Taxon Report
Monardella leucocephala GrayMerced monardella |
 © 2020 Hannah Kang |
Taxon Summary
Monardella leucocephala, commonly known as Merced monardella, is a annual herb in the Lamiaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Valley and foothill grassland (mesic, and sandy), growing at elevations from 35 to 100 meters. Monardella leucocephala is ranked 1A, Plants Presumed Extirpated in California and Either Rare or Extinct Elsewhere.Classification
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Scientific Name: |
Monardella leucocephala Gray |
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Common Name: |
Merced monardella |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Element Code: | PDLAM180C0 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | MOLE |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | annual herb |
| Blooming Period: May-Aug | May-Aug |
| Elevation: | 35-100 (115-330) |
| General Habitats: | Valley and foothill grassland |
| Microhabitat: | |
| Microhabitat Details: |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 1A |
| Global Rank: | GX |
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State Rank: |
SX |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | |
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CRPR Changes: |
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Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
| Total Occurrences: | 3 |
| Element Occurrence Ranks: | |
| Excellent (A) | 0 |
| Good (B) | 0 |
| Fair (C) | 0 |
| Poor (D) | 0 |
| None (X) | 3 |
| Unknown (U) | 0 |
| California Endemic: True | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| Merced (MER)*, Stanislaus (STA)* | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| Cooperstown (3712065)*, La Grange (3712064)*, Turlock (3712047)* | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 4 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 3 | 100 % | |
| Agriculture | 3 | 100% |
| Grazing | 1 | 33% |
| Mining | 1 | 33% |
| Recreational use (non-ORV) | 1 | 33% |
Notes
| Last seen in 1941. May have been extirpated by agriculture. Good potential for rediscovery, but field surveys in 1990-1992 and 1997 unsuccessful. See Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 7:385 (1867) for original description, and Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 12:90-91 (1925) for taxonomic treatment. |
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Threats: |
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Taxonomy: |
Citation
California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 26 November 2025].