Taxon Report

Bensoniella oregona (Abrams & Bacig.) Morton

bensoniella

Print Report


© 2021 Scot Loring

Taxon Summary

Bensoniella oregona, commonly known as bensoniella, is a perennial herb in the Saxifragaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Bogs and fens, Lower montane coniferous forest (openings), and Meadows and seeps, growing at elevations from 900 to 1400 meters. Bensoniella oregona is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Bensoniella oregona (Abrams & Bacig.) Morton
Common Name:
bensoniella
Family: Saxifragaceae
Element Code: PDSAX02010
USDA Plants Symbol: BEOR
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial herb
Blooming Period: May-Jul May-Jul
Elevation: 900-1400 (2955-4595)
General Habitats: Bogs and fens, Lower montane coniferous forest, Meadows and seeps
Microhabitat: Mesic
Microhabitat Details:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 12
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 5
   Fair (C) 3
   Poor (D) 1
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 3
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Humboldt (HUM)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Board Camp Mtn. (4012366), Denny (4012384), Mad River Buttes (4012367), Maple Creek (4012377), Salyer (4012385)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 10
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
10 83 %
Logging 9 75%
Other 4 33%
Road/trail construction/maint. 4 33%
Foot traffic/trampling 3 25%
Grazing 2 16%
Altered flood/tidal/hydrologic regime 2 16%
Non-native plant impacts 2 16%
ORV activity 1 8%
Vandalism/dumping/litter 1 8%
Erosion/runoff 1 8%

Notes

Threats:
Threatened by logging, grazing, and road maintenance. Possibly threatened by vehicles. Candidate for state listing in OR, where known from only a few occurrences.
Taxonomy:

Selected References

Contributions from the Dudley Herbarium 1:95 (1929)
Leaflets of Western Botany 10:181 (1965)
Bensoniella oregona profile for potential Species of Conservation Concern evaluation (2018)
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 5 February 2025].