''Trifolium amoenum'', known by the common names showy Indian clover and two-fork clover, 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 else ...
to
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and is an
endangered
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 in ...
annual
herb that subsists in
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses ( Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur na ...
areas of the
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...
and the northern
California Coast Ranges
The Coast Ranges of California span from Del Norte or Humboldt County, California, south to Santa Barbara County. The other three coastal California mountain ranges are the Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges and the Klamath Mountains.
P ...
.
Description
This
wildflower
A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the ...
has an erect growth habit and is typically found on heavy soils at elevations less than 100 meters. The flower head is somewhat spherical with a diameter of about 2.5 centimeters. The petals are purple gradating to white tips.
History and conservation
Edward Lee Greene collected the first recorded specimen of this plant in 1890 in
Vacaville, California
Vacaville is a city located in Solano County in Northern California. Sitting approximately from Sacramento and from San Francisco, it is within the Sacramento Valley. As of the 2020 census, Vacaville had a population of 102,386, making it t ...
(in
Solano County
Solano County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 453,491. The county seat is Fairfield.
Solano County comprises the Vallejo–Fairfield, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which i ...
). The historical range of ''Trifolium amoenum'' was from the western extreme of the
Sacramento Valley in Solano County west and north to
Marin
Marin (French) or Marín (Spanish "sailor") may refer to:
People
* Marin (name), including a list of persons with the given name or surname
* MaRin, in-game name of professional South Korean ''League of Legends'' player Jang Gyeong-hwan (born 19 ...
and
Sonoma Counties, where many sites were presumed extirpated by urban and agricultural development.
From further expansion of the human population, ''Trifolium amoenum'' had become a
rare species by the mid 1900s. Through the latter 1900s the number of distinct populations dwindled to about 20 in number, from pressure of
an expanding human population and urban development.
Rediscovery
By 1993 ''Trifolium amoenum'' was thought to be extinct, after the population in
Vacaville, California
Vacaville is a city located in Solano County in Northern California. Sitting approximately from Sacramento and from San Francisco, it is within the Sacramento Valley. As of the 2020 census, Vacaville had a population of 102,386, making it t ...
depleted, but was rediscovered by Peter Connors in the form of a single plant on a site in western Sonoma County.
[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arcata Division, 1655 Heindon Road, Arcata, Ca.] The seeds from this single plant organism were used to grow more specimens.
The Sonoma County location has been developed and any plants remaining there have been
extirpated
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, refers to a species (or other taxon) of plant or animal that ceases to exist in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinct ...
.
[The Nature Conservancy]
/ref> Presently there is only a single extant population, subsequently discovered in 1996 in northern Marin County, which numbers approximately 200 plants.
''Trifolium amoenum'' became a federally listed endangered species in 1997. Recent conservation research on ''Trifolium amoenum'' has been conducted by the Bodega Marine Laboratory.
See also
*Americano Creek
Americano Creek is a long westward-flowing stream in the California counties of Sonoma and Marin. It flows into the Estero Americano, a long estuary, and thence to the Pacific Ocean. This article covers both watercourses.
Course
Americano C ...
*Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe ...
* California native plants
References
External links
Calflora Database: ''Trifolium amoenum'' (Showy indian clover)Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Trifolium amoenum''California Native Plant Link Exchange species summary for ''Trifolium amoenum''UC CalPhotos gallery: ''Trifolium amoenum''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2063984
amoenum
Endemic flora of California
Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
Natural history of the California Coast Ranges
Natural history of Marin County, California
Natural history of Sonoma County, California
Endemic flora of the San Francisco Bay Area