Wyethia reticulata Greene is a rare perennial herb found only on gabbro-derived soils of the Pine Hill formation in the Sierra Nevada foothills of El Dorado County, CA. Wyethia reticulata is capable of both vegetative (clonal) and sexual reproduction, although the former is thought to be more common than the latter, with sexual reproduction tied to fire. The potential dominance of vegetative reproduction has conservation implications for W. reticulata, as populations could appear healthy in terms of stand density, while losing genetic diversity due to a lack of sexual recruitment. Past genetic assessments of W. reticulata relied on low-resolution markers from a small number of populations and did not directly address conservation issues. Here, double-digest random amplified DNA (ddRAD) sequencing was used to develop a high-resolution genomic dataset for a sample of 168 W. reticulata samples from seven locations that represent every known population center of the species. The data was used to 1) calculate the frequency of asexual reproduction, 2) determine which populations contain unique genetic variation, and 3) test whether there are any ecological correlates of genetic patterns. In contrast to past genetic research, the results presented here indicate that clonality is not common; less than 2% of plants were identified as being derived from asexual reproduction. Nevertheless, some locations seem to be more affected by asexuality than others; the index of association varied from 4.4 to 19.4 (M̄ = 10.9). Genetic differentiation among locations was low (F_st = 0.03-0.04). However, clustering identified three distinct population segments that were not previously recognized. Elevation was the only environmental variable significantly associated with genetic differentiation. Based on these results, it is recommended that conservation effort be focused on genetically isolated population segments.

Oak leaf morphology is highly variable. Leaf shape in oaks has been shown to covary with climate, and leaf dissection is negatively correlated with hydraulic resistance. Such patterns may reflect local adaptation of genotypes or plastic responses to local environments. We tested two hypotheses regarding variation in leaf shape in Quercus lobata Née, a widely distributed oak tree endemic to California, using subsamples of trees from a large provenance trial involving source populations throughout the species range. First, we tested the hypothesis that variation in leaf dissection (perimeter · area^–1) and specific leaf area could be explained by adaptation to climate. If so, we predicted that the progeny of trees originating from contrasting climates would also contrast in leaf dissection or specific leaf area when grown in a common environment. Second, we tested the hypothesis that variation in leaf dissection is associated with photosynthetic rate. Because dissection affects hydraulic resistance and heat transfer, more dissected leaves are thought to experience lower water stress. If so, we predicted that individuals with more dissected leaves would maintain higher rates of photosynthesis than those with less dissected leaves, especially during hot and dry conditions. We found no association of leaf traits with maternal climate, but we observed a positive relationship between leaf dissection and photosynthetic rates. This result suggests variation in leaf shape may have functional consequences and influence how valley oaks cope with environmental stress in California's Mediterranean climate.

We update and revise the serpentine affinity database of Safford et al. (2005), which documents levels of plant taxon association with ultramafic (“serpentine”) substrates in the California flora. The revised database reflects recent taxonomic changes consistent with the second edition of the Jepson Manual (TJM2) and more recent updates to the Jepson eFlora, and includes additional species that were not previously documented as serpentine associates. We also include serpentine-associated species that have been described since the publication of TJM2 and are not yet incorporated in the eFlora. A number of taxa were removed from the Safford et al. (2005) database due to new ecological information or taxonomic changes. As before, the new database presents information on rarity, geographic distribution, taxonomy, and lifeform. Based on our new database numbers and TJM2's list of California endemic species, the percentage of California endemic full species that are +/– restricted to ultramafic substrates has risen to 14.7%. Of 255 total endemic taxa in our database (including strict and “broad” endemics), 148 (c. 60%) come from only ten plant families, concentrated mostly in one or two genera per family. The North Coast and Klamath Ranges continue to support more serpentine endemics than the rest of the State combined. The previous version of the database has been widely used in biodiversity research and conservation management, and we hope that this improved and updated version will prove as valuable.

Successful restoration of California terrestrial ecosystems requires knowledge of seed germination rates for a diversity of native species. We quantified greenhouse germination of 25 native perennial forbs, shrubs, and grasses collected coastally near Santa Cruz, CA for restoration at the Younger Lagoon Reserve and nine annual forb species from interior grasslands at Pinnacles National Park. Seeds of most species were collected in multiple years. Twenty-seven of our 34 study species had at least 25% germination without complicated germination triggers. All but two of the 13 species that were collected in ≥3 years and germinated showed significant interannual variation in germination; seven species had a trend of decreasing percent germination with increasing age. These species- and collection-year specific results indicate a necessity to test seed stock when possible prior to seeding to increase restoration success, and highlight the importance of following best practices for seed collection and storage.