Cleveland Horkelia [Horkelia clevelandii (E. Greene) Rydb.]
Listing CNPS Unlisted R-E-D Code None
State/Federal. Status -- None ROSACEAE Jun.-Aug.
Global Rank None State Rank None
Distribution: San Diego County; Riverside County; Baja California, Mexico
Habitat: Drier portions of montane meadows are the preferred habitat of the Cleveland Horkelia in the Laguna Mountains. Soils at the Shrine Camp site in the Lagunas are mapped as Loamy Alluvial Land.
Known Sites: Colonies of this horkelia grow at the east end of the Laguna Meadows near the Shrine Camp. This species is also reported from the Cuyamaca Mountains and Palomar Mountains of San Diego County, and the San Jacinto Mountains of Riverside County.
This species is reported from damp meadows in the Sierra Juarez and Sierra San Pedro Martir where some populations may constitute a related species or subspecies.
Status: Cleveland Horkelia is presumed to be severely declining in its San Diego County montane meadow habitat due to extensive historical cattle grazing. More collection information from both San Diego and Riverside counties is needed to fully assess its status. The rare Laguna Mountains Skipper uses Cleveland Horkelia as its host plant, and the rarity of this butterfly may be directly tied to the declining populations of this plant species. Given this circumstance, all populations of this horkelia are recommended for protection.
Copyright © May 1994 Craig H. Reiser.