Swallenia

Swallenia is a rare genus of plants in the grass family, found only in Death Valley National Park, California.[2][3]

Swallenia

Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Chloridoideae
Tribe: Cynodonteae
Subtribe: Scleropogoninae
Genus: Swallenia
Soderstr. & H.F.Decker
Species:
S. alexandrae
Binomial name
Swallenia alexandrae
(Swallen) Söderstr. & Decker
Synonyms
  • Ectosperma Swallen 1950, illegitimate homonym not Vaucher 1803 (syn of Vaucheria, an alga in Xanthophyceae)
  • Ectosperma alexandrae Swallen

The only known species is Swallenia alexandrae, known by the common names Eureka dunegrass[4] and Eureka Valley dune grass. This genus was named for American botanist Jason Richard Swallen (1903-1991).

Description

This is a rare plant endemic to Inyo County, California, where it is found on a single isolated dune system, the Eureka Valley Sand Dunes in the Eureka Valley of the Mojave Desert, within Death Valley National Park.[5][6]

Description

Swallenia alexandrae is a coarse, tufted perennial grass which grows in sand from thick rhizomes. Its stiffly erect clums, sharp-leafed grass, and erect pale-colored panicle inflorescences are diagnostic.[7]

Endangered status

This is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.[8] The main threat to the species survival has been off-roading, which is no longer permitted in its habitat. Trespassing off-roaders and campers are still a threat to the five remaining occurrences.[1]

References
  1. The Nature Conservancy
  2. Soderstrom, Thomas Robert & Decker, Henry Fleming. 1963. Madroño 17(3): 88
  3. Swallen, Jason Richard. 1950. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 40(1): 19-21 descriptions in parallel English + Latin, discussion in English, photo of herbarium specimen
  4. "Swallenia alexandrae". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  5. Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution map
  6. University of British Columbia Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, Botany Photo of the Day, Swallenia alexandrae, By Daniel Mosquin on December 7, 2007
  7. Jepson Manual Treatment
  8. Plant Conservation Report


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