Taxon Report

Erysimum franciscanum G. Rossb.

San Francisco wallflower

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Species Description:
Erysimum franciscanum, commonly known as San Francisco wallflower, is a perennial herb in the Brassicaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, Coastal dunes, Coastal scrub, and Valley and foothill grassland, growing at elevations from 0 to 550 meters. Erysimum franciscanum is ranked 4.2, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Moderately threatened in California.

  Classification

Scientific Name:
Erysimum franciscanum G. Rossb.
Common Name:
San Francisco wallflower
Family: Brassicaceae
Element Code: PDBRA160A0
USDA Plants Symbol: ERFR3
Synonyms/Other Names:
  • Erysimum franciscanum G. Rossb. var. crassifolium G. Rossb.

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial herb
Blooming Period: Mar-Jun Mar-Jun
Elevation: 0-550 (0-1805)
General Habitats: Chaparral, Coastal dunes, Coastal scrub, Valley and foothill grassland
Microhabitat: Granitic (often), Roadsides (sometimes), Serpentine (often)
Microhabitat Details:

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)
Marin (MRN), San Francisco (SFO), San Mateo (SMT), Santa Clara (SCL), Santa Cruz (SCR), Sonoma (SON)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Ano Nuevo (3712213), Arched Rock (3812342), Big Basin (3712222), Bodega Head (3812331), Bolinas (3712286), Davenport (3712212), Drakes Bay (3812218), Duncans Mills (3812341), Montara Mountain (3712254), Morgan Hill (3712126), Pigeon Point (3712224), Point Bonita (3712275), San Francisco North (3712274), San Francisco South (3712264), San Mateo (3712253), San Rafael (3712285), Santa Cruz (3612281), Woodside (3712243)

Notes

Rare and declining in SCR Co. Possibly threatened by recreational activities and non-native plants. Includes E. franciscanum var. crassifolium. Inland plants approach E. capitatum. See Aliso 4(1):118-121 (1958) for original description.
Threats:
Taxonomy:
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 22 January 2025].