Taxon Report
Atriplex flavida (S.C. Sand. & G.L. Chu) D.J. Keil & D.W. TaylorCarrizo Plain crownscale |
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Taxon Summary
Atriplex flavida, commonly known as Carrizo Plain crownscale, is a annual herb in the Chenopodiaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chenopod scrub, Valley and foothill grassland, and Vernal pools, growing at elevations from 585 to 605 meters. Atriplex flavida is ranked 1B.3, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Not very threatened in California.Classification
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Scientific Name: |
Atriplex flavida (S.C. Sand. & G.L. Chu) D.J. Keil & D.W. Taylor |
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Common Name: |
Carrizo Plain crownscale |
| Family: | Chenopodiaceae |
| Element Code: | PDCHE04360 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | annual herb |
| Blooming Period: Mar-Jul | Mar-Jul |
| Elevation: | 585-605 (1920-1985) |
| General Habitats: | Chenopod scrub, Valley and foothill grassland, Vernal pools |
| Microhabitat: | Alkaline |
| Microhabitat Details: |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 1B.3 |
| Global Rank: | G3 |
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State Rank: |
S3 |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | BLM_S; SB_SBBG |
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CRPR Changes: |
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Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
| Total Occurrences: | 37 |
| Element Occurrence Ranks: | |
| Excellent (A) | 5 |
| Good (B) | 11 |
| Fair (C) | 5 |
| Poor (D) | 1 |
| None (X) | 0 |
| Unknown (U) | 15 |
| California Endemic: True | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| San Luis Obispo (SLO) | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| California Valley (3512031), Chimineas Ranch (3511928), La Panza NE (3512041), Las Yeguas Ranch (3511948), McKittrick Summit (3511937), Painted Rock (3511927), Panorama Hills (3511926), Simmler (3511938) | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 8 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 21 | 57 % | |
| Other | 8 | 21% |
| Non-native plant impacts | 7 | 18% |
| ORV activity | 5 | 13% |
| Grazing | 5 | 13% |
| Road/trail construction/maint. | 4 | 10% |
| Foot traffic/trampling | 2 | 5% |
| Agriculture | 1 | 2% |
| Development | 1 | 2% |
Notes
| See Genera and a New Evolutionary System of World Chenopodiaceae (2017) by Chu and Sanderson for original description, and Phytoneuron 65:1-7 (2018) for taxonomic treatment and revised nomenclature. |
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Threats: |
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Threatened by agricultural development. Possibly threatened by vehicles, grazing, non-native plants, road construction, and foot traffic. |
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Taxonomy: |
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Formerly included in A. coronata var. vallicola; differentiated from all A. coronata varieties in having an overall yellow-green color (vs. gray-green), 3(4) stamens (vs. (4)5 stamens), and longer fruiting bracteoles in addition to other characters. |
Selected References
| Proposed Addition to CRPR 1B.3, G2G3 / S2S3 (2019) |
Citation
California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 17 November 2025].