Taxon Details

Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis

La Graciosa thistle

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Taxon Summary:

Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis, commonly known as La Graciosa thistle, is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Cismontane woodland, Coastal dunes, Coastal scrub, Marshes and swamps (brackish), and Valley and foothill grassland, growing at elevations from 4 to 220 meters. Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification

Scientific Name: Cirsium scariosum Nutt. var. loncholepis (Petr.) D.J. Keil
Common Name: La Graciosa thistle
Family:	Asteraceae
Element Code:	PDAST2E1N0
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names: Cirsium loncholepis
Name Status:	JEF, FNA, POWO, IPNI, Tropicos

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.1
Fed List:	FE (2000-03-20)
State List:	CT (1990-02-01)
Global Rank:	G5T1
State Rank:	S1
Other Status:	SB_CalBG/RSABG; SB_SBBG
CRPR Changes:
Add Date:	1974-01-01
Date Edited:	2022-06-08

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial herb

Blooming Period: May-Aug

Elevation:
4 - 220 meters
15 - 720 feet

General Habitats:

Cismontane woodland
Coastal dunes
Coastal scrub
Marshes and swamps (brackish)
Valley and foothill grassland

Microhabitat Details:

Microhabitat:

Mesic
Sandy

Notes

Notes:
Threats: Threatened by development, vehicles, groundwater pumping, and non-native plants. Possibly threatened by grazing.
Taxonomy:

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

THREAT LIST:
Threat List Total:	14
	Total EOs	% of EOs
EOs with Threat Listed:	21	91 %
Other	14	60%
Altered flood/tidal/hydrologic regime	8	34%
Non-native plant impacts	7	30%
Feral pigs	6	26%
Grazing	6	26%
ORV activity	5	21%
Agriculture	4	17%
Development	4	17%
Foot traffic/trampling	3	13%
Mining	3	13%
Road/trail construction/maint.	3	13%
Biocides	2	8%
Improper burning regime	1	4%
Recreational use (non-ORV)	1	4%

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Element Occurrence Ranks:
Total Occurrences:					23
A	B	C	D	X	U
0	3	3	1	14	2

Occurrence Status:
Historical >20 Years	14
Recent <=20 Years	9

Presence:
Presumed Extant	9
Possibly Extirpated	12
Presumed Extirpated	2

Location

California Endemic:

California Island:

States: Name (Code)
California (CA)

California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
San Luis Obispo (SLO), Santa Barbara (SBA)

Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Guadalupe (3412085), Los Alamos (3412063), Oceano (3512015), Orcutt (3412074)*, Point Sal (3412086), Sisquoc (3412073), Surf (3412065)*

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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Original Description:	Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt. Zweite Abteilung, Systematik, Pflanzengeographie, angewandte Botanik 35(2[2/3]): 375–378. 1917. (Beih. Bot. Centralbl., Abt. 2)
Other:	La Graciosa Thistle (Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis) Recovery Plan (USFWS 2021)
Other:	Status of Endangered La Graciosa Thistle Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis (Asteraceae) in Coastal Southern California

CNPS Rare Plant Inventory