science only in 1995.
This is a shrub
growing 40 centimeters to over a meter in height, and known to exceed 2 meters at times. The erect stems have a woody base and are mostly hairless, but may be sparsely hairy near the ends of the branches. The narrow, widely-spaced leaves are linear or lance-shaped and smooth-edged or slightly serrated, and measure 1.5 to 6.5 centimeters in length but only a few millimeters in width. They are glandular and hairless or with few hairs. The inflorescence
is an elongated cluster of many flower heads
containing twenty to thirty or more male or female flowers. The fruit is a hairy achene
tipped with a plumelike white pappus
about 7 millimeters long.
Threats to this species include off-road vehicle
s and urban development.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name Malibu baccharis. It is endemic to Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, where it is known from only six occurrences in the Malibu Creek
Malibu Creek
Malibu Creek is a year-round stream in western Los Angeles County, California. It drains the southern Simi Hills and the westernmost San Fernando Valley, flows south through the Santa Monica Mountains, and enters Santa Monica Bay east of Malibu. The Malibu Creek watershed drains and its tributary...
drainage in the Santa Monica Mountains
Santa Monica Mountains
The Santa Monica Mountains are a Transverse Range in Southern California, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the United States.-Geography:...
near Malibu. It grows in chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
, coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of coastal California and northern Baja California. It is characterized by low-growing aromatic, and drought-deciduous shrubs adapted to the semi-arid Mediterranean climate of the...
, and oak woodlands. Most of the occurrences contain fewer than 200 individual plants. The species was described to science only in 1995.
This is a shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
growing 40 centimeters to over a meter in height, and known to exceed 2 meters at times. The erect stems have a woody base and are mostly hairless, but may be sparsely hairy near the ends of the branches. The narrow, widely-spaced leaves are linear or lance-shaped and smooth-edged or slightly serrated, and measure 1.5 to 6.5 centimeters in length but only a few millimeters in width. They are glandular and hairless or with few hairs. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is an elongated cluster of many flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
containing twenty to thirty or more male or female flowers. The fruit is a hairy achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
tipped with a plumelike white pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
about 7 millimeters long.
Threats to this species include off-road vehicle
Off-road vehicle
An off-road vehicle is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with deep, open treads, a flexible suspension, or even caterpillar tracks...
s and urban development.