Taxon Report
Silene nelsonii M.R.Mesler, M.S.Mayer, & S.K.CarothersNelson's stringflower |
 ©2019 Steve Matson |
Taxon Summary
Silene nelsonii, commonly known as Nelson's stringflower, is a perennial herb in the Caryophyllaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Cismontane woodland, and Lower montane coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 290 to 1430 meters. Silene nelsonii is ranked 4.3, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Not very threatened in California.Classification
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Scientific Name: |
Silene nelsonii M.R.Mesler, M.S.Mayer, & S.K.Carothers |
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Common Name: |
Nelson's stringflower |
| Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
| Element Code: | PDCAR0U2J0 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | perennial herb |
| Blooming Period: Apr-Jun | Apr-Jun |
| Elevation: | 290-1430 (950-4690) |
| General Habitats: | Cismontane woodland, Lower montane coniferous forest |
| Microhabitat: | Openings, Roadsides, Rocky |
| Microhabitat Details: | Ephemeral drainages, grassy areas |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 4.3 |
| Global Rank: | G3 |
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State Rank: |
S3 |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | |
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CRPR Changes: |
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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 |
| California Endemic: True | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| Del Norte (DNT), Humboldt (HUM), Shasta (SHA), Trinity (TRI) | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| Big Bar (4012363), Chanchelulla Peak (4012248), Dinsmore (4012345), Dubakella Mtn. (4012342), Halfway Ridge (4012353), Hayfork (4012352), Hayfork Summit (4012351), Hennessy Peak (4012375), Hoosimbim Mtn. (4012258), Hyampom (4012354), Hyampom Mtn. (4012364), Ironside Mtn. (4012374), Junction City (4012361), Naufus Creek (4012343), Platina (4012238), Pony Buck Peak (4012331), Rush Creek Lakes (4012278), Salyer (4012385), Showers Mtn. (4012356), Sims Mountain (4012365), Weaverville (4012268), Wildwood (4012341), Willow Creek (4012386) | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 0 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 0 | 0 % | |
Notes
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Threats: |
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Potentially threatened by road construction and maintenance, trampling, forestry practices, and severe wildfires. |
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Taxonomy: |
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Similar to S. bolanderi, S. hookeri, and S. salmonacea; differentiated by its purely white flowers, dense pubescence at base of petals (often obscuring filaments), deeply lobed petals (inner lobe 8-32 mm long, outer lobe 6-26 mm long), and absent or inconspicuous appendages (generally less than 1 mm). |
Selected References
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Proposed Addition to California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, G3 / S3 (2021) |
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Madroño 66(4): 176-193 (2019) |
| USFS Potential Species of Conservation Concern Profile |
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].