CNDDB News Blog

An exciting botanical discovery has recently been made! A new species of spineflower, Chorizanthe aphanantha (Irish Hills spineflower), has been formally described after its discovery on the Irish Hills Natural Reserve in San Luis Obispo County. This species was found growing in rocky openings of serpentine chaparral and can occur with several other rare, serpentine-endemic taxa. So far, this new species has only been found on the Irish Hills Natural Reserve and nowhere else in the world!

The CNDDB botany program and the California Native Plant Society’s Rare Plant Program will be working together over the next few weeks to review this species for addition to the CNDDB Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List and to the CNPS Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants.

For additional information about this discovery, see the City of San Luis Obispo’s webpage.

The "Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants List (PDF)" and "Endangered and Threatened Animals List (PDF)" have both been updated. No changes to federal Endangered Species Act listing status have occurred since the previous updates, but the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) listing status for several taxa has changed as follows:

• Coast yellow leptosiphon (Leptosiphon croceus): Endangered (Effective date of regulation: April 1, 2019)
• Lassics lupine (Lupinus constancei): Endangered (Effective date of regulation: April 1, 2019)
• Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis): Endangered (Effective date of regulation: March 18, 2019)
• Tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor): Threatened (Effective date of regulation: March 18, 2019)
• Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina): Threatened (Effective date of regulation: March 18, 2019)
• Fisher (Pekania pennanti), Southern Sierra Nevada ESU: Threatened (Effective date of regulation: March 18, 2019)
• Upper Klamath-Trinity River Spring Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): declared a candidate species (February 2019)

Links to the T&E lists can be found on the CNDDB Plants and Animals web page. More information about state listing can be found at the California Fish and Game Commission CESA website.

In 2015, CDFW began an effort to understand abundance, habitat use, genetics, and health of mountain lions across California. Though the effort is still well underway, great strides have already been made to increase understanding of multiple aspects of mountain lion ecology in California. This talk will detail the statewide efforts and findings to date as well as detail what is yet to come concerning CDFW’s role in conserving and managing mountain lions in California.

Date: Wednesday, April 24, 1-3 p.m.
Location: Resources Building auditorium, 1416 9th Street, Sacramento CA
Register to view in-person or online.

Questions? Contact: Whitney.Albright@wildlife.ca.gov