''Gilia tenuiflora'' is a species of flowering plant in the
phlox family known by the common name greater yellowthroat gilia. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, where its distribution spans the central coast and coastal mountains, as well as the
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...
.
There are several subspecies, including ''G. c.'' ssp. ''arenaria'', the sand gilia or Monterey gilia, which is federally listed as an
endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
. It is known from about 24 occurrences around
Monterey Bay.
[USFWS]
Monterey Gilia Five-year Review.
March 2008. Hoffmann's slender-flowered gilia, ssp. ''hoffmannii'', is also federally endangered and is limited to
Santa Rosa Island, one of the
Channel Islands of California.
[USFWS]
Hoffmann's Gilia Five-year Review.
July 2009.
Description
The multibranched stem emerges from a basal rosette of leaves, each leaf divided into long, straight leaflets. The flower is lavender with a long
stigma protruding from the throat. Despite the flower's common name, the throat is generally not yellow in color, but purple to white.
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Gilia tenuiflora''''Gilia tenuiflora'' - Photo gallery
tenuiflora
Endemic flora of California
Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
Natural history of the Channel Islands of California
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