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Home/Species/ Slender Nemacladus

Nemacladus capillaris

Greene

Slender Nemacladus

G4Apparently Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.158955
Element CodePDCAM0F010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCampanulales
FamilyCampanulaceae
GenusNemacladus
Other Common Names
Common Nemacladus (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2026-06-11
Change Date1995-04-04
Edition Date2026-06-11
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2026)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Nemacladus capillaris is a wide-ranging annual herb found on dry slopes, burned areas, and volcanic outcrops in yellow pine forest and chaparral communities, and also in disturbed habitats such as clearings and along roadsides. It is endemic to the western United States in California and southwestern Oregon, in the Coast Ranges, western Sierra Nevada, Cascade Range, and Modoc Plateau. There are over 81 occurrences, which face threats from grazing, roadside maintenance activities, logging, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and moderate number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered apparently secure.
Range Extent Comments
Nemacladus capillaris is endemic to the western United States in California and southwestern Oregon (Jackson County), in the Coast Ranges, western Sierra Nevada, Cascade Range, and Modoc Plateau (Morin and Ayers 2020, Jepson Flora Project 2026). Range extent was estimated to be over 160,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 81 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026).
Threat Impact Comments
This species faces threats from grazing, roadside maintenance activities, logging, and invasive species (including Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)), though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species rangewide (NatureServe 2026). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and affinity for typically abundant habitats.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Nemacladus capillaris grows on dry slopes, burned areas, and volcanic outcrops in yellow pine forest and chaparral communities, and also in disturbed habitats such as clearings and along roadsides (McVaugh 1939, CalFlora 2026, Jepson Flora Project 2026).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferShrubland/chaparralBarrens
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS1Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
5.3.5 - Motivation unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
California (3)
AreaForestAcres
Black ButteMendocino National Forest15,461
Elk CreekMendocino National Forest23,182
ThatcherMendocino National Forest16,652
References (10)
  1. CalFlora. 2026. Information on California plants for education, research and conservation. Berkeley, California: The CalFlora Database [web application]. Available: http://www.calflora.org/. (Accessed 2026).
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2026. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2026).
  3. iNaturalist. 2026. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2026).
  4. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2026. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2026).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. McVaugh, R. 1939. Some realignments in the genus <i>Nemacladus</i>. The American Midland Naturalist 22(3): 521-550.
  7. Morin, N.R. and T.J. Ayers. 2020. New species and a new variety of <i>Nemacladus </i>(Campanulaceae, Nemacladoideae) and a key to the species. Madroño 67(1):35-60.
  8. NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  10. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2026. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2026).