Blennosperma bakeri
Encyclopedia
Blennosperma bakeri is a rare species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common names Baker's stickyseed and Sonoma sunshine. It is endemic to Sonoma County, California
, where it is known from a few remaining vernal pool
sites on the wet grasslands of the Laguna de Santa Rosa
and Sonoma Valley
. It is a federally listed endangered species
. It is found alongside other rare vernal pool plants including the Sebastopol meadowfoam, Limnanthes vinculans, and Burke's goldfields, Lasthenia burkei
. Threats to its survival include the alteration of its habitat for development, road maintenance, grazing, and agriculture, as well as collecting, herbivory by thrips
, and invasive plants
.
This is a small annual herb under 30 centimeters tall. The leaves are 5 to 15 centimeters long and linear in shape with lobes near the ends. The inflorescence
bears a few flower heads
. Each head contains a center of yellow disc florets, some of which bear prominent white stigmas and white pollen. Around the edge of the head is a fringe of yellow ray florets with red stigmas. The fruit is an achene
a few millimeters long which becomes sticky when wet.
The plant is known from fifteen occurrences, but six of these may be degraded or destroyed. Several artificial vernal pools have been created to increase the numbers of the plant, but the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
does not consider these an adequate replacement for natural pools.
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 names Baker's stickyseed and Sonoma sunshine. It is endemic to Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
, where it is known from a few remaining vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
sites on the wet grasslands of the Laguna de Santa Rosa
Laguna de Santa Rosa
The Laguna de Santa Rosa is a long wetland complex that drains a 254-square mile watershed encompassing most of the Santa Rosa Plain in Sonoma County, California, USA.-Description:...
and Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Valley is the birthplace of the California wine industry and often called The Valley of the Moon. Sonoma Valley is home to some of the earliest vineyards and wineries in the state, some of which survived the phylloxera epidemic of the 1870s and the impact of Prohibition...
. It is a federally listed endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. It is found alongside other rare vernal pool plants including the Sebastopol meadowfoam, Limnanthes vinculans, and Burke's goldfields, Lasthenia burkei
Lasthenia burkei
Lasthenia burkei is a rare species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names Burke's goldfields and Burke's baeria. It is endemic to California, where it is known from three counties north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It grows in moist spring meadows and vernal pools...
. Threats to its survival include the alteration of its habitat for development, road maintenance, grazing, and agriculture, as well as collecting, herbivory by thrips
Thrips
Thrips are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings . Other common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies, thunderblights, and corn lice...
, and invasive plants
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
.
This is a small annual herb under 30 centimeters tall. The leaves are 5 to 15 centimeters long and linear in shape with lobes near the ends. 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...
bears a few flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
. Each head contains a center of yellow disc florets, some of which bear prominent white stigmas and white pollen. Around the edge of the head is a fringe of yellow ray florets with red stigmas. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
a few millimeters long which becomes sticky when wet.
The plant is known from fifteen occurrences, but six of these may be degraded or destroyed. Several artificial vernal pools have been created to increase the numbers of the plant, but the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
does not consider these an adequate replacement for natural pools.