Legenere limosa
Encyclopedia
Legenere limosa is an annual wildflower
of the bellflower
family endemic
to limited portions of Northern California
. This species
is the sole member of the genus
Legenere. The species common name is False Venus' looking glass.
s and certain other moist habitats. Principal colonies are in Solano County, Sacramento County, Lake County
, Napa County, Sonoma County, Tehama County and Yuba County.
According to the California Native Plant Society L. limosa is classified on List 1B: Rare, threatened, or endangered; and 0.1: Seriously endangered. Main threats to the species are grazing
and human overpopulation
.
who first described this plant in 1890; the genus name Legenere is derived as an anagram
of "E. L. Greene". The species name limosa derives from the Latin words limus (meaning mud) and sella {meaning seat): the plant that is seated in mud.
Wildflower
A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...
of the bellflower
Campanulaceae
The family Campanulaceae , of the order Asterales, contains about 2000 species in 70 genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and rarely small trees, often with milky non-toxic sap...
family endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to limited portions of Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. This species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
is the sole member of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Legenere. The species common name is False Venus' looking glass.
Distribution
Blooming in May and June, it occurs below elevations of 610 meters in vernal poolVernal 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...
s and certain other moist habitats. Principal colonies are in Solano County, Sacramento County, Lake County
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
, Napa County, Sonoma County, Tehama County and Yuba County.
According to the California Native Plant Society L. limosa is classified on List 1B: Rare, threatened, or endangered; and 0.1: Seriously endangered. Main threats to the species are grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
and human overpopulation
Overpopulation
Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. The term often refers to the relationship between the human population and its environment, the Earth...
.
Description
Stems are reclining and of length ten to thirty centimeters, but the lateral slender branches are rigid. An alternate common name for this organism is Greene's Legenere, after Edward Lee GreeneEdward Lee Greene
Edward Lee Greene, Ph.D., was an American botanist known for his numerous publications including the two-part Landmarks of Botanical History and the naming or redescribing of over 4,400 species of plants in the American West.- Early Life :Edward Lee Greene was born on August 20, 1843 in...
who first described this plant in 1890; the genus name Legenere is derived as an anagram
Anagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
of "E. L. Greene". The species name limosa derives from the Latin words limus (meaning mud) and sella {meaning seat): the plant that is seated in mud.