Thermopsis macrophylla
Encyclopedia
Thermopsis macrophylla is a species of flowering plant in the legume family
known by the common names Santa Ynez goldenbanner and Santa Ynez false-lupine.
, where there are 500 to 2500 individuals remaining in the Santa Ynez Mountains
. Only two occurrences have been confirmed recently, but the appearance of plants in coming seasons will depend on wildfire
activity in the region, because plants spring up from the dormant seed bank
after fire. All the known populations occur on wildlands within the Los Padres National Forest
.
The plant grows in chaparral
on sandstone
soils among chamise
(Adenostoma fasciculatum), Eastwood's manzanita
(Arctostaphylos glandulosa), and chaparral whitethorn
(Ceanothus leucodermis).
This species once included several other species of Thermopsis, but in 1994, the others were separated out and elevated to species status, and the name T. macrophylla was applied to this rare variety limited to the Santa Ynez Mountains.
perennial herb growing up to 2 meters tall and one wide. It produces up to ten inflorescence
s each bearing up to 100 bright yellow flowers up to 2 centimeters long each. The fruit is a legume pod containing six to eight seeds. The seeds have very hard coats and must be scarified
by fire until they reach 80°C if they are to germinate
.
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
known by the common names Santa Ynez goldenbanner and Santa Ynez false-lupine.
Distribution
It is endemic to Santa Barbara County, CaliforniaSanta Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
, where there are 500 to 2500 individuals remaining in the Santa Ynez Mountains
Santa Ynez Mountains
The Santa Ynez Mountains are a portion of the Transverse Ranges, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges of the west coast of North America, and are one of the northernmost mountain ranges in Southern California.-Geography:...
. Only two occurrences have been confirmed recently, but the appearance of plants in coming seasons will depend on wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
activity in the region, because plants spring up from the dormant seed bank
Seed bank
Seed bank may refer to:*Seedbank, a repository of preserved seeds*The store of viable plant seed in an ecosystem; for example:** Soil seed bank, the viable seed present in the soil;...
after fire. All the known populations occur on wildlands within the Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest is a forest located in southern and central California, which includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Monterey, extending inland...
.
The plant 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...
on sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
soils among chamise
Adenostoma fasciculatum
Adenostoma fasciculatum is a flowering plant native to California and northern Baja California. This shrub is one of the most widespread plants of the chaparral biome.-Description:...
(Adenostoma fasciculatum), Eastwood's manzanita
Arctostaphylos glandulosa
Arctostaphylos glandulosa, with the common name Eastwood's manzanita, is a species of manzanita.-Distribution:This shrub is native to the coastal slopes of western North America from Oregon through California to Baja California.-Description:...
(Arctostaphylos glandulosa), and chaparral whitethorn
Ceanothus leucodermis
Ceanothus leucodermis, with the common name Chaparral whitethorn, is a species of shrub in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. It is native to California and Baja California, where it grows in coastal and inland mountain habitat, such as chaparral, coniferous forest, and oak...
(Ceanothus leucodermis).
This species once included several other species of Thermopsis, but in 1994, the others were separated out and elevated to species status, and the name T. macrophylla was applied to this rare variety limited to the Santa Ynez Mountains.
Description
This is a rhizomatousRhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
perennial herb growing up to 2 meters tall and one wide. It produces up to ten 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...
s each bearing up to 100 bright yellow flowers up to 2 centimeters long each. The fruit is a legume pod containing six to eight seeds. The seeds have very hard coats and must be scarified
Scarification (botany)
Scarification in botany involves cutting the seed coat using abrasion, thermal stress, or chemicals to encourage germination.-In botany:Scarification is a natural process important for germination of many species' seeds. This process involves the breaching of the natural seed coating by mechanical,...
by fire until they reach 80°C if they are to germinate
Germination
Germination is the process in which a plant or fungus emerges from a seed or spore, respectively, and begins growth. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm. However the growth of a sporeling from a spore, for example the...
.