Caraway-leaved Gilia [Gilia caruifolia Abrams]
Listing CNPS List 4 R-E-D Code 1-1-1
State/Federal. Status -- None POLEMONIACEAE May-Aug.
Global Rank G? State Rank S?
D Distribution: San Diego County, Riverside County; Baja California, Mexico
Habitat: Lower Montane Coniferous Forest and High Desert Chaparral are both utilized by this annual. Tollhouse rocky coarse sandy loam is found at the Miller Creek site, while Holland stony fine sandy loam is at the campground noted below. Usually the Caraway-leaved Gilia is found in openings, and it may be able to tolerate mild disturbance given its occasional proximity to trails. A number of the observed sites had occasional shade cover, although this does not seem to be a necessity.
Known Sites: This gilia is uncommon and scattered in the Jeffrey Pine Forest of the Cuyamaca Mountains; as along trails at Green Valley Falls and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. A small population was found growing in a sandy wash west of Boulevard in the high desert, and a similar colony was seen in a peripheral wash near Miller Creek. This is a quite different habitat than typical reports indicate. Approximately 500 plants were seen in chaparral south of the American Adventure Campground near Harrison Park in the Cuyamaca Mountains. Herbarium specimens in the San Diego Natural History Museum are from sites near the road to Echo Dell, Banner Grade below Julian, Oasis Springs, Boulder Oaks, Featherstone Creek near Barona, Palomar Observatory, the south slope of Roderick Mountain, Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, Pala, Blue Canyon, Cuyamaca Peak, Desert View in the Laguna Mountains, Eagle's Nest, Corte Madera, Aguanga Fire Ridge, the road to Lone Fir Point in the Palomar Mountains, and on Otay Mountain. An old biological survey report notes a site 1 mile south of Julian High School. Another collection by Clokey is from east of Hemet in western Riverside County.
Twenty-two specimens are found at the San Diego Natural History Museum's herbarium from Baja California; south to 30 52' North where collected by Moran (SD 96875) in the bed of an arroyo, 4 km west of Santa Cruz.
Status: Caraway-leaved Gilia is presently stable within its montane and transmontane habitats. It is potentially impacted from recreational uses in the Cuyamaca Mountains. High desert populations are in an area only rarely developed. Substantial portions of all sizeable populations should be protected.
Copyright © May 1994 Craig H. Reiser.