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(Arctostaphylos hookerii ssp. ravenii)
Status: 3. Occurrence limited to one or a few highly restricted populations or present in such small numbers that it is seldom reported. Family: Heather (Ericaceae) Habitat: Open scrub areas on serpentine soils. General Distribution: Historic distribution extended less than six miles from Fort Scott, in the Presidio, to Mount Davidson in San Francisco. Only one single plant existed as of 1987. That plant is located in the Presidio. Since 1987, a number of clones have been propagated from cuttings off the parent plant and have been planted at several sites around the Presidio. Description: This low-growing evergreen shrub has reddish bark and does not have a basal burl. The leaves are round to broadly elliptic, growing from branchlets covered with fine grayish-white hairs. The small white flowers and fruit are sparse. Blooming time is from February to March. Monitoring and Activities: The parent plant and 18 clones were monitored in 2000. The parent plant shows signs of growth and new leaf production. The most significant information concerning the manzanita this year is a life-threatening invasion of Tussock Moth larvae. The larvae have partially to fully defoliated many of the plants at one site and may be responsible for the deaths of 2 clones at that site. The parent plant and clones have also suffered significant dieback in the last two years due to a fungal pathogen that apparently had flourished following several years of above average rainfall. |
Last updated: February 28, 2015