(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
OTHER COMMON NAMES - BARBERRY, TRUCKEE; BARBERRY, SONNE'S; MAHONIA, SONNE'S; MAHONIA and TRUCKEE
ELEMENT CODE -
CATEGORY - Angiosperm
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - MAGNOLIOPHYTA,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - MAGNOLIOPSIDA,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - RANUNCULALES,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - BERBERIDACEAE,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - MAHONIA,
SPECIES AND SSP - SONNEI,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - MAHONIA SONNEI
AUTHORITY -
TAXONOMY REFERENCES -
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Truckee Barberry
Mahonia sonnei Abrams
KINGDOM: Plant GROUP: Angiosperm
DIVISION: Magnoliophyta CLASS: Magnoliopsida
ORDER: Ranunculales FAMILY: Berberidaceae
The following is a revised description by M. P. Yoder-Williams
prepared from all available herbarium species from the type locality.
This description will be published in a forthcoming taxonomic review
by M. P. Yoder-Williams.
Berberis sonnei (Abrams) McMinn, Ill. Manual Calif. Shrubs,
123. 1939.
(Mahonia sonnei Abrams, Phytologia 1:89-94, 1934.)
Creeping or ascending low shrub, 10-40 cm tall; leaves
odd-pinnately compound, 10.5-26.5 cm long and 7.0-13.5 cm wide, with
(3-) 5-7 (-9) leaflets; leaflets ovate-elliptic to broadly lanceolate
in outline, primarily pinnately to sub-palmately veined, 4.0-8.5 (-11)
cm long and 2.2-6.5 cm wide, acute to obtuse at tip and obliquely
cuneate to obtuse at base, margins serrate and undulate with (7-)
12-24 (-26) short spines per margin, abaxial surface microscopically
(60X) papillate, adaxially glossy to dull-glossy and dull to slightly
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
glossy below; racemes terminal or axillary, 15-45 (-60) mm long,
densely yellow flowered; flowers borne on bracteate pedicels 7-8 mm
long with an early deciduous prophyll at mid-length (approx. 5 pct.
of the pedicels bearing prophylls at anthesis); sepals 6 in two series
of three, the outer 3-3.5 mm long, the inner 4.5-5.0 mm long; petals
6 in two series of three, the outer longer, 6-7 mm long, with the
inner 5-6 mm long, both petals and sepals deciduous upon maturation of
the fruit; stamens 6 opposite the petals; berries blue-black,
glaucous, ellipsoid to 6 mm long; flowering mid-April to late May.
Due to considerable taxonomic confusion regarding this species
(02,03,06), distribution of this species is difficult to determine.
Given our present knowledge and the taxonomic methodology attempted to
date, the characters typically used to differentiate Mahonia
(=Berberis) sonnei from B. repens do not consistently separate these
entities when all the variation in the latter species is considered
(20). B. repens is a widespread species exhibiting considerable
morphological variation throughout its extensive range (California
east to Arizona, north to Montana and Alberta, and west to British
Columbia and Washington, then south to Oregon and California tending
to occur mostly east of the Cascades and Sierran crest). No precise
boundaries can be drawn between B. repens and B. aquifolium of the
Pacific Northwest. B. repens recently has been reduced to varietal
status under B. aquifolium (18,19). B. sonnei (Mahonia sonnei) may
represent the intergradation between the two above-mentioned
widespread species (06). Such intergradation is also seen in northern
Idaho where clear delimination of B. repens or B. aquifolium is not
possible.
The latest Federal listing (50 CFR 17.12) listed this species as
Mahonia sonnei (=Berberis s.).
Location of Specimens:
Type specimen, C. F. Sonne 11, Rocky banks [of] Truckee River,
Nevada Co., California, April 1885 & August 11, 1884, DS 95828, now at
CAS.
Additional Specimens:
J.L. Thompson s.n., Truckee, Nevada Co., CA, CAS 317107.
C. Kramer 73-2, near Truckee River from river 50 ft among rocks,
150 yards W of Hwy 267 and West River St., CAS 565539.
G.H. True, [ditto location], CAS 673175, CAS 673176.
C.F. Sonne s.n., Truckee, banks south of factory, Nevada Co., CA,
UC 1992553.
C.F. Sonne s.n., Truckee, dry stony ground, Nevada Co., CA, UC
9742.
C.F. Sonne, Truckee River at Truckee, Nevada Co., CA, UC 118110.
B. Trowbridge 5956, Bank of the Truckee River, Nevada Co., CA,
SFSU.
T. Anderson, Truckee, banks of the river 150 yards west of
Hwy 267, Nevada Co., CA, HSU.
J.B. Roof s.n., [ditto location], JEPS 73273.
M.E. Jones s.n., Soda Springs [probably at Truckee], Nevada Co.,
CA, POM 97706.
Other descriptions of the Truckee barberry can be found in 01 and
Taxonomy - 2 (DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
02 (illustrated), 03 (without keys), 05, and 16.
Photographs are located at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Endangered Species Field Station, Sacramento; at the California
Department of Fish and Game, Endangered Plant Program, Sacramento, CA;
and with M. P. Yoder-Williams, Department of Botany, University of
Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.
Living plant material may be seen at the type locality on the
banks of the Truckee River west of State Route 267 and south of
Riverside Drive and in cultivation at Tilden Botanic Garden, East Bay
Regional Parks, Berkeley, CA. Cornflower Farms continues to
successfully propagate cuttings of the Truckee barberry.
Other common names for the Truckee barberry are Sonne's barberry,
Sonne's mahonia, and Truckee mahonia.
Taxonomy - 3 (DRAFT) - Status
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
STATUS
Coded Status
E: Federal Endangered
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
U.S. STATUSES AND LAWS:
The Truckee barberry (Mahonia sonnei) has been designated an
Endangered species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973
(50 CFR 17.12; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1540),
as amended. The species has this status wherever found including the
State of California.
Removal and reduction to possession of any Federally listed plant
from an area under Federal jurisdiction is unlawful (50 CFR 17.61 and
17.71).
RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL AGENCIES:
USFWS -Responsible for the management/recovery, listing, and
law enforcement/protection of this species.
USFS -Responsible for the law enforcement/protection of this
species with applicable State and Federal laws on
public lands under their control. Also responsible
for management/recovery on Forest Service lands. The
Forest Service is responsible for integrating
management, protection, and conservation of Federally
listed species into the Forest Planning process
(36 CFR 219.19 and 219.20). This species has possible
occurrence on the Modoc National Forest, CA.
All Federal agencies have responsibility to ensure that any
action authorized, funded, or carried out by that agency is not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of Critical Habitat (50 CFR 402),
and to utilize their authorities to carry out programs for the
conservation of the species.
STATE STATUSES AND LAWS:
STATE: California
DESIGNATED STATUS: Endangered
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY: California Department of Fish and Game
STATE STATUTE: Calif. Endangered Species Act, Fish and Game
Code, Chapter 1.5, Article 1, Sec. 2050.
INTERNATIONAL STATUSES, TREATIES, AND AGREEMENTS:
None.
ECONOMIC STATUSES:
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
None.
75/07/01:40 FR 27823/27924 - Smithsonian report, review of status
76/06/16:41 FR 24524/24572 - Proposed rule, Endangered
79/11/06:44 FR 64246/ - Final rule, listed as Endangered
85/07/22:50 FR 29901/29909 - Five year review
Status - 2 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - TERRESTRIAL
INLAND AQUATIC
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTRY TYPES
SAF TYPE STAGE CLOSURE
Interior Ponderosa Pine shrub--seedling
Interior Ponderosa Pine young tree
Interior Ponderosa Pine mature tree
Interior Ponderosa Pine Old Growth
LAND USE -
Evergreen Forest Land
Residential
Cropland and Pasture
Shrub and Brush Rangeland
Streams and Canals
Forested Wetland
Nonforested Wetland
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Palustrine SS1
Palustrine FO1
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
The only known habitat of the Truckee barberry is a disturbed
streamside forest area behind (within 15 m of) houses. The species
appears to be restricted to the flood plain of the river, although
this may be an artifact of the degree of disturbance above the flood
plain. The canopy is fairly open and sporadic in cover, composed of a
number of large Populus trichocarpa and less so of Prunus virginiana
var. demissa and Salix lutea. One planted apple tree (Malus)
contributes to the canopy cover of one of the five patches of the
Truckee barberry. Two of the patches have little canopy overstory and
are scattered in open exposed areas among grasses and weedy herbaceous
species. Rosa woodsii var. ultramontana is common in association with
the Truckee barberry. The soil throughout the Truckee population is a
rocky sandy loam and exhibits poorly defined horizons (13). It is
derived from granitic and volcanic alluvium (06,13). Annual alluvial
deposition onto the site can be considerable depending on the spring
snowmelt-induced flooding. The site is highly disturbed from domestic
animal burrowing, clearing for garden sites, rubbish dumping,
residential development, and recreational use. Intense past human use
of the area has likely altered the natural vegetation of the site from
one originally dominated by yellow pine/riparian forest to one now
consisting of ruderal species with a remnant wetland forest canopy.
Contrary to Roof and Howard (10), the species does appear to
require a close association with abundant subsurface water. Their
discussion to the contrary was based on the so-called "xeric" site of
a transplanted individual of Berberis sonnei (Mahonia sonnei) at the
Tilden Botanical Garden in Berkeley, CA. This site is situated
downslope from a watered lawn area and likely has abundant subsurface
water available throughout the year (06). It in no way approaches the
xeric sites of the eastern Sierra Nevada and provides no information
towards an assessment of the tolerance of the Truckee barberry to
Habitat Associations - 1 drought stress (06). B. repens, the more xeric barberry of the
western U.S., is always topographically associated with drainages of
subsurface moisture. A similar situation would be expected for the
Truckee barberry.
The species could be (and probably has been in the past)
adversely impacted by pasture for livestock (especially horses) if
such use was made of the area behind the houses and by the river's
edge in Truckee. Such use would result in rapid loss of the plants in
the area immediately affected.
Considering the intensity of disturbance on this site over the
past 130 years, it is difficult to discuss the natural habitat
associated with this species. Present disturbance to the site
continues and is likely to increase in intensity and degree as
economic growth of the Truckee area continues at a rapid pace. New
home construction along Riverside Drive has quickened the last 5 years
with larger, more elaborate homes being built on the sites of previous
small houses (06).
Regarding possible other sites in the Truckee River drainage, it
seems likely that any other populations of the species were lost in
the recent past. With the development of the Central Pacific
(subsequently the Southern Pacific) Railroad in the 1860-70's,
followed by large-scale logging flume systems, irrigation systems,
highway and then freeway construction down the narrow Truckee River
canyon, large-scale extirpation of the species, if it occurred there,
would have resulted. Extensive surveys of the side canyons of the
Truckee River from Deer Creek downstream to Verdi in 1985 failed to
turn up any other populations of the species. One noticeable
character of this watershed observed during the surveys was the degree
of disturbance throughout the area, both from direct anthropogenic
causes as well as indirectly from man-introduced grazers. Specific
grazing by the introduced and successfully naturalized beaver
population on shrub and tree species is extremely high. During the
early fluctuation period characteristic of introduced animal
population, the beaver population of the Truckee and Feather Rivers
rose quite high followed by rapid crashes, then rising again. Heavy
grazing during this time may have removed all palatable shrubs from
within 150-250 m of the river banks. A plant such as B. sonnei which
appears to be restricted to river banks or stream systems would have
been rapidly decimated. Its only known occurrence in the backyards of
a dense housing site, where beavers may have been less likely to
forage far from the safety of the water, may support the idea that
grazing was the overall factor in its loss in the watershed.
Other possible habitat associations could include seepage areas
or arid riparian sites in the eastern Sierra Nevada and adjacent Great
Basin ranges. This is especially true for isolated wet areas in the
yellow-pine sagebrush belt extending north into Modoc County, CA, and
possible adjacent Oregon and Nevada.
Habitat Associations - 2 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
AUTOTROPH
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G
G Aquatic Features: Springs [flowing]
G
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
LIFE HISTORY
HABIT:
The Truckee barberry is a shrub (01,02,05).
LIFE CYCLE:
Perennial (01,02,05). The species is a low-growing (less than
1 m tall), rhizomatous shrub and can persist on a site vegetatively
for likely 50+ years (06). At the present time, no sexual
reproduction has been observed as no viable seeds have been
documented. No seedling establishment has been observed (06,10).
TYPE OF REPRODUCTION:
Sexual reproduction appears possible if outcrossing is made.
Viable pollen was determined in 1985 (06), but racemes were few (2)
and flowers aborted or were grazed off before the end of the growing
season in 1985. No viable fruit have been documented (06,10).
Vegetative spread does occur via rhizomes. However, degree of
spreading vegetatively at present seems minimal due to small shoots
and continued disturbance of the site (06).
REPRODUCTIVE PHENOLOGY:
Phenology varies considerably with snowpack melt-off. Little is
known of fruit dispersal as viable fruit are rarely, if at all,
produced. Germination dates are unknown but likely follow snowmelt in
the spring. Leafing and budding occurs from April 1 to May 15.
Anthesis dates range from April 15 to May 30 and fruiting from May 30
to July 1. Dispersal of fruit occurs after May 30. Suggestion of
mature fruit (03,14) may be in error, and may actually refer to
enlarged but abortive ovaries. Past fruit collections for seed have
yielded no viable seed (06,10).
SEX OR SPORE STATUS:
Monoclinous. (01,02,05,06,12,16). The species is believed to
require out-crossing for viable seed (06). Plants at Truckee may
represent as few as two genetic individuals, and possibly as many as
five. However, this may represent a very low gene pool and may
therefore represent a population that is no longer capable of
producing viable seed.
POLLINATION, SPORE AND SEED DISSEMINATION:
Pollen is disseminated by insects of the genus Bombus and other
large insect visitors including Apis melifera (domestic honey bee)
(06). Viable pollen tests were made in 1985. Pollen viability
exceeded 95% (06). Human collecting of berries is likely and wasting
of the fruit would result. Bird foraging on the berries is possible
although the low fruit production probably prevents selective foraging
by birds to any extent. Rodent foraging is also likely (03,06).
SEED BIOLOGY:
At present, nothing is known of the seed biology of this species.
Viable looking seed was obtained in 1981 (14), but no germination
resulted. Early seed collections gave the same results (10).
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
Information of seed biology from the related species, B. repens, is
likely similar for the Truckee barberry. Viability of seed for B.
repens has been determined to be at least 5 years (09). Germination
for B. repens is undertaken as follows: Clean seed from fruit and
dry; store in sealed containers at slightly above freezing; pretreat
with successive cold, warm, cold stratification periods; germinate at
1.1 degrees C (09).
POPULATION BIOLOGY:
Due to the extensive and unprotected use of the remaining site
at Truckee (for river access, fishing access, gardening, feral or
domestic animal activity, housing construction, dumping, etc.) the
population there appears to be declining. Detailed mapping in 1985
(06) will allow for periodic resampling and inventory of the
individual stems. The location of two additional patches in 1985
has expanded the areal extent of the population to approximately 200
meters long by 15 meters wide with five localized patches present.
Individual patch size does not exceed 10 meters in diameter.
Considering the ability of this species to spread vegetatively, it is
likely that five or fewer genotypes exist and therefore sexual
reproduction may be limited by insufficient out-crossing or low
pollinator activity between distinct patches. Pollinating extremes of
the population should be attempted if flowers are available.
ECOLOGICAL/EDAPHIC FACTORS:
Gentle, south-facing slopeof river flood plain in open or shaded
situations under a reparian canopy (Populus trichocarpa-Salix-Prunus)
at 1770 m elevation; subsurface soil water is available throughout
most of the year; soils derived from quaternary nonmarine terrace
deposits (11) being primarily recently deposited alluvium to soils of
the Jorge-Tahoma Series, very stoney sandy loams of the Alfisol Order
and Typic Cryoboralfs (13).
Site temperatures range from -6 to 35 degrees C during the
growing season with mean temperatures approaching 10-15 degrees C.
Winter extremes (5 to -35 degrees C are moderated by the snowpack
(+200 cm) where subnivean temperatures remain near freezing (06).
Disturbance is considerable at the site expecially in the form of
foot traffic and garden site clearing. Natural disturbance in the
form of periodic flooding and alluvial deposition is a characteristic
of the riparian vegatation and it is likely that the Truckee barberry
evolved under such disturbance.
TROPHIC STATUS:
Phototrophic (01,02,05,16). Mycorrhizal root symbionts are
suspected, especially vesicular-arbuscular types, but remain unknown
at the present (06).
CHARACTERISTIC DOMINANCE:
The Truckee barberry is a minor component (less than 1% cover) of
the understory of the riparian vegetation. This is especially true
due to the poor condition of the surviving shoots. Plantings or
introduction of rye grass and other exotics may have further reduced
the condition or spread of the remaining shoots via decreased
Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
availability of nutrients. Foliar fertilization in 1985 by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service appeared to enhance the growth of the stems
and a greening of the leaves (06).]
Information relating to the cover of B. repens in the Great Basin
may shed light on the original role of the Truckee barberry in the
eastern Sierra Nevada.
COMMUNITY ECOLOGY:
The Truckee site represents a highly disturbed, riparian forest
site. Once probably closely associated with the yellow pine forest,
but due to residential development since the 1880's, the riparian
habitat has become isolated and further fragmented. Regeneration of
the Populus is unlikely, as only mature individuals remain on the site
with little or no replacement (06). Further disruption of the
understory is likely. Early photographs of this area in the
1880-1890's (10,15) show the site much more disturbed than at the
present with no canopy existing on this particular area and buildings
built right to the high water mark. Future disturbance to the site
again seems likely as development of the area expands. Transplanting
attempts would only succeed if sites of similar characteristics could
be found (without the man-caused disturbance) and in the absence of
grazing by beavers.
SPECIES INTERRELATIONSHIPS:
Beaver (Castor canadensis) may selectively graze the Truckee
barberry when compared to other less palatable shrubs common in this
area. Introduction of the beaver in the 1930's (08) likely brought
about loss of some populations of the plant elsewhere. Beaver can
cause complete death of aspen patches by repeated and intense cutting
over an extended period of time (06). With added grazing by
ungulates, loss of a patch could have resulted within a ten year
period (06).
OTHER LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTORS:
The western barberries are not a host for the wheat rust
(Puccinia graminis) (02,03), although a unidentified leaf rust was
observed in 1985 on the Truckee barberry at Truckee (06).
Life History - 3 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Land Acquisition
Beneficial Controlling/Removing Nonnative Vegetation
Beneficial Controlling/Removing Native Vegetation
Beneficial Stocking captive-reared wild-strain animals
Beneficial Transplanting wild animals
Beneficial Transplanting Wild Eggs/Wild Seeds
Beneficial Controlling/Removing Feral Animals
Beneficial Controlling/Removing Domestic Animals
Adverse Collecting
Existing Collecting
Adverse Low Gene Pool
Existing Low Gene Pool
Adverse Predation
Existing Predation
Adverse Rural Residential/Industrial Areas
Existing Rural Residential/Industrial Areas
Adverse Highway/Railroads
Existing Highway/Railroads
Adverse Soil compaction by heavy equipment in mine areas
Existing Soil compaction by heavy equipment in mine areas
Adverse Dredging
Existing Dredging
Adverse Developing/maintaining stream bank vegetation
Existing Developing/maintaining stream bank vegetation
Adverse Exotic/Feral/Introducted Species
Existing Exotic/Feral/Introducted Species
Adverse Grazing
Existing Grazing
Adverse Harvesting
Existing Harvesting
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
The Truckee barberry has likely disappeared from the Tuckee
watershed and possibly elsewhere due to intense grazing by introduced
ungulates (sheep, cattle, and horses) as well as the introduced
beaver (Castor canadensis), which was brought into the watershed (and
the upper Feather River watershed) as a game animal in the 1930's
(08). Thoughout the area, grazing impacts by both beaver and
cattle/horses were common, (e.g. eroded banks, high degree of
siltation, dead willow clumps, trampling of the vegetation, etc).
Considerable modification of the riparian areas of these drainages has
occurred over the last 130 years as the logging industry grew,
especially in the 1880-1920's. All portions of the Truckee drainage
experienced considerable site modification with clearcutting practices
common throughout the area. The entire riparian area of the main
channel of the Truckee River was highly modified as flume systems,
mill sites, irrigation systems, and ice production plants were
developed before the turn of the century (06).
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
With the development of the Central Pacific (subsequently the
Southern Pacific) Railroad in the 1860-70's, followed by large-scale
logging flume systems, irrigation systems, highway and then freeway
construction down the narrow Truckee River canyon, large-scale
extirpation of the species (if it occurred there), would have
resulted. Extensive surveys of the side canyons of the Truckee River
from Deer Creek downstream to Verdi in 1985 failed to turn up any
other populations of the species. One noticeable character of this
watershed observed during the surveys was the degree of disturbance
throughout the area, both from direct anthropogenic causes (i.e.,
changes to the river channel) as well as indirectly from
man-introduced grazers (e.g., beaver, cattle and/or horses).
Specific grazing by the introduced and successfully naturalized
beaver population on shrub and tree species is extremely high. During
the early fluctuation period characteristic of introduced animal
population, the beaver population of the Truckee and Feather Rivers
rose quite high followed by rapid crashes, then rising again. Heavy
grazing during this time may have removed all palatable shrubs from
within 150-250 m of the river banks. A plant such as the Truckee
barberry which appears to be restricted to river banks or stream
systems would have been rapidly decimated. Its only known occurrence
in the backyards of a dense housing site, where beavers may have been
less likely to forage far from the safety of the water, may support
the idea that grazing was the overall factor in its loss in the
watershed.
In addition, possible overcollecting by amateur gardeners or by
botanists may have further impacted the remaining plants of this
species. The development of small garden plots or landscaping
projects have resulted in loss of stems at Truckee even in the last
few years (06). At present, the small gene pool of the remaining
population may prevent production of viable seeds. The plants at
Truckee may include only two to five genetic individuals and represent
a population no longer capable of producing seed.
Due to the extensive and unprotected use of the remaining site
at Truckee (for river access, fishing access, gardening, feral or
domestic animal grazing, housing construction, dumping, etc.) the
population there appears to be declining. Disturbance is considerable
at the site expecially in the form of foot traffic and garden site
clearing. Early photographs of this area in the 1880-1890's (10,15)
show the site much more disturbed than at the present with no canopy
existing on this particular area and buildings built right to the high
water mark. Future disturbance to the site again seems likely as
development of the area expands.
APPROVED PLAN:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1984. Recovery Plan for Truckee
Barberry [Berberis (=Mahonia) sonnei (Abrams) McMinn]. U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Portland, OR. 68 pp.
Actions recommended in the Truckee barberry Recovery Plan
include:
Management Practices - 2 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
1) Maintain and protect the single population which occurs on private
land.
2) Assure access, and obtain cooperation through agreements with
adjacent land owner to insure the safety of the population.
3) Monitor population, and manage habitat to reduce competition from
native and/or non-native plants, maintain vigor, and encourage
regeneration. Erect a fence to protect the habitat from domestic
and/or feral animals.
4) Establish additional populations through propagation from
revetative materials and seeds. Determine safe collecting levels, and
store at nurseries or repositories for holding plant materials, and
storing seeds.
5) Increase seed production, and identify optimum habitat.
6) Transplant revegetative stock or seed to establish at least five
new populations, monitor and protect new populations.
7) Conduct searches for undiscovered populations.
Management Practices - 3 (DRAFT) - References
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
References
***** REFERENCES FOR ALL NARRATIVES EXCEPT N-OCCURRENCE *****
01 Abrams, L.E. 1944. An illustrated flora of the Pacific States,
Volume 2. Stanford University Press, Stanford. 218 pp.
02 McMinn, H.E. 1951. An illustrated manual of California shrubs.
University of California Press, Berkeley. 663 pp.
03 Roof, J.B. 1974. Found alive: the Truckee barberry. Four
Seasons 4:1-18.
04 U.S. Government. 1979. Determination that Berberis sonnei (the
Truckee barberry) is and Endangered species. Federal Register
44(216):64246/64247.
05 Abrams, L.E. 1934. The mahonias of the Pacific states.
Phytologia 1:89-94.
06 Yoder-Williams, M.P. Unpublished data. Department of Botany,
KB-15, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98103.
07 Takhtajan, A.L. 1980. Outline of the classification of flowering
flowering plants (Magnoliophyta). Bot. Rev. 46:225-359.
08 Tappe, D.T. 1942. The status of beavers in California. Calif.
Dept. Fish Game, Game Bull. No. 3. 59 pp.
09 Vories, K.C. 1980. Growing Colorado plants from seed: a state of
the art. Volume 1: Shrubs. USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rept.
INT-103. 80 pp. [Available from: Intermountain Forest and Range
Exper. Stn., Ogden, UT 84401.]
10 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1984. Recovery Plan for the
Truckee Barberry [Berberis (=Mahonia) sonnei (Abrams) McMinn].
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, OR. 68 pp.
11 Burnett, J.L. and C.W. Jennings. 1962. Geological map of
California, Chico Sheet. Calif. Div. Mines and Geology,
Sacramento, CA.
12 Lawrence, G.H.M. 1951. The taxonomy of vascular plants.
MacMillian Co., New York. 823 pp.
13 Rogers, J.H. 1974. Soil survey of the Tahoe Basin area,
California and Nevada. USDA, Soil Conservation Service.
14 Demming, B.E. 1985. Phenological notes and personal
communication. P.O. Box 963, Kings Beach, CA 95719.
15 Meschery, J. 1978. Truckee: An illustrated history of the town
and its surroundings. Rocking Stone Press, Truckee, CA 95734.
114 pp.
16 Munz, P.A. 1959. A California flora. University of California
Press, Berkeley. 108 pp.
17 Jepson, W.L. 1922. A flora of California, Part VII. Associated
Students Store, Univ. Calif., Berkeley.
18 Scoggan, H.J. 1978. The flora of Canada, Part 1, General
survey-nomenclatural changes. National Museum of Natural Sciences,
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19 Biovin, B. 1966. Enumeration des plantes du Canada. Naturaliste
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20 Yoder-Williams, M. [In Prep.] Taxonomy of Truckee barberry,
Berberis sonnei (Berberidaceae). Available from: California
Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
References - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species BARBERRY, TRUCKEE
Species Id ESIS701014
Date 13 MAR 96
***** REFERENCES FOR N-OCCURRENCE NARRATIVE ONLY *****
01 Yoder-Williams, M.P. Unpublished data. Department of Botany,
KB-15, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98103.
02 Abrams, L.E. 1934. The mahonias of the Pacific states.
Phytologia 1:89-94.
03 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1984. Recovery Plan for the
Truckee Barberry [Berberis (=Mahonia) sonei (Abrams) McMinn]. U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, OR. 68 pp.
04 Lenz, L. July 2, 1985. Personal communication. Rancho Santa Ana
Botanic Garden, Clarement, CA.
05 Roof, J.B. 1974. Found alive: the Truckee barberry. Four
Seasons 4:1-18.
References - 2