'Extinct' Plant Found Near Golden Gate-Last Franciscan Manzanita Believed To Have Perished In 1940's

[Kadie]

'Extinct' Plant Found Near Golden Gate
Last Franciscan Manzanita Believed To Have Perished In 1940s

POSTED: 2:42 pm PST December 14, 2009
UPDATED: 3:00 pm PST December 14, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO -- A plant native to San Francisco that was thought extinct by botanists has been discovered near the Golden Gate Bridge.

The last, wild Franciscan Manzanita was believed to have perished in the 1940s when the city cemeteries where it grew were moved south to allow for neighborhood expansion.

But when construction crews recently cleared eucalyptus trees in the city's Presidio area, it exposed the only specimen known to exist in the wild.

Botanist Daniel Gluesenkamp spotted the manzanita shrub as he drove over the Golden Gate Bridge. He later visited the site to confirm his sighting -- the first in nearly 70 years.

http://www.kcra.com/news/21966029/detail.html

[mitchtv]

1. That is hardly news

They knew about that plant when I lived in SF years ago . It's location was kept a secret apparently all records too.

[JohnnyLib2]

2. That makes it an even better story!

Gotta love SF.

[mitchtv]

3. My guess?

Presidio was Army property; when they left , they took their records. The scientists moved on

[timeforpeace]

7. You're not going to spill the beans about the dodo bird, are you?

[FourScore]

4. I used to live on Manzanita Street in the Bay Area. n/t

[robinlynne]

5. Ther are many manzanita plants at the manzanita bus stop right next to the bridge.

[mitchtv]

6. there are different varieties

this one is from the SF peninsula only

[mitchtv]

8. read this

http://www.josephstubbscreations.com/Home2/sf/sfparks/presidio/presidio.html see the section of "ecology trail" they knew about it

[timeforpeace]

9. But the science was in!

[jberryhill]

10. The roots are very tasty!

...and the leaves are great in salads!

[mitchtv]

11. Kinick kinick

A FINE SMOKING HERB( the uva ursi variety)