The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is seeking data and public comments on a petition to list veiny monardella under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
Veiny monardella is an annual plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae) that occurs in the northern and central Sierra Nevada Foothills. It is restricted to grasslands and oak woodlands on clay or clay-rich soils. Veiny monardella is known from four occurrences with two of the occurrences extirpated. At the two existing occurrences, abundance was estimated at 2,500 individuals in 1998 at one occurrence and nearly 500,000 individuals in 2023 at the other occurrence. Population trends may be declining, and agricultural conversion, development, climate change and invasive species have been identified as potential threats.
On August 25, 2025, Dr. John C. Hunter submitted a petition to the California Fish and Game Commission to list veiny monardella as an endangered species under CESA. The Commission published findings of its decision to make the species a candidate for listing as an endangered species on October 30, 2026, and as such, veiny monardella now receives the same legal protection afforded to an endangered or threatened species (Fish and Game Code sections 2074.2 and 2085).
As of October 30, 2026, CDFW has 12 months to conduct a status review that will inform the Commission’s final decision on whether to list veiny monardella as endangered under CESA. As part of the status review process, CDFW is soliciting information regarding the species’ ecology, genetics, life history, distribution, abundance, habitat, the degree and immediacy of threats to its reproduction or survival, the adequacy of existing management and recommendations for management of the species.
CDFW respectfully requests that data and comments be submitted before February 5, 2027, to allow sufficient time to evaluate this information during the status review period. Submit comments and general information on the petitioned action to CDFW’s Native Plant Program by email at NativePlants@wildlife.ca.gov and include “veiny monardella” in the subject line. Comments may also be submitted by mail to California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Native Plant Program, Attn: Kristi Lazar, P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090. If you have occurrence data on veiny monardella, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CNDDB/Submitting-Data for data submission instructions or contact CDFW’s California Natural Diversity Database at CNDDB@wildlife.ca.gov. Please note that any information you submit (including your contact information) will become part of the public record and may be disclosed in response to a Public Records Act request.
CDFW will produce a peer-reviewed report based upon the best scientific information available, which will include a recommendation as to whether the petitioned action to list veiny monardella as endangered under CESA is warranted (Fish and Game Code section 2074.6). The report will be made publicly available on CDFW’s website for at least 30 days before the Commission considers acting on the petition. Please note, the Commission — which is a legally separate entity from CDFW — is charged with making the final determination on whether to list a species as endangered or threatened under CESA (Fish and Game Code section 2075.5). CDFW serves in a scientific advisory role to the Commission during this process. See the California Fish and Game Commission web page for details on submitting comments to the Commission and receiving email alerts for upcoming Commission meetings.
The listing petition, CDFW’s petition evaluation report, and updates on the listing process are available on the Commission’s website.
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Media Contacts:
Kristi Lazar, CDFW Native Plant Program, (916) 594-5425
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858