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VASCULAR FLORA OF THE GRANITE MOUNTAINS, EASTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST
James M. André
Director, Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center
Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside
Riverside, California 92521

ABSTRACT: The Granite Mountains lie within the southwest corner of the Mojave National Preserve (MNP) in eastern San Bernardino County, California. The 27,700 ha (107 sq. mi) area comprises all of the Granite Mountains, the majority of the alluvial fans surrounding the range, and includes the 3,600 ha University of California's Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center (GMDRC). The diverse floristic composition of the Granite Mountains includes elements of the Mojave, Great Basin, and Sonoran/Colorado Deserts. The flora of this area has been variously documented in previous summaries, but substantial geographical and temporal gaps remained, warranting additional work. A comprehensive field and herbaria survey of the entire range was conducted from 1994-2005, adding an additional 91 taxa to what was previously summarized for the area. To date, a total of 499 specific and intraspecific taxa in 255 genera from 70 families have been documented, of which 39 (8%) are exotics. A total of 98% of the known taxa within the flora have been vouchered. The outcome of this comprehensive effort will further support research programs at the GMDRC, aid vegetation and rare plant management in the MNP, and provide a foundation to a larger ongoing effort by the author to complete a Flora of the MNP.



HABITAT CORRELATES OF CALOCHORTUS PLUMMERAE, A RARE MARIPOSA LILY, ON THE CAMPUS OF CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNARDINO
Kimberlyn Williams, Darren Coffey1, Yolanda Osorio, Keri Maher, Archie Meyer, Kerry Myers2, Heidy Contreras3, and Kate VinZant2.
Biology Department, California State University,
5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407.
1 Current address: San Bernardino National Forest, 1209 Lytle Creek Road, Lytle Creek, CA 92358
2 San Bernardino National Forest, Big Bear Ranger and Discovery Center, P.O. Box 290, 41397 North Shore Dr., Highway 38, Fawnskin, CA 92333
3 Current address: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 321 Steinhaus, Irvine, CA 92697.

ABSTRACT: Calochortus plummerae, a mariposa lily endemic to southern California, was encountered on the campus of California State University, San Bernardino following the wildfires of October 2003. Transect studies across Badger Hill and Little Badger Hill on the campus were conducted to evaluate the distribution of C. plummerae with respect to topographic position, steepness of slope, and density of non-native annual plants. Calochortus plummerae occurred most frequently on ridges and least frequently on south-facing slopes. Densities on north-facing slopes and in gullies were intermediate. Density did not vary with steepness of slope, but did vary with density of non-native annuals. Few, if any, C. plummerae plants were found where non-native annual plants were abundant.