Taxon Report

Eremalche parryi (Greene) Greene ssp. kernensis (C.B. Wolf) D.M. Bates

Kern mallow

Print Report


Taxon Summary

Eremalche parryi ssp. kernensis, commonly known as Kern mallow, is a annual herb in the Malvaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chenopod scrub, Pinyon and juniper woodland, and Valley and foothill grassland, growing at elevations from 70 to 1290 meters. Eremalche parryi ssp. kernensis is ranked 1B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Eremalche parryi (Greene) Greene ssp. kernensis (C.B. Wolf) D.M. Bates
Common Name:
 Kern mallow
Family: Malvaceae
Element Code: PDMAL0C031
USDA Plants Symbol: ERPAK
Synonyms/Other Names:
  • Malvastrum kernense
  • Eremalche kernensis

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: annual herb
Blooming Period: Jan(Feb)Mar-May Jan(Feb)Mar-May
Elevation: 70-1290 (230-4230)
General Habitats: Chenopod scrub, Pinyon and juniper woodland, Valley and foothill grassland
Microhabitat: Clay (sometimes), Dry, Openings, Sandy (sometimes)
Microhabitat Details: often at edge of balds

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2
Global Rank: G3G4T3
State Rank:
 S3
State List: None
Fed List: FE
Other Status: SB_CalBG/RSABG; SB_SBBG
CRPR Changes:
  • changed from 1B.1 to 1B.2 on 2016-08-26

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 202
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 17
   Good (B) 33
   Fair (C) 40
   Poor (D) 12
   None (X) 3
   Unknown (U) 97

Location
California Endemic:  True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Kern (KRN), Kings (KNG), San Luis Obispo (SLO), Santa Barbara (SBA), Tulare (TUL), Ventura (VEN)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Apache Canyon (3411973), Arvin (3511827), Ballinger Canyon (3411984), Belridge (3511946), Bena (3511836), Buttonwillow (3511944), Caliente Mtn. (3511917), California Valley (3512031), Camatta Ranch (3512043), Chimineas Ranch (3511928), Coal Oil Canyon (3511911), Conner (3511921), Cuyama (3411985), Cuyama Peak (3411974), Delano West (3511973), Eagle Rest Peak (3411982), East Elk Hills (3511934), Elkhorn Hills (3511915), Fellows (3511925), Grapevine (3411888), La Cima (3612011), La Panza Ranch (3512042), Lokern (3511945), Lost Hills NE (3511965), Lost Hills NW (3511966)*, Maricopa (3511914), McKittrick Summit (3511937), Mettler (3511818), Mouth of Kern (3511923), Oil Center (3511848), Packwood Creek (3512051), Painted Rock (3511927), Panorama Hills (3511926), Peak Mountain (3411987), Pentland (3511913), Pixley (3511983), Pleito Hills (3411981), Pond (3511963), Reward (3511936), Reyes Peak (3411963), Rio Bravo (3511943), Rio Bravo Ranch (3511847), Rosedale (3511942), Santiago Creek (3411983), Semitropic (3511955), Simmler (3511938), Stevens (3511932), Taft (3511924), Taylor Canyon (3511918), Tejon Hills (3511817), Tejon Ranch (3511816), Tent Hills (3512072), Tupman (3511933), Wasco (3511953), Wasco NW (3511964), Wells Ranch (3511916), West Elk Hills (3511935)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 14
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
80 40 %
Grazing 29 14%
Road/trail construction/maint. 25 12%
ORV activity 11 5%
Mining 10 4%
Non-native plant impacts 10 4%
Development 10 4%
Other 9 4%
Agriculture 5 2%
Erosion/runoff 4 1%
Foot traffic/trampling 4 1%
Improper burning regime 1 0%
Biocides 1 0%
Disking 1 0%
Recreational use (non-ORV) 1 0%

Notes
Threatened by agriculture, grazing, road construction and maintenance, vehicles, and oil development. Possibly threatened by non-native plants. See Occasional Papers Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 1(2):66-67 (1938) for original description and Phytologia 72(1):48-54 (1992) for taxonomic treatment and revised nomenclature.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 9 May 2025].