David Magney Environmental Consulting - California Native Plant ...

Comments on Draft EIR for Newhall Ranch Mission Village Development
DMEC Project No. 10-0181
1/3/2011
Page 48
D:\DMEC\Jobs\Friends_SantaClaraRiver\Newhall-MissionVillage\DMEC_comments_on_Newhall_MissionVillage_DEIR-20110103.doc
DMEC
and simply explain the resources present and the project’s impacts on them, but it does not mean that the
biologists should simply ignore them as has been done at Newhall Ranch.
Below is a list of 35 vascular plants listed in the SCP DEIR or supporting documents that are rare in the
region and/or Los Angeles County but where not evaluated as sensitive biological resources pursuant to
CEQA:
Juniperus californica – While this species is relatively common in the desert portions of Los Angeles
County and southern California, this occurrence on Newhall Ranch represents the southwestern-most
occurrence of this species. The limits of a species range, and a disjunct population such as on Newhall
Ranch, represents a significant botanical resource that should be assessed. This status is the similar to that
for Artemisia tridentata ssp. parishii, which is treated as a special-status species.
Amaranthus palmeri - uncommon in Ventura County (Magney 2010 57 ); there are only 11 vouchered
records for this species in Los Angeles County (Consortium of California Herbaria 2010 58 ), representing 8
populations of which only 2 are extant, plus the Newhall Ranch populations, meaning that this taxon should
be considered rare in Los Angeles County.
Amaranthus powellii - uncommon in Ventura County (Magney 2010); rare in Los Angeles County with 8
vouchered populations, all but one of which where made over 80 years ago (Consortium of California
Herbaria 2010) and most are likely extirpated. The Newhall Ranch population is possibly the only extant
population and it should be treated as rare in Los Angeles County.
Baccharis sarothroides – not in Ventura County; there are only 2 known populations in Los Angeles
County is on the project site (Consortium of California Herbaria 2010); therefore, it should be treated as a
rare species.
Helianthus californicus – not in Ventura County; rare in Los Angeles County with only 3 known
populations (Consortium of California Herbaria 2010). This species should be treated as a rare species.
Pluchea sericea – rare in Ventura County (Magney 2010); represented by only about 10 extant populations
in Los Angeles County (Consortium of California Herbaria 2010) and should be treated as a rare species.
Wyethia ovata – could this be misidentified? – Balsamorhiza deltoidea occurs in Ventura County and looks
similar to Wyethia ovata. Balsamorhiza is scattered (not rare) in northern Ventura County but W. ovata is
not known from Ventura County. This population represents an extralimital population well below its
known elevational range and should be treated as a rare species.
Opuntia basilaris var. ramosa – not found in Ventura County; only known occurrence in Los Angeles
County; this taxon should be treated as a rare species. Appendix B of Appendix F lists Opuntia basilaris
var. ramosa as present on Newhall Ranch; however, there is no explanation as why this variety is listed
when many taxonomic sources place it as a synonym of Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris. It is not listed in
the flora for the Liebre Mountains (Boyd 1999 59 ), which only includes the northeast and easternmost
portions of Newhall Ranch. The only collections of this variety deposited and reported in the Consortium
of California Herbaria (CCH) online database 60 are from San Diego County, collected by Mark Elvin.
57
Magney, D.L. 2010. Checklist of Ventura County Rare Plants. 9 October 2010, Eighteenth edition. California Native Plant
Society, Channel Islands Chapter, Ojai, California. Published on www.cnpsci.org.
58
Consortium of California Herbaria. 20107. Database search of California public herbaria 30 December 2010. Jepson
Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley. (http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/consortium/)
59
Boyd, S. 1999. Vascular Flora of the Liebre Mountains, Western Transverse Ranges, California. November. Rancho Santa
Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, California.
60
Consortium of California Herbaria online database search: http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/consortium/ dated 25 August 2009 for
Opuntia basilaris var. ramosa.