Taxon Report

Caulanthus amplexicaulis Wats. var. barbarae (J.T. Howell) Munz

Santa Barbara jewelflower

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Caulanthus amplexicaulis var. barbarae, commonly known as Santa Barbara jewelflower, is a annual herb in the Brassicaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, and Closed-cone coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 470 to 1220 meters. Caulanthus amplexicaulis var. barbarae is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Caulanthus amplexicaulis Wats. var. barbarae (J.T. Howell) Munz
Common Name:	Santa Barbara jewelflower
Family:	Brassicaceae
Element Code:	PDBRA0M012
USDA Plants Symbol:	CAAMB
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	annual herb
Blooming Period: May-Jul	May-Jul
Elevation:	470-1220 (1540-4005)
General Habitats:	Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, Closed-cone coniferous forest
Microhabitat:	Serpentine
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.1
Global Rank:	G4T2
State Rank:	S2
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:	USFS_S
CRPR Changes:	removed from 1B.1 on 2011-07-26

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	11
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	1
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	10

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Bald Mountain (3411978), Figueroa Mtn. (3411968), Los Olivos (3412061), Zaca Lake (3412071)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	2
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	1	9 %
Erosion/runoff	1	9%
Grazing	1	9%

Notes



Known from fewer than 5 occurrences in the San Rafael Mtns. Not in TJM 2. See Leaflets of Western Botany 9:223 (1962) for original description.
Threats:
Potentially threatened by road construction and maintenance, fire suppression, non-native plants, vehicles, mining, and grazing. Possibly threatened by foot traffic and recreational activities.
Taxonomy:

Selected References

Proposed Deletion from CRPR 1B.1 (2011)

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].