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Kaweah brodiaea. Image by Robert Preston, Ph.D., 2005.

Kaweah brodiaea

General Information: The Kaweah brodiaea has purple to pinkish flowers with six petals. It is a perennial herb, meaning it grows back year after year, that grows from a bulb to about ten inches tall.

CategoryFocal species
Surface Water Needs: None
Federal Listing Status: None
State Listing Status: Endangered, California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2

Potential Conservation Actions:  

  • Avoid grazing
  • Plant natives

Fun Fact

The bulb of the Kaweah brodiaea (called a “corm”) is edible.

Habitat

The Kaweah brodiaea grows in meadows, valley and foothill grasslands, and foothill woodlands. It is often found on south-southwest facing slopes in granite or clay soils.

Grasslands

Woodlands

Meadows

Disturbance and Stressors

Threats to Kaweah brodiaea can include residential development, road maintenance and vehicles, and nonnative plants, and overgrazing. Climate change impacts will likely shift suitable habitat for the Kaweah brodiaea.

Grazing

Residential development

Road maintenance
and use

Nonnative plants

Kaweah brodiaea.

Sources: Anderson and Lake 2016, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Native Plant Society, Natural Diversity Database 2021, Pires and Preston 2019, Rare Plant Program 2021
Photo credits: Robert E. Preston, Ph.D. (2005), Dry Crik Journal