Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 197 / Tuesday, October 13, 1998 / Rules and Regulations 54975 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (spreading navarretia) occur in clay soils juniper woodlands (California or in vernal wetlands that have a clay Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) Fish and Wildlife Service hardpan or silty alkaline substrate. 1989, Orlando Mistretta, Rancho Santa These habitats are restricted or unique, Ana Botanic Garden, in litt. 1993). A. 50 CFR Part 17 often associated with a specific soil type munzii is known from 13 extant RIN 1018±AL88 or hydrologic regime, or both. The populations. Only one of these composite range of these four plants populations is partially on Federal land Endangered and Threatened Wildlife encompasses the interior lowlands and (Roberts 1993a, California Natural and Plants; Determination of foothills of Los Angeles, San Diversity Data Base (CNDDB) 1997, Jeff Endangered or Threatened Status for Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside Newman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Four Southwestern California Plants counties south into coastal San Diego Service, pers. comm. 1996). Five from Vernal Wetlands and Clay Soils County, California, and the populations occur in the Gavilan Hills, northwestern State of Baja California, including one at Harford Springs AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Mexico. Although some of these plants County Park, and one on lands managed Interior. are relatively wide-ranging, all are by the Riverside County Habitat ACTION: Final rule. localized in distribution within their Conservation Agency (RCHCA). One respective ranges because of the population occurs in the Temescal SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service restricted and patchy nature of the Valley on private land; another (Service) determines endangered status habitats in which they are found. population may still be extant but is pursuant to the Endangered Species Act Allium munzii (Munz's onion), a likely extirpated. One population occurs of 1973, as amended (Act), for two member of the lily family (Liliaceae), north of Walker Canyon on private land. plantsÐAllium munzii (Munz's onion) was first referred to as Allium Five small populations occur in or near and Atriplex coronata var. notatior (San fimbriatum var. munzii by Marion the Paloma Valley, including near the Jacinto Valley crownscale), and Ownbey (Munz and Keck 1959). The Scott Road, Skunk Hollow, Domenigoni determines threatened status for two varietal epithet was attributed to Hills, and Bachelor Mountain areas. plantsÐBrodiaea filifolia (thread-leaved Ownbey and H. Aase. This name was These populations are on land managed brodiaea) and Navarretia fossalis not validly published because it lacked by the Reserve Management Committees (spreading navarretia). These four plants a proper description and citation, which (Domenigoni Hills and Bachelor occur in vernal pools and other were provided by Traub (1972), who Mountain) for the Riverside County wetlands or on clay soils and moist published the name as Allium multispecies plans, or on private land. grasslands throughout their respective fimbriatum var. munzii Ownbey ex One population is in the Elsinore ranges in southwestern California and Traub, based on a specimen collected by Mountains, partly on Federal land in the northwestern Baja California, Mexico. Philip Munz south of Glen Ivy, Cleveland National Forest and partly on These plant are variously threatened by Riverside County, California, in 1922. private lands (Boyd and Mistretta 1991). one or more of the following: habitat McNeal (1992) elevated this taxon to The Service estimates that there are destruction and fragmentation from species status (Allium munzii (Traub) D. about 20,000 to 70,000 individuals of A. agricultural and urban development, McNeal). munzii (Roberts 1993a, CNDDB 1997, pipeline construction, alteration of Allium munzii is a perennial herb, 15 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetland hydrology by draining or to 35 centimeters (cm) (0.5 to 1.2 feet unpublished data). In response to excessive flooding, channelization, off- (ft)) tall, originating from a bulb with a rainfall and other factors, perennial road vehicle activity, cattle and sheep papery, reddish-brown outer coat and bulbs may not produce aerial leaves or grazing, weed abatement, fire light brown inner coat. The single leaf flowers in a given year or may produce suppression practices (including discing is teretes (cylindrical in shape) and up only leaves. As a result, fluctuations in (plowing)), and competition from alien to 1.5 times as long as the stalk of the numbers of observed individuals can be plant species. This rule implements the inflorescence (scape). The inflorescence misleading. Five populations are large Federal protection and recovery (flower cluster) is umbellate, consisting (over 2,000 individuals) and cover as provisions afforded by the Act for these of 10 to 35 flowers. The flowers have six much as 8 hectares (ha) (20 acres (ac)). four plants. perianth segments (undifferentiated Most populations contain fewer than DATES: This rule is effective on petals and sepals) that are white, or 1,000 individuals and their areas range November 12, 1998. white with a red midvein, becoming red from several meters to less than 1 ha with age. They are 6 to 8 millimeters (2.5 ac). ADDRESSES: The complete file for this (mm) (0.2 to 0.3 inches (in)) long. The Atriplex coronata var. notatior (San rule is available for inspection, by ovary is crested with fine, irregularly Jacinto Valley crownscale), a member of appointment, during normal business dentate (pointed) processes and the fruit the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), hours at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife is a three-lobed capsule (Munz 1974, was described by Epson (1914), based Service, Carlsbad Field Office, 2730 McNeal 1993). on a specimen he collected in 1901 from Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, Allium munzii can be distinguished the dried bed of San Jacinto Lake (= California, 92008. from other members of the genus within Mystic Lake), Riverside County, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary its range by its solitary cylindric leaves, California. Hall and Clements (1923) Wallace (see ADDRESSES above), elliptic to ovate perianth segments, considered this taxon a minor variant telephone (760) 431±9440. generally white flowers, and finely and and submerged it in A. coronata. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: irregularly dentate ovary crests. Atriplex coronata var. notatior has Allium munzii is restricted to mesic subsequently been recognized by Munz Background clay soils in western Riverside County, (1935, 1974) and Taylor and Wilken Allium munzii (Munz's onion), California. This species is frequently (1993). Brodiaea filifolia (thread-leaved found in association with southern Atriplex coronata var. notatior is an brodiaea), Atriplex coronata var. needlegrass grassland, mixed grassland, erect, gray-scurfy annual, 1 to 3 notatior (San Jacinto Valley and grassy openings in coastal sage decimeters (dm) (4 to 12 in) tall. The crownscale), and Navarretia fossalis scrub or, occasionally, in cismontane grayish leaves are sessile, alternate, 8 to 54976 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 197 / Tuesday, October 13, 1998 / Rules and Regulations 20 mm (0.3 to 0.8 in) long and elliptic flooding, and temperature. Disturbance taxon (Niehaus 1971, Munz 1974, to ovate-triangular in outline. This taxon (discing, dryland farming, pipeline Beauchamp 1986, Keator 1993). is monoecious (male and female flowers construction, out of season inundation) Brodiaea orcuttii (Greene) Baker was on the same plant). The female flowers has become an increasingly important included as a variety of B. filifolia by are obscure and develop spherical bracts factor in limiting the number of Epson (1922) but subsequent authors in the fruiting phase. These bracts have individuals in a population. have recognized this taxon as a distinct dense tubercles (nodule) that are Between 1990 and 1994, an estimated species (Niehaus 1971, Munz and Keck roughly equal in number to the marginal 78,000 Atriplex coronata var. notatior 1973, Munz 1974, Keator 1993). teeth (Munz 1974, Taylor and Wilken individuals were located (Metropolitan Brodiaea filifolia is a perennial herb 1993). Water District (MWD) 1992, Ogden with dark-brown, fibrous-coated corms. Atriplex coronata var. notatior can be 1993, D. Bramlet, in litt. 1993, CNDDB The flower stalks (scapes) are 2 to 4 dm distinguished from the more northern A. 1997, Roberts 1993b). These plants (8 to 16 in) tall with several narrow coronata var. coronata by its erect occupied about 145 ha (400 ac) of about leaves that are shorter than the scape. stature, the spheric shape of the bracts 3,300 ha (8,200 ac) of potentially The flowers bloom from May to June together in fruiting stage, and the more suitable habitat (alkali scrub, alkali and are arranged in a loose umbel. The numerous tubercles and marginal teeth playa, and annual alkali grassland six perianth segments are violet, on the bracts. The distributions of the vegetation associations). The majority of spreading, and 9 to 12 mm (0.4 to 0.5 two varieties do not overlap. Atriplex the individuals (about 75 percent) were in) long. The broad and notched anthers coronata var. coronata is found in the associated with three population centers are 3 to 5 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) long. The Sacramento, San Joaquin, and (Mystic Lake, the Nuevo-Ramona fruit is a capsule (Munz 1974, Keator neighboring valleys, while A.c. var. Expressway segment of the San Jacinto 1993). notatior is restricted to Riverside River, and west Hemet) (Roberts 1993b). Brodiaea filifolia can be distinguished County. A.c. var. notatior occurs with Since 1993, the population has from the other species of Brodiaea that eight other native and one introduced apparently declined significantly as a occur within its range (B. orcuttii, B. species of Atriplex within its range (D. result of major flooding in the winter of jolonensis, and B. terrestris ssp. Bramlet 1993b, Bramlet in litt. 1995, 1992±1993 and the subsequent kernensis) by its narrow, pointed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, unpubl. conversion or alteration of potential staminodia, rotate perianth lobes (i.e., a data).