(Deinandra bacigalupii)
Livermore tarplant is a California endangered plant species, which means that killing or possessing the plant is prohibited by the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). Livermore tarplant is an annual plant that only occurs within 0.5 mile of the City of Livermore in Alameda County. The plant grows in poorly-drained, seasonally-dry, alkaline meadows, and appears to be restricted to a soil called Solano fine sandy loam. Livermore tarplant blooms between June and October, after most other plants in the area have dried up and died. The plant also has sticky glands that give the plant a strong odor. There are only four populations of Livermore tarplant documented in CDFW’s California Natural Diversity Database.
The largest area of Livermore tarplant habitat is on property owned by the City of Livermore, and all other Livermore tarplant habitat is on private property. One of the Livermore tarplant populations was almost completely destroyed by the operations of a landscape business in 2014. Development and other land use is the biggest threat to the continued existence of Livermore tarplant. Invasive species, recreation activities, the vulnerability of small populations, and road maintenance are also threats to the species. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife prepared a Status Review of Livermore Tarplant (PDF) for the California Fish and Game Commission before the species was state-listed in 2016.
Permanent protection of Livermore tarplant habitat from modification and destruction is necessary to protect the species from extinction. Degraded Livermore tarplant habitat should be restored, and monitoring and adaptive management programs should also be implemented for Livermore tarplant populations. The life history characteristics of Livermore tarplant should be researched and Livermore tarplant seeds need to be stored for long-term conservation purposes.
CDFW may issue permits for Livermore tarplant pursuant to CESA, and you can learn more about the California laws protecting Livermore tarplant and other California native plants. Populations of Livermore tarplant occur in CDFW’s Bay Delta Region.
Updated 1/27/2017