Flora of North America species comparison

Of conservation concern.

Historic populations of var. sericea occurred along the immediate coast from Alameda and Marin counties south at least to Santa Barbara County, with some littoral collections of Horkelia cuneata from Los Angeles and San Diego counties having some sericea characteristics. Reports from farther north are all based on misidentifications, for example, of H. californica in Sonoma County. The most distinctive specimens are from the northern populations in Alameda, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties, all of which apparently no longer exist. Of the recently confirmed extant populations, those that come closest to justifying continued recognition of var. sericea are in Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz counties.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Of conservation concern.

At its most distinctive, var. puberula is represented by historic collections from the hills and plains of Los Angeles, western Riverside, extreme southwestern San Bernardino, and northwestern San Diego counties; these populations have now largely been destroyed by urbanization. Scattered populations still exist within this core area, to what extent and with what level of ensured continuity remains uncertain. In addition, multiple populations of Horkelia cuneata from as far north and west as San Luis Obispo County have characteristics of var. puberula; these tend to intergrade with var. cuneata, as do some historic collections from the core area.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)