Erysimum menziesii

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Erysimum menziesii

ssp. eurekense

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Brassicales
Family:	Brassicaceae
Genus:	Erysimum
Species:	E. menziesii

Binomial name

Erysimum menziesii
(Hook.) Wettst.

Erysimum menziesii is a species of wallflower known by the common name Menzies' wallflower. This very rare plant is found only in the declining beach sand dune habitat in three areas on California coastline, in Humboldt, Mendocino, and Monterey Counties. It is listed as an endangered species on the California state and federal levels. There are three to four subspecies depending on the authority, and each is rare. In general this is a mustardlike biennial or perennial herb which is short in size, reaching maximum heights of usually not more than 15 centimeters. The leaves are long and straight along the stem, and often thicker, hairier, and lobed in shape at the base. The top of the stem is occupied by a thick bunch of flowers with bright yellow, rounded petals. The flowers fall away to leave behind the fruits, which are very long siliques sticking straight out. The plant can vary in appearance, particularly across subspecies.

Subspecies:

E. m. ssp. eurekense (Humboldt Bay wallflower) - known from a few occurrences in the vicinity of Humboldt Bay
E. m. ssp. menziesii - known from the Mendocino Coast and Monterey Peninsula; the population in the latter area is nearly extirpated
E. m. ssp. yadonii (Yadon's wallflower) - known from a few occurrences near Marina, California, which are threatened by sand mining and beach development
E. m. ssp. concinnum (curly wallflower) - known from Mendocino County, California, to Oregon. This subspecies was revised from E. conicinnum to a subspecies ofE. menziesii after the 1992 listing, so it was not included under the California nor federal Endangered Species Act.