Marin Dwarf Flax

(Hesperolinon congestum)

 

Photo Credit: John Game

 

Status:
Federal: Proposed Threatened
State: Threatened
California Native Plant Society: List 1B, R-E-D Code 3-3-3 (see below)

3. Occurrence limited to one or a few highly restricted populations or present in such small numbers that it is seldom reported.
3. Endangered throughout its range.
3. Endemic to California

Family: Flax (Linaceae)

Habitat: Serpentine bluffs and grasslands and openings in serpentine scrub. At the Presidio this species is found on the serpentine bluffs.

General Distribution: Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. Fewer than 20 sites known. Only one site remains at the Presidio.

Description: This small annual species is four to eight inches tall, has a slender threadlike stem and linear leaves. The flowers are small with five rose to whitish petals and form congested, flat-topped clusters. Blooming time is from May to July.

Monitoring and Activities: Populations of this species are declining, and the species may soon be lost from the Presidio if recent trends are not reversed. Click to see graph of population changes.

Rare and Endangered Plants page