Californian BioProvince
As defined by Armen Takhtajan all parts of California experiencing a Mediterranean type climate are included in this BioProvince. The Central Valley forms the heartland of the area but also included are some of the surrounding mountains such as the inner north coast ranges, the south coast ranges, the transverse ranges and the western foothills and lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Mountains. The geology is complex and varied but much of California was moulded by volcanic and tectonic activity and its mountains were re-shaped by glacial activity during the ice ages. The vascular plant flora amounts to some 4000 taxa and over a quarter of these (1163 taxa) are endemic. In addition there are 13 endemic genera but no endemic families.
The following accounts for this BioProvince have been written or will be written with particular reference to endemic and locally important species. Accounts available are displayed in green or yellow. Those displayed in red are either in the pipeline or awaiting expert contributions.
| Index |
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| Major Ecosystems |
| Endemic Vascular Plant Flora |
| Endemic Flora (Channel Islands) |
| Bryophyte Flora |
| Fungus Flora |
| Lichen Flora |
| Invertebrate Fauna |
| Amphibian Fauna |
| Reptile Fauna |
| Bird Fauna |
| Mammal Fauna |
| Conservation Status |
Darlingtonia californica (Sarraceniaceae) the carnivorous California pitcher plant native to Northern California and Oregon (Copyright © 2010 Peter Martin Rhind).
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