Taxon Report
Pholisma sonorae (Gray) Yatskievychsand food |
 © Michael Charters |
Taxon Summary
Pholisma sonorae, commonly known as sand food, is a perennial herb (parasitic) in the Lennoaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Desert dunes, and Sonoran desert scrub (sandy), growing at elevations from 0 to 200 meters. Pholisma sonorae is ranked 1B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.Classification
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Scientific Name: |
Pholisma sonorae (Gray) Yatskievych |
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Common Name: |
sand food |
| Family: | Lennoaceae |
| Element Code: | PDLNN02020 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | PHSO |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | perennial herb (parasitic) |
| Blooming Period: (Mar)Apr-Jun | (Mar)Apr-Jun |
| Elevation: | 0-200 (0-655) |
| General Habitats: | Desert dunes, Sonoran desert scrub |
| Microhabitat: | |
| Microhabitat Details: |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 1B.2 |
| Global Rank: | G2 |
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State Rank: |
S2 |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | BLM_S; SB_CalBG/RSABG |
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CRPR Changes: |
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Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
| Total Occurrences: | 14 |
| Element Occurrence Ranks: | |
| Excellent (A) | 1 |
| Good (B) | 1 |
| Fair (C) | 0 |
| Poor (D) | 0 |
| None (X) | 0 |
| Unknown (U) | 12 |
| California Endemic: False | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| Imperial (IMP) | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| Grays Well (3211468), Grays Well NE (3211467), Midway Well (3211561), Acolita (3311512), Amos (3311513), Cactus (3211478), Clyde (3211488), East of Acolita (3311511), Glamis (3211581), Glamis NW (3211582), Glamis SE (3211571), Holtville East (3211573), Holtville NE (3211583), Holtville West (3211574), Kane Spring (3311517), Ogilby (3211477), Tortuga (3311523) | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 6 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 5 | 36 % | |
| Agriculture | 2 | 14% |
| ORV activity | 2 | 14% |
| Other | 1 | 7% |
| Vandalism/dumping/litter | 1 | 7% |
| Military operations | 1 | 7% |
| Non-native plant impacts | 1 | 7% |
Notes
| Parasitic on Eriogonum, Tiquilia, Ambrosia, and Pluchea spp. |
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Threats: |
| Threatened by vehicles, military activities, agriculture, habitat loss, and non-native plants. |
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Taxonomy: |
| See Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 5:327 (1854), Desert Plants 2(3):188-196 (1980) for species account, Systematic Botany 11(4):531-548 (1986) for revised treatment, and Madroño 50(2):110-114 (2003) for pollinator information. |
Citation
California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 30 June 2025].