Taxon Details

Castilleja ambigua var. meadii

Mead's owls-clover

View Report Copy Link Calflora eFlora CCH CalPhotos iNaturalist

Taxon Summary:

Castilleja ambigua var. meadii, commonly known as Mead's owls-clover, is a annual herb (hemiparasitic) in the Orobanchaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Meadows and seeps, and Vernal pools, growing at elevations from 450 to 475 meters. Castilleja ambigua var. meadii is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification

Scientific Name: Castilleja ambigua Hook. & Arn. var. meadii J.M. Egger & J.A. Ruygt
Common Name: Mead's owls-clover
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Element Code:	PDSCR0D404
USDA Plants Symbol:	CAAMM
Synonyms/Other Names:
Name Status:	JEF, FNA, POWO, IPNI, Tropicos

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.1
Fed List:	None
State List:	None
Global Rank:	G5T1
State Rank:	S1
Other Status:
CRPR Changes: added to 1B.1 on 2013-01-03
Add Date:	2013-01-03
Date Edited:	2024-08-06

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: annual herb (hemiparasitic)

Blooming Period: Apr-May

Elevation:
450 - 475 meters
1475 - 1560 feet

General Habitats:

Meadows and seeps
Vernal pools

Microhabitat Details:

Microhabitat:

Clay
Gravelly
Volcanic

Notes

Notes: Known only from the Atlas Peak area; needs field surveys. Threatened by non-native plants. Potentially threatened by vineyard development. Not in TJM 2. See Phytoneuron 2012-68:1-12 (2012) for original description.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

THREAT LIST:
Threat List Total:	1
	Total EOs	% of EOs
EOs with Threat Listed:	1	33 %
Non-native plant impacts	1	33%

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

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

Occurrence Status:
Historical >20 Years	1
Recent <=20 Years	2

Presence:
Presumed Extant	3
Possibly Extirpated	0
Presumed Extirpated	0

Location

California Endemic:

California Island:

States: Name (Code)
California (CA)

California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Napa (NAP)

Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Capell Valley (3812242), Yountville (3812243)

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

Click on quad for name. Hold Shift Key to use mouse scroll wheel

CNPS Rare Plant Inventory