DRAFT
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PLANTS
Piute Mountains Jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
Piute Mountains Jewel-flower (Streptanthus
cordatus var. piutensis)
Legal Status
State: S1.21
California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.22
Federal: Bureau of Land Management Sensitive
Critical Habitat: N/A
Recovery Planning: N/A
Taxonomy
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis) is
a perennial herb in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) (Jepson Flora
Project 2011). Thomas Nuttall first described Streptanthus cordatus in
1838, with the type locality from the forests of the Rocky Mountains
(as provided by the Jepson eFlora [Jepson Flora Project 2011]). John
Thomas Howell described the variety piutensis in the Leaflets of
Western Botany in 1963 (IPNI 2011) based on the collections of D. E.
Breedlove (Tropicos 2011).
Jepson’s A Flora of California, written between 1909 and 1940 (with
one update in 1979), notes that there may be some disagreement
about the identification of the California Streptanthus cordatus as
compared to the Streptanthus cordatus originally described from type
specimens collected in the Rocky Mountains (Jepson Flora Project
2011). However, this taxonomic uncertainty does not appear to be a
present-day concern and does not concern the validity of the variety
piutensis. Greene and Sanders (2006) discuss discrepancies between
accounts of Streptanthus cordatus in The Jepson Manual (Hickman
1996) and in The Cruciferae of Continental North America (Rollins
1993, cited in Greene and Sanders 2006), specifically related to the
intraspecific identity of specimens collected in eastern Tulare County,
which is outside of the Plan Area. Greene and Sanders (2006) cite
difficulty in identifying differences between var. cordatus, var.
1
2
S1: Critically Imperiled. X.2: Threatened.
1B: Rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere. X.2: Fairly endangered in California.
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PLANTS
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
piutensis, and the intermediate var. duranii. They hypothesize this
could be a result of clinal variation (where varieties intergrade where
their ranges overlap), or hybridization between var. cordatus and var.
piutensis resulting in the intermediate var. duranii (Greene and
Sanders 2006). However, no changes to the taxonomy of these
varieties have been offered in the updated Jepson Manual (Jepson
Flora Project 2011).
This species generally stands from 3 to 9 decimeters (1.0 to 3.0 feet)
tall (Jepson Flora Project 2011). Descriptions of the species’ physical
characteristics can be found in Greene and Sanders (2006), and on the
Jepson eFlora (Jepson Flora Project 2011).
Distribution
General
Piute Mountains jewel-flower is restricted to the southern Sierra
Nevada in Kern County (CDFG 2012a; CCH 2011; Jepson Flora Project
2011) although Greene and Sanders (2006) note that there appear to
be specimens matching this species taken from near Chimney Peak in
eastern Tulare County. No further information about the identification
of these individuals is available and they are located outside of the
Plan Area. There are four element occurrences in the California
Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) (CDFG 2012a) and 28 records
from the Consortium of California Herbaria (CCH) (2011) of this
species. Most, but not all, of the CCH records appear to be
geographically distinct from the CNDDB records, but geographic
location is not mapped and therefore is difficult to compare with
CNDDB data. All CNDDB records are presumed extant (CDFG 2012a).
Element Occurrence #1 (CDFG 2012a), containing eight separately
mapped occurrence areas, is by far the largest of the four occurrences.
It is outside of the Plan Area.
Figure SP-P25 shows the range of Piute Mountains jewel-flower in
California.
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Species Accounts
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DRAFT
March 2012
PLANTS
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
Distribution and Occurrences within the Plan Area
Historical
Within the Plan Area, one element occurrence of Piute Mountains
jewel-flower was observed in 1966 within the Cache Peak area north
of the City of Mojave. It was observed on the northwest flank of Cache
Peak at Champagne Spring. It was noted as a “scattered colony
growing in sheltered metamorphic rock at the base of a high cliff”
(CDFG 2012a).
Recent
Within the Plan Area, one element occurrence of Piute Mountains
jewel-flower was last observed in 2010 within the Cache Peak area
north of the City of Mojave. It was observed at the north end of Sweet
Ridge, southeast of Cache Peak, growing “on and around rock
outcrops within dense Tucker oak chaparral” (CDFG 2012a). This
occurrence record is located on lands in private ownership.
Figure SP-P25 provides the known distribution of Piute Mountains
jewel-flower, with these occurrences overlaid (CDFG 2012a).
Natural History
Habitat Requirements
Piute Mountains jewel-flower has been documented in broadleafed
upland forests, closed-cone coniferous forest, and pinyon-juniper
woodlands (CDFG 2012a). According to Greene and Sanders (2006),
most occurrences are associated with Bodfish Piute cypress
(Cupressus nevadensis) and California juniper (Juniperus californica) in
the Piute Mountains. The Cache Peak occurrence at Champagne Spring
(Occurrence #3; CDFG 2012a) was observed growing in association
with canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis).
Plants have been found growing at elevations of between 1,095 and
1,825 meters (3,592 to 5,988 feet) (CNPS 2011). Collections have
been made at elevations of 3,600 to 7,000 feet according to Greene
and Sanders (2006). Within the Plan Area, the two known occurrences
are found at 5,700 feet and 6,200 feet (CDFG 2012a). However, the
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Species Accounts
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DRAFT
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PLANTS
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
entire documented elevation range for the species was applied when
modeling potential habitat within the Plan Area.
One occurrence within the Plan Area is associated with metamorphic
rock. Other substrates include reddish clay-like soils (CDFG 2012a),
heavy clay (Rollins 1993, cited in Greene and Sanders 2006), stony
gabbro substrate, and very dark brown-red soil and rock (Greene and
Sanders 2006). A population at Chimney Creek Canyon was recorded
as occurring on a sandy slope (Greene and Sanders 2006).
Table 1. Habitat Associations for Piute Mountains Jewel-Flower
Habitat
Designation
Primary
habitat
Land Cover Type
Broadleafed upland
forests, closed-cone
coniferous forests, and
pinyon-juniper woodlands
Habitat
Parameters
3,592 to 7,000
feet elevation
Supporting
Information
CDFG 2012a;
Greene and
Sanders 2006
Reproduction
Piute Mountains jewel-flower blooms from June to July and produces
20 to 38 (occasionally as many as 46) small, broadly oblong to slightly
round seeds (Jepson Floral Project 2011).
Very little work has been done on the reproductive biology of Piute
Mountains jewel-flower, but Preston (1994) studied a related
mountain jewel-flower (Streptanthus tortuosus) with similar flower
morphology (Greene and Sanders 2006). Preston (1994) found that
bees are the most common and consistent floral visitors, but wasps,
flies, butterflies, and beetles were also observed visiting the flowers
foraging for pollen and nectar. These observations may not apply
directly to Piute Mountains jewel-flower, but given the similarities of
flower form, the pollinators are probably similar or identical (Greene
and Sanders 2006).
Ecological Relationships
Very little is known about the ecological relationships of Piute
Mountains jewel-flower. Like many other species, the success of Piute
Mountains jewel-flower is strongly dependent upon relationships
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Species Accounts
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PLANTS
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
with the soil, animal pollinators, adjacent habitat, and climactic
processes, such as rainfall patterns. Any changes in soil condition,
viability of known pollinators, or of the habitats in which this species
occurs will affect this rare plant.
Population Status and Trends
Global: G5T1, Critically Imperiled (CDFG 2012b)
State: S1.2, Critically Imperiled (CDFG 2012b)
Piute Mountains jewel-flower is classified as a 1B.2 rare plant species
by the California Rare Plant Rank (CRPR) system. Species with the 1B
rank are rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere.
The X.2 threat rank indicates that this species is fairly threatened
(20%–80% occurrences threatened or moderate degree and
immediacy of threat) in California.
Population trends are difficult to establish due to the small number of
verified records of this species (CDFG 2012a) and the fact that the
plant is a short-lived perennial herb. Its known range in Kern County
is poorly explored, but populations or hybrids could extend into
eastern Tulare County (Greene and Sanders 2006). Population counts
in the CNDDB records are limited to the largest occurrence (Element
Occurrence #1), in which 30 plants were reported in 1992 and 75 in
1995 (CDFG 2012a). This variation could easily be attributed to yearly
fluctuations in population size and may not indicate long-term trends.
Threats and Environmental Stressors
Within the Plan Area, the two known occurrences of Piute Mountains
jewel-flower are on private lands and potentially threatened by
maintenance of wind energy facilities (Hare 1995, cited in Greene and
Sanders 2006; CDFG 2012a). Off-highway vehicle (OHV) use also has
the potential to adversely affect this species. Linton (2009) describes
a number of potential direct and indirect impacts to special-status
plant species occurring in the Sequoia National Forest, including Piute
Mountains jewel-flower, resulting from roads and OHV use. Direct
impacts include, but are not limited to, crushing of the foliage, root
systems, and seedlings by the wheels; uprooting; and disruption of
root systems of larger plants. Indirect impacts can include reductions
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Species Accounts
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PLANTS
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
in photosynthetic capacity, poor reproduction, increases in bare
ground, diminished litter cover, and a reduction in the overall cover
and frequency of plant species. These impacts can lead to the eventual
replacement of native plant species with non-native species better
adapted to frequent disturbances and altered soil conditions, such as
invasive non-native species (Linton 2009).
Moreover, soil erosion and changes to the physical and chemical
properties of soil resulting from OHV use pose potential threats to
Piute Mountains jewel-flower. Linton (2009) discusses how OHV use
can result in a loss of cohesion and lateral displacement of soils, while
repeated use leads to compaction. This in turn, can lead to decreased
moisture available for plant growth, which is especially problematic in
arid areas, where soil moisture is frequently a strong limiting factor
for plant productivity and reproductive success (Linton 2009).
The two occurrences within the Plan Area, located on private land, are
also potentially threatened by any future construction, cattle grazing,
logging, or mining, by both destruction of individual plants and
reduction and/or elimination of their habitat (Greene and Sanders
2006). In addition, any reduction of the habitat or threat to the longterm survival of the plant’s pollinators poses a significant threat.
Conservation and Management Activities
Piute Mountains jewel-flower was part of the original 98 plant and
animal species initially addressed in the West Mojave Plan (BLM 2005).
However, this species was later dropped due to insufficient information,
according to Appendix Y of Volume 2 of the Plan (BLM 2005).
In addition, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages sensitive
plants, including Piute Mountains jewel-flower, on lands it
administers. Management priorities are consistent with BLM’s
principles of multiple use and include, but are not limited to, the
following: developing and implementing range-wide and/or sitespecific management plans for sensitive plant species that include
specific habitat and population management objectives designed for
recovery; ensuring that BLM activities affecting the habitat of
sensitive plant species are carried out in a manner consistent with the
objectives for managing those species; and monitoring populations
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Species Accounts
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DRAFT
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PLANTS
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
and habitats of candidate plant species to determine whether
management objectives are being met (BLM 2003).
Data Characterization
There are considerable data gaps for this species, including questions
about the true range of the plants meeting the description of variety
piutensis both because of the presence of questionable records in
eastern Tulare County and because of limited sampling in the remote
areas where it has been documented in Kern County. There is also a
limited amount of information on microhabitat requirements (e.g., soil
types, how alluvial processes affect the plant), reproductive processes
(e.g., requirements for seed germination, how long seeds remain
viable in the soil), and interactions with climatic forces (e.g., how long
plants can survive dormancy, what rainfall amounts are required for
plants to set seeds).
Management and Monitoring Considerations
Species protection activities should focus on CNDDB occurrences
known to occur in the Plan Area (CDFG 2012a), as well as modeled
habitat for the species. Protection of known occurrences is made more
difficult because these occurrences are located on private land. The
long-term viability of populations may also rely on the protection of
habitat corridors between these populations. Because so little is
known about the abundance and distribution of Piute Mountains
jewel-flower in California, focused surveys for this species should be
conducted within appropriate habitat in high rainfall years in the Plan
Area. Absent the acquisition of, or conservation easement on, private
lands where these occurrences are located, long-term management
and monitoring of the two known populations within the Plan Area
may be difficult.
Predicted Species Distribution in Plan Area
There are 99,736 acres of modeled suitable habitat for Piute
Mountains jewel-flower in the Plan Area. Modeled suitable habitat
occurs in the Tehachapi-Piute Mountains from 3,500 to 7,000 feet in
elevation. Modeled suitable habitat includes forest and woodland
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Species Accounts
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DRAFT
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PLANTS
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
vegetation communities. Appendix C includes specific model
parameters and a figure showing the modeled suitable habitat in the
Plan Area.
Literature Cited
BLM (Bureau of Land Management). 2003. “Special Status Plant
Management.” BLM-California Manual Supplement 6840.06.
Last revised January 3, 2003. Accessed November 21, 2011.
http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib//blm/ca/pdf/
pdfs/pa_pdfs/biology_pdfs.Par.428edb73.File.pdf/6840.06supplement.pdf.
BLM. 2005. Final Environmental Impact Report and Statement for the
West Mojave Plan: A Habitat Conservation Plan and California
Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment. Vol. 1, ES-1–1-23.
SCH no. 2003011017. Moreno Valley, California: BLM. January
2005. Accessed November 2011. http://www.blm.gov/ca/
st/en/fo/cdd/wemo.html.
CCH (Consortium of California Herbaria). 2011. Accession results for
Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis. Accessed November 2011.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/consortium.
CDFG (California Department of Fish and Game). 2012a. “Streptanthus
cordatus var. piutensis.” Element Occurrence Query. California
Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). RareFind, Version 4.0
(Commercial Subscription). Sacramento, California: CDFG,
Biogeographic Data Branch. Accessed February 2012.
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cnddb/mapsanddata.asp.
CDFG. 2012b. Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List.
California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). January 2012.
Accessed March 2012. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/
cnddb/plants_and_animals.asp.
CNPS (California Native Plant Society). 2011. “Streptanthus cordatus
var. piutensis.” Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants. Online
ed. Version 8-01a. Sacramento, California: CNPS. Accessed
November 23, 2011. http://www.cnps.org/inventory.
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Species Accounts
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PLANTS
Piute Mountains jewel-flower (Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis)
Greene, J. A., and A.C. Sanders. 2006. “Piute Mountain Jewel-Flower.”
West Mojave Plan Species Accounts. U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Land Management. January 2006. Accessed
December 13, 2011. http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/
medialib//blm/ca/pdf/pdfs/cdd_pdfs.Par.41e75f64.File.pdf/
piutemtn1.PDF.
Hickman, J.C., ed. 1996. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California.
3rd printing, with corrections. Berkeley, California: University
of California Press.
IPNI (International Plant Names Index). 2011. “Plant Name Details:
Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis.” Accessed November 23,
2011. http://www.ipni.org/.
Jepson Flora Project. 2011. “Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis.” I.A.
Al-Shehbaz. Jepson eFlora [v. 1.0]. Berkeley, California:
University of California. Accessed November 23, 2011.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/interchange/I_treat_indexes.html.
Linton, F. 2009. “Biological Evaluation for Sensitive Plants Sequoia
National Forest – Travel Management Project.” In Travel
Management Final Environmental Statement Sequoia National
Forest. August 2009. Accessed November 23, 2011.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/projects/
travel-management-eis/tm_botany_final_be.pdf.
NatureServe. 2011. “Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis.” NatureServe
Explorer: An Online Encyclopedia of Life. Version 7.1. Arlington,
Virginia: NatureServe. Last update July 2011. Accessed
November 21, 2011. http://www.natureserve.org/explorer.
Preston. R.E. 1994. “Population Biology of Streptanthus tortuosus
(Brassicaceae).” Madrono 41(2):138–147.
Tropicos. 2011. “Streptanthus cordatus var. piutensis.” Accessed
November 23, 2011. http://www.tropicos.org/
Name/4102862.
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