Marsh Tofieldia – Triantha occidentalis ssp. occidentalis
by Doreen Smith
This species has an unusual distribution in California. It can be seen in the High Sierra mountains, and in the North Coast Ranges as far south as Marin County, where it grows near sea level. It is an obscure plant of permanently – wet, freshwater marsh sites. The Marin County population was discovered in 1989 in the Bull Point area of Point Reyes National Seashore (PORE) by the late President of our CNPS Chapter, Dr. Robert Soost. Initially the plants were identified as Tofieldia glutinosa ssp. occidentalis but the newer Jepson Manual of 2012 changed the genus and species. Even though one of Bob Soost’s initially-found specimens is lodged in California Academy of Sciences , so there is a recorded collection in the Consortium of Herbaria, the online Jepson e-Flora seems not to have noticed that we have this plant .
Photos by Vernon and Doreen Smith
