Taxon Report
Phacelia damnationensis Kierstead, Lindstrand & M.J. LenzDamnation Pass phacelia |
 © 2023 Julie Kierstead Nelson |
Taxon Summary
Phacelia damnationensis, commonly known as Damnation Pass phacelia, is a perennial herb in the Hydrophyllaceae that is . It occurs within Lower montane coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 1005 to 1440 meters. Phacelia damnationensis 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: |
Phacelia damnationensis Kierstead, Lindstrand & M.J. Lenz |
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Common Name: |
Damnation Pass phacelia |
| Family: | Hydrophyllaceae |
| Element Code: | PDHYD0C750 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | perennial herb |
| Blooming Period: Jun-Sep | Jun-Sep |
| Elevation: | 1005-1440 (3295-4725) |
| General Habitats: | Lower montane coniferous forest |
| Microhabitat: | Gravelly, Metamorphic, Openings, Roadsides, Rocky, Sandstone, Shale, Talus |
| Microhabitat Details: |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 1B.3 |
| Global Rank: | G2 |
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State Rank: |
S2 |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | BLM_S |
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CRPR Changes: |
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Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
| Total Occurrences: | 11 |
| Element Occurrence Ranks: | |
| Excellent (A) | 0 |
| Good (B) | 9 |
| Fair (C) | 0 |
| Poor (D) | 0 |
| None (X) | 0 |
| Unknown (U) | 2 |
| California Endemic: False | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| Shasta (SHA) | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| Bohemotash Mtn. (4012274), Damnation Peak (4012285), Schell Mtn. (4012275), Tombstone Mtn. (4112213), Whiskeytown (4012265) | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 5 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 7 | 64 % | |
| Improper burning regime | 6 | 54% |
| Logging | 6 | 54% |
| ORV activity | 1 | 9% |
| Road/trail construction/maint. | 1 | 9% |
| Wood cutting or brush clearing | 1 | 9% |
Notes
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Threats: |
| Possibly threatened by logging, vehicles, road construction, road maintenance, and recreational activities, though appears to tolerate some disturbance caused by these factors. |
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Taxonomy: |
| Corolla color (cream to apple-green with occasional lavender tinge) similar to P. procera which differs in having stems erect and 0.5–2 m high (vs. decumbent to ascending and 0.3–0.9 m high) with leaf-blades attenuate to auriculate (vs. truncate to subcordate). Other related species (P. bolanderi, P. hydrophylloides) are allopatric. |
Selected References
| Proposed Addition to CRPR 1B.3, G2/S2 (2024) |
| Madroño 69(4): 341–348 (2023) |
Citation
California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 10 October 2025].