Phacelia argentea
Encyclopedia
Phacelia argentea is a rare species of phacelia
known by the common names sand dune phacelia and silvery phacelia. It is native to the coastline of southwestern Oregon
and far northwestern California
, where it was counted at a total of 33 sites in 1995. It is the only phacelia species endemic to coastal sand dune
habitat, an ecosystem which is altered and declining in the area.
This is a hairy, fleshy perennial herb growing prostrate or upright to a maximum length near 45 centimeters. The leaves are thick and coated in long, straight, silvery hairs. They are roughly oval, pointed or rounded at the tips, and up to 12 centimeters long. The inflorescence
is an array of one-sided coiling cymes of many bell-shaped flowers each about half a centimeter long. The flower is white or cream with whiskery protruding stamen
s.
The flowers are pollinated
by honey bees
, bumble bees, and a local native leafcutter bee
(Anthidium palliventre
).
A main threat to this rare species is the presence of the introduced
non-native European beachgrass
(Ammophila arenaria), which was once planted to stabilize the sand dunes and now dominates.
Phacelia
Phacelia is a genus of about 200 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants, native to North and South America....
known by the common names sand dune phacelia and silvery phacelia. It is native to the coastline of southwestern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and far northwestern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it was counted at a total of 33 sites in 1995. It is the only phacelia species endemic to coastal sand dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
habitat, an ecosystem which is altered and declining in the area.
This is a hairy, fleshy perennial herb growing prostrate or upright to a maximum length near 45 centimeters. The leaves are thick and coated in long, straight, silvery hairs. They are roughly oval, pointed or rounded at the tips, and up to 12 centimeters long. 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 array of one-sided coiling cymes of many bell-shaped flowers each about half a centimeter long. The flower is white or cream with whiskery protruding stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s.
The flowers are pollinated
Pollination
Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred in plants, thereby enabling fertilisation and sexual reproduction. Pollen grains transport the male gametes to where the female gamete are contained within the carpel; in gymnosperms the pollen is directly applied to the ovule itself...
by honey bees
European honey bee
The Western honey bee or European honey bee is a species of honey bee. The genus Apis is Latin for "bee", and mellifera comes from Latin melli- "honey" and ferre "to bear"—hence the scientific name means "honey-bearing bee"...
, bumble bees, and a local native leafcutter bee
Megachilidae
The Megachilidae are a cosmopolitan family of solitary bees whose pollen-carrying structure is restricted to the ventral surface of the abdomen...
(Anthidium palliventre
Anthidium palliventre
Anthidium palliventre is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bees.-Synonyms:Synonyms for this species include:*Anthidium pallidiventre Dalla Torre, 1896, emend*Anthidium californicum Cresson, 1879...
).
A main threat to this rare species is the presence of the introduced
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
non-native European beachgrass
Ammophila arenaria
Ammophila arenaria is a species of grass known by the common names European Marram Grass and European Beachgrass. It is one of two species of the genus Ammophila . It is native to the coastlines of Europe and North Africa where it grows in the sands of beach dunes. It is a perennial grass forming...
(Ammophila arenaria), which was once planted to stabilize the sand dunes and now dominates.