Collomia (Collomia linearis)

Present distribution

Scientific name:	Collomia linearis (Cav.) Nutt.
Common name(s):	collomia

Map showing the present distribution of this weed.

Habitat:
“Ranging between 2,000 and 10,500 ft” Distributed in subalpine open sites, vernally moist meadow, mesic conditions and within coniferous forest (Wilken 1978). “Well-drained, open sites, often on disturbed ground; plains to montane” (Kershaw et al. 1998). “Medium-dry to moist soil of open prairies, valleys, and in mountains” (Craighead et al. 1963). “Hardiness: Fully hardy” (Brickell 1996). C. linearis is a wildflower of ponderosa pine forests, oakbush and sagebrush meadows. “Forests of ponderosa pine usually occur on sunny, dry mountain slopes of low and intermediate elevations…In
this habitat the winters are cold while the summers are warm with frequent drought. Ponderosas receive most of their moisture from spring snowstorms and summer thunderstorms. Snow usually melts quickly” (Dawson et al. 1998). “Foothills, montane, woodlands, meadows, openings” (SWCW, undated).

Potential distribution

Potential distribution produced from CLIMATE modelling refined by applying suitable landuse and vegetation type overlays with CMA boundaries

Map Overlays Used

Land Use:
Broadacre cropping; forestry; horticulture perennial; horticulture seasonal; pasture dryland; pasture irrigation

Ecological Vegetation Divisions
Treed swampy wetland; lowland forest; foothills forest; forby forest; damp forest; riparian; wet forest; rainforest; high altitude shrubland/woodland; alpine treeless; granitic hillslopes; rocky outcrop shrubland; western plains woodland; basalt grassland; alluvial plains woodland; ironbark/box

Colours indicate possibility of Collomia linearis infesting these areas.

In the non-coloured areas the plant is unlikely to establish as the climate, soil or landuse is not presently suitable.

Red= Very high	Orange = Medium
Yellow = High	Green = Likely

Impact

QUESTION	COMMENTS	RATING	CONFIDENCE
Social
1. Restrict human access?	“Finely hairy, annual herb… 5-40cm tall” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Minimal or negligible impact (ie. can go anywhere).	L	M
2. Reduce tourism?	“Finely hairy, annual herb… 5-40cm tall” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Minor effects to aesthetics and/or recreational uses (ie. aware but not bothered or activity inhibited).	ML	M
3. Injurious to people?	“Finely hairy, annual herb” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Not described as toxic, having thorns or causing allergies. No effect, no prickles, no injuries.	L	M
4. Damage to cultural sites?	“Annual herb…5-40cm tall…Flowers: Pink, purplish or almost white, trumpet-shaped, 8-15 mm long and about 6-7 mm across, with 5 oval, flaring lobes…many flowers in dense, leafy, head-like clusters” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Moderate visual effect.	ML	ML
Abiotic
5. Impact flow?	Distributed in subalpine open sites, vernally moist meadow, mesic conditions and within coniferous forest. (Wilken 1978). “Well-drained, open sites, often on disturbed ground; plains to montane” (Kershaw et al. 1998). “Medium-dry to moist soil of open prairies, valleys, and in mts” (Craighead et al. 1963). C. linearis is a wildflower of ponderosa pine forests, oakbush and sagebrush meadows. “Forests of ponderosa pine usually occur on sunny, dry mountain slopes…In this habitat the winters are cold while the summers are warm with frequent drought. Ponderosas receive most of their moisture from spring snowstorms and summer thunderstorms. Snow usually melts quickly” (Dawson et al.1998). Not described as aquatic. Little or negligible affect on water flow.	L	M
6. Impact water quality?	Distributed in subalpine open sites, vernally moist meadow, mesic conditions and within coniferous forest. (Wilken 1978). “Well-drained, open sites, often on disturbed ground; plains to montane” (Kershaw et al. 1998). “Medium-dry to moist soil of open prairies, valleys, and in mts” (Craighead et al. 1963). C. linearis is a wildflower of ponderosa pine forests, oakbush and sagebrush meadows. “Forests of ponderosa pine usually occur on sunny, dry mountain slopes…In this habitat the winters are cold while the summers are warm with frequent drought. Ponderosas receive most of their moisture from spring snowstorms and summer thunderstorms. Snow usually melts quickly” (Dawson et al.1998). Not described as aquatic. No noticeable effect on dissolved 0₂or light levels.	L	M
7. Increase soil erosion?	No information found.	M	L
8. Reduce biomass?	No information found.	M	L
9. Change fire regime?	No information found.	M	L
Community Habitat
10. Impact on composition (a) high value EVC	EVC = Floodplain Riparian Woodland (E); CMA = Goulburn Broken; Bioregion = Central Victorian Uplands; VH CLIMATE potential. No information found	M	L
(b) medium value EVC	EVC = Wet Forest- Hardwood Plantation (D); CMA = West Gippsland; Bioregion = Strzelecki Ranges; VH CLIMATE potential. No information found	M	L
(c) low value EVC	EVC = Shrubby Foothill Forest (LC); CMA = North Central; Bioregion = Central Victorian Uplands; VH CLIMATE potential. No information found	M	L
11. Impact on structure?	No information found.	M	L
12. Effect on threatened flora?	Not information found.	M	L
Fauna
13. Effect on threatened fauna?	No information found.	M	L
14. Effect on non-threatened fauna?	No information found.	M	L
15. Benefits fauna?	“Narrowleaf collomia (Collomia linearis), had significantly high cover in grazed stands” (Zimmerman and Neuenschwander 1984). Unlikely to benefit fauna. Provides very little support to desirable species.	L	ML
16. Injurious to fauna?	“Finely hairy, annual herb” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Not described as being toxic, having thorns or causing allergies. No effect.	L	M
Pest Animal
17. Food source to pests?	“Narrowleaf collomia (Collomia linearis), had significantly high cover in grazed stands” (Zimmerman and Neuenschwander 1984). May not be eaten by animals. Provides minimal food for pest animals.	L	ML
18. Provides harbour?	“Annual herb…5-40cm tall” (Kershaw et al. 1998). No harbour for pest spp.	L	M
Agriculture
19. Impact yield?	No information found.	M	L
20. Impact quality?	“These seeds become sticky and produce spiralling threads when they are wet. This helps to cement them to the soil” (Kershaw et al. 1998). “Narrowleaf collomia (Collomia linearis), had significantly high cover in grazed stands” (Zimmerman and Neuenschwander 1984). May be a contaminant of wool or hides. Minor impact on quality of produce (eg < 5% reduction).	ML	ML
21. Affect land value?	No information found.	M	L
22. Change land use?	No information found.	M	L
23. Increase harvest costs?	No information found.	M	L
24. Disease host/vector?	For collomias “Pests and diseases: Trouble free” (Brickell 1996). Little or no host.	L	ML

Invasive

QUESTION	COMMENTS	RATING	CONFIDENCE
Establishment
1. Germination requirements?	C. linearis is a wildflower of ponderosa pine forests, oakbush and sagebrush meadows. “Forests of ponderosa pine usually occur on sunny, dry mountain slopes of low and intermediate elevations… In the southern Rocky Mountains ponderosa pine ecosystems are found between the elevations of 5600 and 9000 feet. In this habitat the winters are cold while the summers are warm with frequent drought. Ponderosas receive most of their moisture from spring snowstorms and summer thunderstorms. Snow usually melts quickly” (Dawson et al.1998). May require natural seasonal disturbances such as seasonal rainfall, spring/summer temperatures for germination.	MH	ML
2. Establishment requirements?	C. linearis is a wildflower of ponderosa pine forests, oakbush and sagebrush meadows. “Forests of ponderosa pine usually occur on sunny, dry mountain slopes of low and intermediate elevations… In the southern Rocky Mountains ponderosa pine ecosystems are found between the elevations of 5600 and 9000 feet. In this habitat the winters are cold while the summers are warm with frequent drought. Ponderosas receive most of their moisture from spring snowstorms and summer thunderstorms. Snow usually melts quickly” (Dawson et al.1998). Can establish under moderate canopy/litter cover.	MH	M
3. How much disturbance is required?	No information found.	M	L
Growth/Competitive
4. Life form?	“Finely hairy, annual herb” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Other.	L	MH
5. Allelopathic properties?	No information found.	M	L
6. Tolerates herb pressure?	“Narrowleaf collomia (Collomia linearis), had significantly high cover in grazed stands” (Zimmerman and Neuenschwander 1984). May be consumed but non-preferred or consumed but recovers quickly; capable of flowering /seed production under moderate herbivore pressure (where moderate = normal; not overstocking or heavy grazing).	MH	M
7. Normal growth rate?	“Rapid growth, relatively short stature, few lateral branches and conspicuously narrow leaves distinguish PEETZ, a population exposed to the relatively unpredictable environment of an open, high elevation, central plains site. In contrast, the relatively long growth phase, short stature and small leaves of subalpine OTUs may represent and adaptive response to short diurnal periods favouring growth early in the season combined with exposure in open sites” (Wilken 1978). Growth rate equal to the same life form, or there is widely conflicting evidence.	M	MH
8. Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?	“Ranging between 2,000 and 10,500 ft” Distributed in subalpine open sites, vernally moist meadow, mesic conditions and within coniferous forest. “Relatively narrow leaves were typical of most populations experiencing exposure to high light intensity” (Wilken 1978). “Well-drained, open sites, often on disturbed ground; plains to montane” (Kershaw et al. 1998). “Medium-dry to moist soil of open prairies, valleys, and in mts, up to around 8000 ft” (Craighead et al. 1963). “Hardiness: Fully hardy” (Brickell 1996). C. linearis is a wildflower of ponderosa pine forests, oakbush and sagebrush meadows. “Forests of ponderosa pine usually occur on sunny, dry mountain slopes of low and intermediate elevations… In the southern Rocky Mountains ponderosa pine ecosystems are found between the elevations of 5600 and 9000 feet. In this habitat the winters are cold while the summers are warm with frequent drought. Ponderosas receive most of their moisture from spring snowstorms and summer thunderstorms. Snow usually melts quickly” (Dawson et al.1998). Tolerant to frost and drought. Probably not tolerant to waterlogging and salinity. Unknown tolerance to fire. Tolerant to at least two and susceptible to at least one.	ML	M
Reproduction
9. Reproductive system	“Natural populations, however, are actively visited by insects which mediate pollen flow within populations…Floral morphology associated with potentially high selfing levels…In C. linearis represents local, selectively tolerable deviations from a floral morphology which favours [sic] autogamy but allows for some outcrossing” (Wilken 1978). Sexual (self and cross-pollination).	ML	MH
10. Number of propagules produced?	“Many-seeded…5-40cm tall, often branched” (Kershaw et al. 1998). “Atop the stem is a cluster of up to 20 white or light pink flowers” (Freebase 2008). For collomias, “capsule ellipsoid or obovoid, 2-locular, 2 lobed. Seeds 1-2 in each loculus, oblong, ±mucilaginous when wet” (Webb et al. 1988). 2 seeds/loculus x 2 locular= 4 seeds. 4 seeds/flower x 20 flowers/stem cluster= 80 seeds/stem. Between 50 and 1000 seeds.	ML	ML
11. Propagule longevity?	“Finely hairy, annual herb” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Unlikely for greater than 25% of seeds survive 5 years.	L	ML
12. Reproductive period?	“Finely hairy, annual herb” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Mature plant produces viable propagules for only 1 year.	L	MH
13. Time to reproductive maturity?	“Finely hairy, annual herb” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Reaches maturity and produces viable propagules.	H	MH
Dispersal
14. Number of mechanisms?	“These seeds become sticky and produce spiralling threads when they are wet. This helps to cement them to the soil” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Propagules may spread by water, attachment (humans, animals, or vehicles), or accidental human dispersal (ploughing).	MH	ML
15. How far do they disperse?	“These seeds become sticky and produce spiralling threads when they are wet. This helps to cement them to the soil” (Kershaw et al. 1998). Few propagules will disperse greater than one kilometre but many will reach 200-1,000 metres.	MH	ML

References

Brickell C. (Ed.) (1996) A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. The Royal Horticultural Society. Covent Garden Books, London.

Craighead J.J, Craighead J, Craighead F.C and Davis R.J. (1963) A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers: Northern Arizona and New Mexico to British Columbia. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.

Dawson C, Kratz A, Garfias R, Grant T, and Sprurrier C. (1998) Wildflowers of Ponderosa Pine Forests Coloring book. United States of the Interior Bureau of Land Management and United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Colorado. Available at: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/co/information/general_publications.Par.38031.File.dat/coloringbook.pdf (verified 29/04/2010).

Department of the Environment and Heritage (Commonwealth of Australia). (1993 – On-going) Australian Plant Name Index (APNI) http://www.cpbr.gov.au/apni/index.html (verified 10/03/2010).

Forrest J, Inouye DW, and Thomson JD. (2010) “Flowering Phenology in Subalpine Meadows: Does Climate Variation Influence Community Co-flowering Patterns?” In:
Ecology. 91 (2): 431 – 440.

Freebase (2008) Collomia linearis web page. Available at: http://www.freebase.com/view/en/collomia_linearis (verified 29/04/2010).

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2008) Global biodiversity information facility. Available at http://www.gbif.org/ (verified 10/03/2010).

Integrated Taxonomic Information System. (2009) Available at http://www.itis.gov/ (verified 10/03/2010).

Kershaw L, MacKinnon A and Pojar J. (1998) Plants of the Rocky Mountains. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton Canada.

Lapina IV, Klein SC, and Carlson ML. (2007) Non-native Plant Species of the Fairbanks Region: 2005 – 2006 Surveys. US Forest Service. Alaska Natural Heritage Program, Anchorage.

Lazarides M. (1997) CSIRO Handbook of Australian Weeds. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

Missouri Botanical Gardens (MBG) (2009) w³TROPICOS, Missouri Botanical Gardens Database. Available at http://mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/vast.html (verified
09/03/2010).

Southwest Colorado Wildflowers (SWCW) (Undated) Collomia. Available at: http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/White%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/collomia.htm (verified 06/05/2010).

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (2010) Natural Resources Conservation Service, Plants Database. PLANTS Profile. Available at http://plants.usda.gov/ (verified 10/03/2010).

United States Department of Agriculture. (2010) Agricultural Research Service, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. Taxonomy Query. Available at http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxgenform.pl (verified 10/03/2010).

Walsh NG and Stajisic V. (2007) A Census of the Vascular Plants of Victoria. Eighth Edn. Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, South Yarra.

Webb CJ, Sykes WR and Garnock-Jones PJ. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4. Botany Division, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Zealand.

Wilken D.H. (1978) Vegetative and floral relationships among western north American populations of Collomia linearis Nuttall (Polemoniaceae). American Journal of Botany. 65(8): 896-901.

Zimmerman G.T and Neuenschwander L.F (1984) Livestock grazing influences on community structure, fire intensity, and fire frequency within the Douglas-fir/Ninebark habitat type. Journal of Range Management. 37(2).

Global present distribution data references

Australian National Herbarium (ANH) (2008) Australia’s Virtual Herbarium. Australian National Herbarium, Centre for Plant Diversity and Research, Available at
http://www.anbg.gov.au/avh/ (verified 06/05/2010).

Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) (2006) Flora information system [CD-ROM], Biodiversity and Natural Resources Section, Viridans Pty Ltd, Bentleigh.

EIS: Environmental Information System (2006) Parks Victoria.

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2008) Global biodiversity information facility. Available at http://www.gbif.org/ (verified 10/03/2010).

IPMS: Integrated Pest Management System (2006) Department of Primary Industries.

Missouri Botanical Gardens (MBG) (2009) w³TROPICOS, Missouri Botanical Gardens Database. Available at http://mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/vast.html (verified
09/03/2010).

United States Department of Agriculture. (2010) Agricultural Research Service, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. Taxonomy Query. Available at http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxgenform.pl (verified 10/03/2010).

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