Taxon Details

Castilleja ambigua var. heckardii

Heckard's owl's-clover

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Photo of Castilleja ambigua var. heckardii

Taxon Summary:

Castilleja ambigua var. heckardii, commonly known as Heckard's owl's-clover, is a annual herb in the Orobanchaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Coastal prairie, growing at elevations from 50 to 180 meters. Castilleja ambigua var. heckardii 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. heckardii J. M. Egger & Excoffier
Common Name: Heckard's owl's-clover
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Element Code:	PDSCR0D405
USDA Plants Symbol:
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 2022-04-07
Add Date:	2022-04-07
Date Edited:	2025-10-29

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: annual herb

Blooming Period: May-Jul

Elevation:
50 - 180 meters
165 - 590 feet

General Habitats:

Coastal prairie

Microhabitat Details:

Microhabitat:

Openings
Sandy
Vernally Mesic

Notes

Notes:
Threats: Potentially threatened by inappropriate grazing and non-native plants.
Taxonomy: Previously identified as C. ambigua ssp. ambigua and ssp. insalutata.

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

THREAT LIST:
Threat List Total:	0
	Total EOs	% of EOs
EOs with Threat Listed:	0	%

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Element Occurrence Ranks:
Total Occurrences:					5
A	B	C	D	X	U
0	0	0	0	0	5

Occurrence Status:
Historical >20 Years	4
Recent <=20 Years	1

Presence:
Presumed Extant	5
Possibly Extirpated	0
Presumed Extirpated	0

Location

California Endemic:

California Island:

States: Name (Code)
California (CA)

California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
San Luis Obispo (SLO)

Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Burro Mountain (3512173), Piedras Blancas (3512163)

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 Status Review:	Proposed Addition to CRPR 1B.1, G5T1 / S1 (2022)
Original Description:	Phytoneuron 15: 1–17 (2021)

CNPS Rare Plant Inventory