Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Rule for 13 Plant Taxa From the Northern Channel Islands, California

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) determines endangered status for Arabis hoffmannii (Hoffmann's rock-cress), Arctostaphylos confertiflora (Santa Rosa Island manzanita), Berberis pinnata ssp. insularis (island barberry), Castilleja mollis (soft- leaved paintbrush), Galium buxifolium (island bedstraw), Gilia tenuiflora ssp. hoffmannii (Hoffmann's slender-flowered gilia), Malacothamnus fasciculatus ssp. nesioticus (Santa Cruz Island bushmallow), Malacothrix indecora (Santa Cruz Island malacothrix), Malacothrix squalida (island malacothrix), Phacelia insularis ssp. insularis (island phacelia), and Thysanocarpus conchuliferus (Santa Cruz Island fringepod) and threatened status for Dudleya nesiotica (Santa Cruz Island dudleya) and Helianthemum greenei (island rush-rose) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The 13 plant taxa from the northern Channel Islands, California and their habitats have been variously affected or are currently threatened by one or more of the following: soil loss; habitat alteration by mammals alien to the Channel Islands (pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys, cattle, deer, elk, bison); direct predation by these same alien mammals; habitat alteration by native seabirds; habitat alteration due to vehicular traffic; overcollection for scientific or recreational purposes; competition with alien plant taxa; reduced genetic viability; depressed reproductive vigor; and the chance of random extinction resulting from small numbers of individuals and populations. A notice of withdrawal of the proposal to list Dudleya blochmaniae ssp. insularis (Santa Rosa Island dudleya), Dudleya sp. nov. ``East Point'' (munchkin dudleya), and Heuchera maxima (Island alum-root) which were proposed (July 25, 1995, 60 FR 37993) for listing along with the 13 taxa considered in this rule, is published concurrently with this final rule.