Species Details

Suaeda californica

California seablite

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Classification

Scientific Name: Suaeda californica Wats.
Common Name: California seablite
Family:	Chenopodiaceae
Element Code:	PDCHE0P020
USDA Plants Symbol:	SUCA
Synonyms/Other Names:

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.1
Fed List:	FE (1994-12-15)
State List:	None
Global Rank:	G1
State Rank:	S1
Other Status:	SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:
Add Date:	1988-01-01
Date Edited:	2024-10-02

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial evergreen shrub

Blooming Period: Jul-Oct

Elevation:
0 - 15 meters
0 - 50 feet

General Habitats:

Marshes and swamps (coastal salt)

Microhabitat Details:

Microhabitat:

Notes

Notes: Formerly more widespread in San Francisco Bay Area, where now nearly extirpated by development; currently only known from fragmented populations in San Francisco Bay Area and Morro Bay. Remains from adobe bricks indicate plant may once have occurred along the Petaluma River, SON Co. (484A).
Threats: Threatened by development, recreational activities, erosion, non-native plants, and alteration of marsh habitat.
Taxonomy: Often confused with S. esteroa and S. taxifolia in southern California, but does not occur there.

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

THREAT LIST:
Threat List Total:	7
	Total EOs	% of EOs
EOs with Threat Listed:	10	56 %
Erosion/runoff	4	22%
Development	3	16%
Road/trail construction/maint.	2	11%
Non-native plant impacts	2	11%
ORV activity	1	5%
Other	1	5%
Foot traffic/trampling	1	5%

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Element Occurrence Ranks:
Total Occurrences:					18
A	B	C	D	X	U
0	2	2	1	5	8

Occurrence Status:
Historical >20 Years	7
Recent <=20 Years	11

Presence:
Presumed Extant	13
Possibly Extirpated	4
Presumed Extirpated	1

Location

California Endemic:

California Island:

States: Name (Code)
California (CA)

California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Alameda (ALA)*, Contra Costa (CCA)*, San Francisco (SFO)*, San Luis Obispo (SLO), Santa Clara (SCL)*

Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Cayucos (3512048), Hunters Point (3712263), Milpitas (3712148), Morro Bay North (3512047), Morro Bay South (3512037), Mountain View (3712241)*, Niles (3712158), Oakland West (3712273), Richmond (3712283)*, San Francisco South (3712264), San Leandro (3712262)*

Notes:

Definitions of codes following a county and/or quad:
*		Presumed extirpated
(?)		Occurrence confirmed, but possibly extirpated
Quad and county data is imported from the CNDDB. Species may be present in other areas where conditions are favorable. These data should NOT be substituted for pre-project review or for on-site surveys.

Regional Map

Map

Presumed Extant

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CNPS Rare Plant Inventory