Taxon Report

Eriastrum sparsiflorum (Eastw.) H. Mason

few-flowered eriastrum

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Taxon Summary

Eriastrum sparsiflorum, commonly known as few-flowered eriastrum, is a annual herb in the Polemoniaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, Great Basin scrub, Joshua tree "woodland", Mojavean desert scrub, and Pinyon and juniper woodland, growing at elevations from 1075 to 1710 meters. Eriastrum sparsiflorum is ranked 4.3, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Not very threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Eriastrum sparsiflorum (Eastw.) H. Mason
Common Name:
 few-flowered eriastrum
Family: Polemoniaceae
Element Code: PDPLM030B2
USDA Plants Symbol: ERSP3
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: annual herb
Blooming Period: May-Sep May-Sep
Elevation: 1075-1710 (3525-5610)
General Habitats: Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, Great Basin scrub, Joshua tree "woodland", Mojavean desert scrub, Pinyon and juniper woodland
Microhabitat: Granitic, Openings (usually), Sandy
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 4.3
Global Rank: G5
State Rank:
 S4
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status: SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:
  • added to 4.3 on 2012-09-04

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 0
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 0
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 0

Location
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Alpine (ALP), Fresno (FRE), Inyo (INY), Kern (KRN), Lassen (LAS), Mono (MNO), Plumas (PLU), Riverside (RIV), San Benito (SBT), San Bernardino (SBD), Sierra (SIE), Tulare (TUL)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Antelope Valley (3912063), Beckwourth Pass (3912071), Benton (3711874), Benton Hot Springs (3711875), Big Alkali (3811922), Big Pine (3711823), Bishop (3711834), Blairsden (3912075), Camp Nelson (3611825), Cane Canyon (3511852), Chilcoot (3912072), Cima Dome (3511535), Coleville (3811955), Constantia (3912081), Convict Lake (3711857), Coyote Flat (3711824), Crag Peak (3611812), Dexter Canyon (3711877), Doyle (4012011), Fairview (3511884), Fish Springs (3711813), Glass Mountain (3711876), Hockett Peak (3611824), Hume (3611878), Janesville (4012035), Joaquin Rocks (3612034), Johnstonville (4012045), June Lake (3711971), Kearsarge Peak (3611873), Kirkwood Spring (3811828), Lamont Peak (3511871), Litchfield (4012044), Little Mud Flat (4012042), Lundy (3811912), McKesick Peak (4012012), Milford (4012023), Monolith (3511813), Mount Dana (3711982), Olancha (3611831), Pinyon Mtn. (3511842), Poleta Canyon (3711833), Risue Canyon (3811954), Roosevelt Mine (3311457), Sacatar Canyon (3511881), Santa Rita Peak (3612035), Sentinel Peak (3611815), Signal Hill (3511511), Sirretta Peak (3511883), The Sphinx (3611875), Tungsten Hills (3711835), Uhlmeyer Spring (3711822), Union Wash (3611861), Vermillion Canyon (3611738), Walker Pass (3511861), West of Snowstorm Mtn. (4012064), Willow Springs (3411883), Woodfords (3811977)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

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

Notes
Possibly threatened by development, habitat loss, and road and trail maintenance. Previously included E. signatum; a common plant that was formerly undescribed. See Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences III 2(9):291-292 (1902) for original description, Madroño 8(3):86-87 (1945) for taxonomic treatment, and Madroño 55(1):82-87 (2008) for revised circumscription.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Selected References

CRPR List Addition on 2012-09-04
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 27 January 2025].