Taxon Details

Lycium brevipes var. hassei

Santa Catalina Island desert-thorn

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Taxon Summary:

Lycium brevipes var. hassei, commonly known as Santa Catalina Island desert-thorn, is a perennial deciduous shrub in the Solanaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Coastal bluff scrub, and Coastal scrub, growing at elevations from 65 to 300 meters. Lycium brevipes var. hassei is ranked 3.1, Plants About Which We Need More Information, A Review List; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification

Scientific Name: Lycium brevipes Benth var. hassei (Greene) Hitchc.
Common Name: Santa Catalina Island desert-thorn
Family:	Solanaceae
Element Code:	PDSOL0G0N0
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names: Lycium hassei Greene
Name Status:	JEF, FNA, POWO, IPNI, Tropicos

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank:	3.1
Fed List:	None
State List:	None
Global Rank:	G5T1Q
State Rank:	S1
Other Status:
CRPR Changes: changed from 1B.1 to 3.1 on 2016-03-01
Add Date:	1974-01-01
Date Edited:	2021-05-26

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial deciduous shrub

Blooming Period: Jun(Aug)

Elevation:
65 - 300 meters
215 - 985 feet

General Habitats:

Coastal bluff scrub
Coastal scrub

Microhabitat Details:

Microhabitat:

Notes

Notes: Previously CRPR 1B.1; taxonomic distinctiveness from var. brevipes is uncertain. Originally treated as a Channel Islands endemic, CRPR 1A plant, but plants determined to be var. hassei have recently been found throughout the range of the species; needs further study. Rediscovered on the Palos Verdes Peninsula (LAX Co.) by A. Sanders in 1976, where plants are an extreme variant and only a few remain; the occurrence was diminished by grading in the 1930's. Rediscovered on SCM Is. in 2005, where previously only known from a single wild specimen that died in 1908. The only other wild specimen known from the Channel Islands (SCT Is.) died in 1936. See Pittonia 1:222 (1888) for original description, and Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 19:256-257 (1932) for taxonomic treatment.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

THREAT LIST:
Threat List Total:	3
	Total EOs	% of EOs
EOs with Threat Listed:	3	43 %
Development	1	14%
Non-native plant impacts	1	14%
Road/trail construction/maint.	1	14%

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Element Occurrence Ranks:
Total Occurrences:					7
A	B	C	D	X	U
0	1	1	0	2	3

Occurrence Status:
Historical >20 Years	2
Recent <=20 Years	5

Presence:
Presumed Extant	5
Possibly Extirpated	0
Presumed Extirpated	2

Location

California Endemic:

California Island:

States: Name (Code)
California (CA)

California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Los Angeles (LAX), Orange (ORA)

Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Redondo Beach (3311874), San Clemente (3311745), San Clemente Island Central (3211874), San Clemente Island North (3211885)*, San Pedro (3311863), Santa Catalina East (3311833)*

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