Pride-of-California [Lathyrus splendens Kell.]
Listing CNPS List 4 R-E-D Code 1-1-2
State/Federal. Status -- None FABACEAE Apr.-Jun.
Global Rank G3? State Rank S?
Distribution: San Diego County; Baja California, Mexico
Habitat: Xeric chaparral habitat with a predominance of Chamise and Black Sage are utilized by this climbing perennial with tendrils; it is typically located clambering through woody shrubs. Fallbrook and Cieneba-Fallbrook rocky sandy loams are the mapped soil types near Barrett Junction. Generally, the chaparral is low growing with a moderately open canopy; however, it can occur in dense vegetation on north-facing slopes.
Known Sites: This showy pea is occasional and conspicuous in flower, growing amid chaparral off Highway 94 from Jamul to Tecate Junction. It is occasional on the high desert such as near Miller Creek. Likely hybrids with some traits of Lathyrus laetiflorus ssp. alefeldii were noted in peripheral locales such as Glen Lonely and south of Donohoe Mountain. Old reports include Dulzura, Tecate Mountain, McCann Valley, Campo, in hills above the Dehesa School House, Live Oak Springs, Barrett Junction, the Walker Ranch in Jacumba, Mountain Springs, and 0.5 mile southwest of Boulevard. Old biological survey reports note sites 0.25 mile east of Marron Valley Road and south of Highway 94, just south of Boulevard, on Mother Grundy Truck Trail, just east of Tecate Junction, southeast of Manzanita and south of the Calexico Lodge, north of the junction of Highway 94 and Highway 188, and 1 mile west of Potrero Valley Road near Highway 94.
Thirteen specimens from Baja California are found in the San Diego Natural History Museum's herbarium; south to 32 23' North where collected by Moran (SD 72331) 3.3 miles southeast of Neji. It is locally common alongside the Tecate/Ensenada Highway in the hills north of Valle de las Palmas. It was seen growing on a burn 1 mile west of the turnoff for Rosa de Castillas on the highway to La Rumarosa in Baja California.
Status: The Pride-of-California, sometimes called the Campo Pea, is presently stable within its United States distribution. Recent residential development in the Potrero and Barrett Junction area may be impacting a limited portion of its potential habitat.
Copyright © May 1994 Craig H. Reiser.