Biology:Arctomecon californica
| California bearpoppy | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Papaveraceae |
| Genus: | Arctomecon |
| Species: | A. californica
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| Binomial name | |
| Arctomecon californica Torr. & Frém.
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Arctomecon californica is a species of poppy known by several common names, including California bearpoppy, Las Vegas bearpoppy, golden bearpoppy, and yellow-flowered desert poppy. It is a perennial herb that is native to the eastern Mojave Desert.
Description
Arctomecon californica is a herbaceous perennial found in Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) habitats, in barren shales with gypsum substrates, at 500–1,000 metres (1,600–3,300 ft) in elevation.[1]
The plant flowers in mid spring with deep yellow petals from large buds on tall 1–3 feet branching inflorescences. Fruiting occurs in early summer.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Arctomecon californica is native to the eastern Mojave Desert: in areas around Las Vegas, Nevada such as Tule Springs; the Lake Mead area; in and around Las Vegas; and in extreme Mohave County in Northwestern Arizona. It is also known in Utah from a single collection in Washington County, characterized as having "apparently occurred in cultivation on private property".[3]
Conservation
The species has declined dramatically in recent decades and has now been petitioned for listing on the US Endangered Species list.[4] It is a protected species in Nevada and Arizona due to its rarity. It is declining in its primary habitat in Nevada. Populations have undergone a serious decline associated with land development and grazing and the growth in the European and Africanized honeybee population associated with the latter. Habitat fragmentation is a possible contributing factor to reduced levels of genetic variation in populations in the Las Vegas Valley.[5]
Ecology
Arctomecon californica is pollinated by a specialist bee, the Mojave poppy bee. Pollination occurs by female Mojave poppy bees who collect pollen from the plants to feed their young.[6] The Mojave poppy bee is imperiled due to habitat loss.[7]
References
- ↑ "Arctomecon californica in Flora of North America @". http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500118.
- ↑ "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ARCA4.
- ↑ Welsh, Stanley; Atwood, N.; Goodrich, Sherel; Higgins, Larry (1987). A Utah Flora. Monte L Bean Life Science Museum.
- ↑ "Endangered Species | Species | U.S. Species". https://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/us-species.html.
- ↑ Hickerson, Laura L.; Wolf, Paul G. (1998). "Population Genetic Structure of Arctomecon californica Torrey and Fremont (Papaveraceae) in Fragmented and Unfragmented Habitat". Plant Species Biology 13 (1): 21–33. doi:10.1111/j.1442-1984.1998.tb00245.x.
- ↑ "Nevada’s Highly Imperiled Mojave Poppy Bee Takes Step Toward Endangered Species Act Protection" (in en). https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/nevadas-highly-imperiled-mojave-poppy-bee-takes-step-toward-endangered-species-act-protection-2019-09-05/.
- ↑ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.114779/Perdita_meconis.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arctomecon californica. |
Wikidata ☰ Q638217 entry
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