Linanthus killipii

Linanthus killipii, known by the common name Baldwin Lake linanthus, is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family.^[1][2]

Linanthus killipii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Polemoniaceae
Genus:	Linanthus
Species:	L. killipii
Binomial name
Linanthus killipii H.Mason

Distribution

The plant is endemic to the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California, where it is known from only a few occurrences in the vicinity of Baldwin Lake, a natural intermittent alkali lake near to the east of Big Bear Lake reservoir.^[2] It grows at elevations of 1,700–2,400 metres (5,600–7,900 ft).^[1]

The wildflower is a member of the flora in the rare quartz pebble plain habitat type on the north side of the lake, and of open meadows in the adjacent montane chaparral, pinyon-juniper woodland, and red fir forest habitats.^[2][3] The diversity of Big Bear Valley Pebble Plains species has been compared to that of coral reefs, and include 17 protected plant species and four rare kinds of butterflies.^[3]

Description

Linanthus killipii is a small annual herb producing a hairy stem from 5–15 centimetres (2.0–5.9 in) tall. The leaves are divided into needle-like linear lobes each up to 1 centimetre (0.39 in) in length.^[1]

The inflorescence is an array of a few tiny flowers, each funnel-shaped with white lobes marked with purple at the bases and joined at a yellow throat. The bloom period is May and June.^[1]

Conservation

The pebble plain population is within the Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve ^[3] Other populations are threatened by development and vehicles. It is a listed Endangered species on the California Native Plant Society Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants.^[4]