About Orcuttia californica Vasey
Orcuttia californica is a small, hairy annual grass. Its stems grow prostrate, and sometimes form small tufts or mats. The plant rarely grows taller than 15 centimeters. It is bright green, aromatic, glandular, and secretes a sticky, bitter-tasting exudate. Its leaves reach 1 to 2 centimeters in length: the first set of leaves grows when its pool habitat is wet, and a second set grows during the dry season. The inflorescence can be up to 6 centimeters long, with red-maroon to pink anthers that extend out from the terminal spikelets. This species is native to southern California and northern Baja California, where it grows in scattered locations in vernal pool habitat. As of 1993, it was known to occur at fewer than 20 sites, including Santa Rosa Plateau, a creek drainage near Hemet, Otay Mesa in San Diego County, and a single location in Woodland Hills. Orcuttia californica is a federally listed endangered species. Its survival remains threatened by the loss of vernal pools in the region; vernal pools are a naturally rare habitat type that has been further reduced by urban development.
