Rare and Endangered Species of Grasslands North Coast Semaphore Grass () A Rare and Threatened North Coast Range Grass

Cl a r e Go l e c , Revegation Specialist/Botanist; Caltrans-North Region, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95502; E-mail: [email protected] privately owned sites ered extinct until rediscovery in 1975 (UC Berkeley, 2009); in Lake County. The species is listed as without protection threatened by the state of . and management • Nodding semaphore grass (P. refractus) efforts, it is likely to is a perennial ranging from British become endangered Columbia south to northern California. throughout its range P. refractus is uncommon throughout (California Depart- its range (CNPS List 4.2). ment of Fish and • California semaphore grass (P. califor- Game 2005). nicus) is an annual California endemic North Coast (restricted) species with two varieties. semaphore grass belongs to the hy- drophilous (“water- loving”) genus Pleu- ropogon (from the Greek pleura, “side” and pogon, “beard”) in reference to the awns on the sides of the palea in some species. Pleuropog- on is a small genus with only five species The distinctive flag-like inflorescences of North Coast semaphore worldwide, one cir- grass Photo: Clare Golec cumboreal and the other four restricted he North Coast semaphore grass to the Pacific coast, from southern British (Pleuropogon hooverianus [L. Columbia to central California (Natural Re- Benson] J.T. Howell) is a rare and sources Conservation Service 2009). These threatened grass of the North Coast five species are listed below, and many are Ranges in California, listed by the rare to uncommon. Tstate of California and the California Native • False semaphore grass or pleuropogon Society (CNPS). A beautiful, rhizoma- de Sabine (P. sabinei) is a perennial tous, and tussock-forming perennial grass with a range that extends from eastern of woodland and forest meadows, North Siberia to northern , Canada, and Coast semaphore grass displays a tall, dis- . tinctive, flag-like inflorescence that signals • Oregon semaphore grass (P. oregonus) from afar its presence in early spring. is a perennial historically known from Pleuropogon hooverianus floret This spectacular grass is known from only a few occurrences in Union and Illustration: Flora of , Vol. 24 less than ten geographically isolated and Lake counties in Oregon. It was consid- north coast semaphoregrass, continued on page 5

4 | G R A S S L A N D S Summer 2009 north coast semaphoregrass, continued from page 4 Pleuropogon hooverianus (L. Benson) J.T. Howell  Var. californicus (California sema- phore grass) ranges from southern California Na t i v e Pl a n t So c i e t y Ra r e Pl a n t In v e n t o r y : Li s t 1B: Ra r e , Humboldt County south to San Luis t h r e a t e n e d , o r e n d a n g e r e d in California a n d e l s e w h e r e Obispo County, and east to Amador County in California. St a t e Listing: Th r e a t e n e d , 2002  Var. davyi (Davy’s semaphore grass) Fe d e r a l Listing: No n e occurs in Mendocino and Lake Coun- ties in California. This uncommon subspecies has a more restricted range (CNPS List 4.3). habitat conversion • North Coast semaphore grass (P. such as vineyards and hoover­ianus) occurs rarely in Marin, construction; land Mendocino, and Sonoma Counties in management activities California. The species is listed as threat- such as forestry, road ened by the state of California and CNPS. building, and mainte- Pleuropogon in California is believed nance (i.e., roadside to have originated in Mendocino County, clearing, mowing, and as four of these taxa (P. hooverianus, P. herbicide spraying); californicus, P. californicus var. davyi, P. hydrological altera- refractus) occur in that county (But 1977). tion; climate change; Conservation Status and invasive plant North Coast semaphore grass has only competition. twenty known occurrences (California Habitat Natural Diversity Database 2009), Of these The habitat of twenty occurrences, seven are historical North Coast sema- (older than 20 years), thirteen are recent, phore grass is often one is extirpated, and six are potentially cited as marshy areas extirpated. in redwood forest This species was originally listed by the (Hickman 1993), State of California as Rare in November which overlooks 1979 under the Native Plant Protection Act key habitat for this Chuck Williams amidst North Coast semaphore grass on the north facing slopes of Ackerman Creek watershed west of Ukiah in Men- (NPPA), and subsequently was uplisted in species. A more docino County Photo: Clare Golec December 2002 to Threatened under the comprehensive California Endangered Species Act (CESA), habitat description which affords greater protections. would be wet to seasonally wet openings nivea), melic grasses (Melica spp.), pink North Coast semaphore grass is a CNPS and meadows, often with north aspects in plectritis (Plectritis brachystemon), wild list 1B.1 species ( rare, threatened, redwood forest, Douglas-fir forest, and oak rose (Rosa californica), black raspberry or endangered in California, and elsewhere, woodlands (such as benches, swales, and (Rubus leucodermis), California black- with over 80 percent of occurrences threat- streamsides) of the North Coast Ranges. berry (Rubus ursinus), and hedge nettle ened with high degree and immediacy of Native plants associated with North (Stachys ajugoides var. rigida). threat). Coast semaphore grass include sedges Invasive non-native plants that aggres- This species is also globally rare and (Carex spp.) and rushes (Juncus spp.), sively compete for North Coast semaphore listed by California Native Diversity Data- blue wildrye (Elymus glaucus), California grass habitat are Italian ryegrass (Lolium base as a G1 (extremely endangered, less brome (Bromus carinatus), California multiflorum), pennyroyal (Mentha pule- than six occurrences, or less than 1,000 oatgrass (Danthonia californica), western gium), Harding grass (Phalaris aquatic), individuals, or less than 2,000 acres). manna grass (Glyceria occidentalis), cow and Himalayan blackberry (Rubus Potential threats to North Coast parsnip (Heracleum lanatum), Douglas’ armeniacus). semaphore grass are forest encroachment; meadowfoam (Limnanthes douglasii spp. north coast semaphoregrass, continued on page 6

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north coast semaphoregrass, continued from page 5 nodding and North Coast semaphore Beneficial activities could include The associated species listed were com- grass in not being rhizomatous (bearing control of invasive plants, removal of en- piled from occurrence data and personal rhizomes). croaching vegetation in meadows and for- field observations in Mendocino County. Potential Conservation Actions est openings where the North Coast sema- The geographically disjunct and lim- phore grass grows, prescriptive grazing to Description remove thatch and reduce competition North Coast semaphore grass is quite ited number of North Coast semaphore grass occurrences, all on privately owned from non-native grasses, focused surveys of distinctive in the field when blooming potential habitat for additional populations, (April through June) with its more than property, create a high degree of threat and vulnerability to extirpation for this native further research of life history and ecologi- 1-meter tall flowering stalks and large flag- cal requirements, analysis of genotypes like inflorescences. In addition, the species grass. It is crucial to encourage and de- velop formalized conservation agreements across the occurrences, monitoring and has distinctive vegetative characteristics, maintenance of existing populations, long- such as purplish basal leaf sheaths evident and strategies that include beneficial man- agement activities with landowners. term storage of seeds from all populations prior to blooming, and readily shattering in a seed germplasm bank, and educating (dis­articulating) florets that leave behind landowners of the significance and poten- flags of papery glumes just after bloom- tial value of this grass (Showers 2002). ing. Toward the end of its growing season (June), the grass has a distinctive golden References But, P.P.H. 1977. Systematics of Pleuropogon color and lodged (laid down) habit. How- R. Br. (). Ph.D. dissertation, ever, after June this summer-dormant University of California, Berkeley. perennial grass is no longer apparent above California Department of Fish and Game. 2005. ground. The Status of Rare, Threatened, and En- The overlapping of range and habitat of dangered Plants and Animals of California North Coast semaphore grass and Davy’s 2000–2004. Sacramento. semaphore grass can necessitate distin- California Natural Diversity Database. May guishing between the two species. Chuck 2009. RareFind 2 Personal Computer Pro- Williams (undated), a long time champion gram. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento. and local expert of semaphore grasses in Hickman, J.C. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Mendocino County, finds the following dis- Higher Plants of California. University of tinguishing characteristics to be consistent California Press, Berkeley. in distinguishing between species: Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2009. • North Coast semaphore grass awns are PLANTS Database, http://plants.usda.gov/ longer at the bottom of the spikelet and java/profile?symbol=PLHO2. United States shorter at the spikelet’s tip, and vise Department of Interior, D.C. versa on Davy’s semaphore grass (some Showers, M. 2002. Report to the Fish and years awns can be present). His handy Game Commission on the Status of North Coast Semaphore Grass Pleuropogon crutch to remember this feature is P. hooverianus (L. Benson) J. T. Howell. hooverianus, like Hoover Dam, is wider California Department of Fish and Game, at the base and narrower at the top. Sacramento. • The basal leaf sheaths at the base of the U.C. Berkeley. 2009. Pleuropogon, Consor- stem of North Coast semaphore grass tium of California Herbaria, http://ucjeps. are magenta (especially when young), berkeley.edu/consortium/. The University whereas both Davy’s semaphore grass and Jepson Herbaria of the University of and California semaphore grass are California, Berkeley. Williams, C. Undated. Semaphore Grass: cream to yellowish-green at the base. Differentiating Between Pleuropogon Nodding semaphore grass also has pur- hooverianus and P. davyi. Sanhedrin plish basal leaf sheaths but differs from the Chapter of the California Native Plant two species above by its much longer awns Society Newsletter Archive, http://www. and reflexed (vs. ascending) spikelets. Pleuropogon hooverianus culm cnps-sanhedrin.org/pages_html/native_ Davy’s semaphore grass differs from Illustration: Flora of North America, Vol. 24 plants/main.shtml. Ukiah.

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