Thursday, October 24, 2002 Part II Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Designation of Critical Habitat for Chlorogalum purpureum, a Plant From the South Coast Ranges of California; Final Rule VerDate 0ct<09>2002 16:46 Oct 23, 2002 Jkt 200001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\24OCR2.SGM 24OCR2 65414 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 206 / Thursday, October 24, 2002 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR lands exceed the benefits of their and six stamens (pollen-producing male inclusion. organs) with bright yellow anthers Fish and Wildlife Service DATES: This rule becomes effective on (pollen sacs). Most fruits that have been November 25, 2002. examined, both in the field and under 50 CFR Part 17 cultivation, produce between three and ADDRESSES: Comments and materials six seeds (D. Wilken, Santa Barbara RIN 1018–AG75 received, as well as supporting Botanic Garden, in litt., 2001). documentation used, in the preparation Chlorogalum purpureum var. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife of this final rule will be available for purpureum has an inflorescence that is and Plants; Final Designation of public inspection, by appointment, 25 to 40 cm (10 to 16 in) high, in Critical Habitat for Chlorogalum during normal business hours at the contrast to C. p. var. reductum which purpureum, a Plant From the South Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. has a shorter inflorescence that is 10 to Coast Ranges of California Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola 20 cm (4 to 8 in) high (Hoover 1964, Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA, 93003. AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Jernstedt 1993, Wilken 2000). Studies Interior. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: are currently underway to examine the ACTION: Final rule. Diane Noda, Field Supervisor, Ventura phylogenetic relationships within Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES Chlorogalum species (D. Wilken, in litt., SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and section) (telephone 805/644–1766; 2001). Wildlife Service (Service), designate facsimile 805/644–3958). Chlorogalum purpureum is a summer- critical habitat pursuant to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: dormant perennial herb that forms a Endangered Species Act of 1973, as Background bulb. The inflorescence develops during amended (Act), for two varieties of early spring, followed by flowering and purple amole: Chlorogalum purpureum The genus Chlorogalum is a member fruit development during May and June. var. purpureum (purple amole) and of Liliaceae (lily family). Chlorogalum By the time the fruit has matured, the Chlorogalum purpureum var. reductum purpureum is endemic to clay soils that leaves wither and the inflorescence (Camatta Canyon amole). A total of occur in the south coast ranges of dries and turns light brown in color. approximately 2,443 ha (5,910 ac) of Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties. Reproduction is primarily by seed, and land fall within the boundaries of the Chlorogalum purpureum var. the seed set apparently increases with critical habitat designation. Critical purpureum occurs in the Santa Lucia insect pollination (D. Wilken, in litt., habitat is located in San Luis Obispo Range of southern Monterey County on 1998). Like other members of the lily and Monterey counties, California. lands managed by the U.S. Army family, C. purpureum is probably in a Located on Federal, State, and private Reserve (Army Reserve) at Fort Hunter mycorrhizal relationship with a fungus lands, this critical habitat designation Liggett, and in northern San Luis (a close association between the plant will require consultation by the Service Obispo County on lands managed by the and soil fungus, where the fungus aids under section 7 of the Act on actions California Army National Guard (CANG) in nutrient and water uptake), which carried out, funded, or authorized by a at Camp Roberts. Chlorogalum can alter growth and competitive Federal agency. Section 4 of the Act purpureum var. reductum occurs in one interactions between species (Allen requires us to consider economic and region of the La Panza Range of San Luis 1991). The taxon has also been observed other relevant impacts when specifying Obispo County on both private lands to grow on undisturbed soils that are any particular area as critical habitat. and public lands managed by the U.S. cryptogamic or have cryptogamic crusts We solicited data and comments from Forest Service (the Los Padres National (E. L. Painter, pers. comm., 2002). the public on all aspects of this Forest (LPNF)) and California Cryptogamic crusts consist of proposal, including data on economic Department of Transportation nonvascular photosynthetic plants and other impacts of the designation. (CalTrans). The two varieties of (primarily cyanobacteria, green algae, We have revised the proposal to Chlorogalum were listed as threatened lichens, and mosses) that protect the eliminate lands at Camp Roberts under species on March 20, 2000 (65 FR soils from erosion, aid in water section 3(5)(A), and lands at Ft. Hunter 14878). infiltration, augment sites for seed Liggett under section 4(b)(2). It is our Chlorogalum purpureum is a low- germination, aid in carbon and nitrogen policy that if any areas containing the growing lily that forms a rosette at the fixation, and increase soil nutrients primary constituent elements are base of the plant (basal rosette) that is (Beymer 1992, Belnap et al. 2001). currently being managed to address the made up of linear and flat, bright green These special crusts may enhance the conservation needs of Chlorogalum leaves. It is the only member of the habitat conditions (e.g., retain soil purpureum management or protection, genus Chlorogalum with bluish-purple moisture, reduce wind and water these areas would not meet the flowers that open during daylight hours. erosion, contribute to soil organic definition of critical habitat in section Chlorogalum purpureum produces a matter, etc.), thus increasing the 3(5)(A)(i) of the Act and would not be rosette of typically 4 to 7 basal leaves likelihood that young bulbs will survive included in this final rule. We have that are 2 to 5 millimeters (mm) (0.1 to over the long term. Although the determined that this is the case at Camp 0.2 inch (in)) wide with wavy margins. relationship is not well understood and Roberts due to their having an approved The bulb is between 2.5 and 3 more research is needed, presence of Integrated Natural Resources centimeters (cm) (0.98 to 1.2 in) and is cryptogamic crusts is also known to Management Plan which addresses the found in the upper few inches of soil. discourage annual weed growth by conservation needs of Chlorogalum The inflorescence (flower-cluster of a functioning as a living mulch (Belnap et purpureum. plant or arrangement of the flowers on al. 2001). We have also determined that the the flowering stalk) produces bluish- direct and indirect costs to the Army, purple flowers in a raceme (single stem Chlorogalum purpureum var. including reduction in military with multiple branches). Each flower purpureum readiness, from designation of critical has six ovules (structure that develops Chlorogalum purpureum var. habitat at Ft. Hunter Liggett are such into a seed if fertilized), six tepals purpureum is located on Fort Hunter that the benefits of excluding those (petals and sepals that appear similar), Liggett and Camp Roberts military VerDate 0ct<09>2002 17:40 Oct 23, 2002 Jkt 200001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\24OCR2.SGM 24OCR2 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 206 / Thursday, October 24, 2002 / Rules and Regulations 65415 lands, which are located on the eastern black filaments on or near the soil’s (CANG 2001a). The C. p. var. side of the Santa Lucia Range in surface, primarily when soil conditions purpureum population (estimated at southern Monterey and northern San are moist (Belnap et al. 2001). approximately 10,000 individuals in Luis Obispo counties. The known During surveys conducted in 1999, 2000 and over 200,000 individuals in populations primarily exist within an most (78 percent) of the sites where the 2001) at Camp Roberts occupies open grassland community, with a species occurs were associated with flat approximately 81 ha (200 ac) and occurs smaller number of individuals found topography (Wilken 2000). The majority in annual grasslands north of the within scattered oak woodland of the other sites were on slopes of less Nacimiento River in Training Areas O2 communities and open areas within than 10 percent (Wilken 2000). Sites and O3 (CANG 2001a). Chlorogalum shrubland communities. A low amount were commonly associated with flat purpureum var. purpureum of cover of herbaceous species is topography or found along the base of predominately occurs on soils with a present, possibly reducing competition hills; a few populations occurred along high concentration of pebbles or gravel for resources. Cryptogamic crusts are ridge-top terraces (H. Crowell, Service, underlain by hard-packed clay (CANG frequently found where C. p. var. pers. obs., 2001; D. Wilken, in litt., 2001; 2001a). The claypan soils are of the purpureum occurs in areas that have Wilken 2000). These areas are between Placentia complex (sandy loam soils, had little to no disturbance (E. L. 300 and 620 meters (m) (1,000 and 2,050 underlain by clay soils, which become Painter, pers. comm., 2001). feet (ft)) in elevation. Examination of very hard on a 5 to 9 percent slope), The species was first described by digital data shows a small percentage of with a much smaller percentage of Townsend Stith Brandegee in 1893. plants occur on slopes up to 50 percent plants occurring on the Arbuckle- Following the initial collection and at Fort Hunter Liggett. No strong Positas complex (very deep, well- description, historic occurrences of association appears to exist between drained sandy and gravelly loam soils plants were identified at ‘‘Milpitas presence of plants and slope aspect with a 9 to15 percent slope) (USDA Ranch,’’ ‘‘the plain west of Jolon,’’ ‘‘near (Wilken 2000).