Camissonia benitensis NatureServe Explorer Species Reports — NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports — ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
FWS Digital Media Library — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.The species is categorized as a strict serpentine endemic, meaning that it is almost always found growing on serpentine soils; however, at least 10 populations of the species are known to occur on greywacke substrates. Most of the habitat of the species is associated with the New Idria Serpentine Mass, Laguna Mountain Serpentine Mass, Hepsedam Peak Serpentine Mass, Panther Peak Serpentine Mass, Mustang Ridge Serpentine Mass, and numerous smaller serpentine masses between. These masses are surrounded by non-serpentine rocks of the Franciscan Formation, including greywacke which some populations of Camissonia benitensis occur. Serpentine is an ultramafic rock. It weathers to produce soils with characteristically low levels of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, and high levels of magnesium and heavy metals including nickel and chromium. A major, consistent chemical feature of serpentine soil is a bioavailable calcium:magnesium ratio much less than 1. Most nonserpentine soils have a ratio far greater than 1 (more calcium and much less magnesium). The extreme chemical characteristics of serpentine soils give rise to uniquely adapted and rare serpentine endemic plant species such as C. benitensis.
