The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T44392806A44422197
Fritillaria falcata, Talus Fritillary
Assessment by: Contu, S.
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Contu, S. 2013. Fritillaria falcata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013:
e.T44392806A44422197. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20132.RLTS.T44392806A44422197.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Liliopsida
Liliales
Liliaceae
Taxon Name: Fritillaria falcata (Jeps.) D.E.Beetle
Synonym(s):
• Fritillaria atropurpurea variety falcata Jeps.
Common Name(s):
• English:
Talus Fritillary
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Endangered B1ab(iii,v) ver 3.1
Year Published:
2013
Date Assessed:
June 8, 2009
Justification:
Fritillaria falcata is a bulb geophyte endemic to California, restricted to Stanislaus, Santa Clara, Alameda,
Monterey and San Benito counties and specialized to grow on serpentine soil and chaparral biome.
Consequently the extent of occurrence (EOO) is quite restricted at just 900 km2, qualifying the species to
be evaluated in the Endangered category; furthermore the species is currently only known to be
represented in the wild by few subpopulations, (probably five, of which only one is known to occur
within the protected areas network, and this is also estimated to represent five locations) and there are
threats, such as vehicle use, feral pigs etc. which might cause a continuing decline in the extent and the
quality of the habitat and in the number of mature individuals. Further botanical surveys are needed to
fully understand the exact distribution range and health of the species, but on the basis of the present
knowledge it is believed that further conservation measures should be promptly taken.
Geographic Range
Range Description:
This species is endemic to California and it is known to be restricted to Stanislaus, Santa Clara, Alameda,
Monterey and San Benito counties.
Country Occurrence:
Native: United States (California)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Fritillaria falcata – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T44392806A44422197.en
1
Population
This species has been described as rare in the San Francisco Bay area.
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
This species is a bulb geophyte which is known to grow in sloping sites in full sun on a serpentine soil
and in the chaparral biome. The vegetative habitat of this species is similar to that of Fritillaria glauca;
the flower more nearly resembled that of F. purdyi. All three species are restricted to serpentine soil
(Beetle 1944).
Systems: Terrestrial
Use and Trade
No information available.
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
This species is known to be threatened by vehicle use (Tibor 2001); other threats may include feral pigs,
right-of-way maintenance, and mining. Modification of serpentine habitats by human activity results
from mining activities, agriculture (farming and grazing), logging and recreation. Some disturbances
(mining, logging, and the development of geothermal power) have affected serpentine floras. The least
destructive uses of serpentine areas are as watershed and by wildlife; the infertility of serpentines limits
their value for agriculture and forestry (Kruckeberg 1984).
Conservation Actions
This species has been listed as G2 (Imperiled - At high risk of extinction or elimination due to very
restricted range, very few populations, steep declines, or other factor) from NatureServe 2003, and as a
rare, threatened, or endangered plant in California and elsewhere from the California Native Plants
Society (Tibor 2001). The species is currently known to occur in only one protected area: San Benito
Wilderness Study Area; therefore it is suggested to improve the in situ conservation measures and
insure that more populations are protected in the wild. Seed has been collected and stored in the
Millennium Seed Bank as an ex situ conservation measure.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Contu, S.
Reviewer(s):
Scott, J.A.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Fritillaria falcata – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T44392806A44422197.en
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Bibliography
Beetle, D.E. 1944. A monograph of the North American species of Fritillaria. Madroño: a West American
Journal of Botany 7(5): 129-160.
IUCN. 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2013.2). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 13 November 2013).
Jepson, W.L. 1922. A fFora of California. University of California, Berkeley, California.
Knight, L. and Seevers, J. 1992. Species Status: Plants of the Medford District BLM. Bureau of Land
Management - Medford District, Medford, Oregon.
Kruckeberg, A.R. 1985. California serpentines: flora, vegetation, geology, soils, and management
problems. University of California Press.
McGary, M.J. 2001. Bulbs of North America. Timber Press and North American Rock Garden Society,
Portland.
NatureServe. 2009. An Online Encyclopedia of Life. Available at:
http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/index.htm. (Accessed: June 2009).
Tibor, D.P. 2001. California Native Plant Society's inventory of rare and endangered plants of California.
California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, California.
Citation
Contu, S. 2013. Fritillaria falcata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013:
e.T44392806A44422197. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T44392806A44422197.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Fritillaria falcata – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T44392806A44422197.en
3
Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
3. Shrubland -> 3.8. Shrubland - Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation
-
Suitable
-
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.1. Annual &
perennial non-timber crops -> 2.1.4. Scale
Unknown/Unrecorded
Ongoing
-
-
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
2. Species Stresses -> 2.2. Species disturbance
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.3. Livestock farming
& ranching -> 2.3.4. Scale Unknown/Unrecorded
3. Energy production & mining -> 3.2. Mining &
quarrying
4. Transportation & service corridors -> 4.1. Roads &
railroads
5. Biological resource use -> 5.3. Logging & wood
harvesting -> 5.3.5. Motivation
Unknown/Unrecorded
6. Human intrusions & disturbance -> 6.1.
Recreational activities
8. Invasive & other problematic species & genes ->
8.1. Invasive non-native/alien species -> 8.1.2.
Named species (Sus domesticus)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Additional Data Fields
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Fritillaria falcata – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T44392806A44422197.en
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Distribution
Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) (km²): 900
Number of Locations: 5
Lower elevation limit (m): 300
Upper elevation limit (m): 1525
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Fritillaria falcata – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T44392806A44422197.en
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The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™