Orcuttia (californica)
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Katherine Heineman Scientist San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research 15600 San Pasqual Valley Rd Escondido, California 92025 kheineman@sandiegozoo.org http://institute.sandiegozoo.org/ |
| Family Scientific Name: | Poaceae | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Common Name: | Grass | ||
| Scientific Name: | Orcuttia californica Vasey | ||
| Common Name: | Orcutt’s Grass | ||
| Species Code: | ORCA | ||
| Ecotype: | Vernal Pools | ||
| General Distribution: | Southern California, Baja California, Central Valley California | ||
| Known Invasiveness: | None | ||
| Propagation Goal: | Seeds | ||
| Propagation Method: | Seed | ||
| ProductType: | Propagules (seeds, cutings, poles, etc.) | ||
| Time To Grow: | 6 months | ||
| Target Specifications: | Our goal was to produce as much seed as possible for reintroduction by seed. | ||
| Propagule Collection: |
Wild collected seeds from Dennery Canyon, San Diego County, CA |
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| Propagule Processing: | Very small seeds, removed from chaff with sieves and air winnower. | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: | None | ||
| Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops: |
Pots were sterilized using physan 20 | ||
| Establishment Phase: | Seeds were planted along maternal lines in pasteurized(in oven 4 hours at 165f) native soil in 2” pots in January. Plots were placed in tub and submerged under approximately 0.5” of water. Germination was observed at approximately 3 weeks. Plants were allowed to grow submerged for approximately 3 weeks until well established. Water levels were gradually lowered during establishment stage. | ||
| Length of Establishment Phase: | 8 weeks | ||
| Active Growth Phase: | Once plants were growing well out of the water in 2” pots of native soil, they were transplanted to shallow 8” pots filled with a moderately well drained potting mix. Plants grow rapidly vegetatively at this stage. Plants were fed 100ppm balanced(20-20-20) liquid fertilizer once monthly during this phase. | ||
| Length of Active Growth Phase: | 8 weeks | ||
| Hardening Phase: | When plants began flowering, watering was reduced to once weekly to allow for some drying between watering. Once plants stopped flowering watering was reduced to once every two weeks | ||
| Length of Hardening Phase: | 8 weeks | ||
| Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: | Plants were Allowed to dry down in pots and harvested along maternal lines by cutting the seeds heads off with scissors. Seeds were separated from chaff using sieves and seed winnower. The plants were highly productive,producing approximately 50,000 seeds from 89 individuals. Seeds were slowly dried down in a cool dry environment and sealed in a Mylar bag for storage until use. | ||
| Outplanting performance on typical sites: | Seed has not yet been used in reintroduction project. Plants grow naturally in deepest parts of vernal pools that remain submerged the longest | ||
| Other Comments: | Plant is glandular and has a pleasant lemony scent. | ||
Citation:
Anderson, Stacy; Weatherson, Tobin. 2020. Propagation protocol for production of Propagules (seeds, cutings, poles, etc.) Orcuttia californica Vasey Seeds San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research Escondido, California. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/02/25). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
