Fremontodendron californicum (California Flannelbush)
Credit: Eugene Sturla
about the species
The widespread and highly morphologically variable species, Fremontodendron californicum (Torr.) Coville (Malvaceae), “California flannelbush”, is an evergreen shrub that occurs in chaparral and oak/pine woodland habitats at elevations ranging from 180-2320 meters. Its natural distribution includes 12 of the 19 USDA ecoregions within California and extends into Oregon, Arizona, and northern Baja California, Mexico.
why species was selected
Fremontodendron, one of which (F. californicum) is widespread and highly variable, the other two of which (F. decumbens and F. mexicanum) are restricted in distribution and considered rare and endangered. Comparative genomic analyses of the three species of will help to elucidate the taxonomic identities of several populations that may represent hybrids between F. californicum and F. decumbens. Genomic data for this species will also help to understand how genomic variation in these plants is related to morphological variation, taxonomic identity, and status as rare.
