Santa Cruz Island desertdandelion (Malacothrix indecora) and island malacothrix (M. squalida) surveys and seed banking on Santa Cruz Island and Anacapa Island

Summary

Santa Cruz Island desertdandelion (Malacothrix indecora) and island malacothrix (M. squalida) are federally endangered plants found only on California’s northern Channel Islands. Their rocky cliffside habitat is difficult to access, and there is much unknown about these plants, including precisely where they occur, their population sizes, and population trends over time. In this project, botanists from Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and partners are surveying for these exceptionally rare plants over two growing seasons, collecting herbarium voucher specimens and tissue samples and making conservation seed collections. This information and material will help us and our partners to understand more about these species and to manage their recovery.