Contra Costa Goldfields, a plant belonging to the Aster family and scientifically known as Lasthenia conjugens, is an endangered species of flowers native to California that have as main growing environment, the Californian vernal pools.
This colorful endangered species has fragile features consisting of: a height of maximum 40 centimeters, hairy leaves that don’t go beyond eight centimeters and that have a light green color, and flowers that look like little discs made of gold.
The reason because of which this species is considered endangered starting 1996, is the habitat destruction and conserving the few already existing habitats is the only way of making sure that the so many species that are in danger because of this unpleasant phenomenon, will continue to exist.
In the first place, the Contra Costa Goldfields had as growing environments, the vernal pools of Alameda, Napa and Solano, Contra Costa and Mendocino. Nowadays, the list is compound of Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Solano counties. As you may see, even though there are new places where Contra Costa Goldfields has began to occur, Mendocino in no longer on the list of countries hosting Contra Costa Goldfields.
The plant usually grows around the edges and, in late spring, they look like immense golden carpets. For a better growth, the vernal pools must be dry and in case they are inundated by rain, the plant enters a period of dormancy.
In the case of Contra Costa Goldfields, the process of fertilization is made by insect pollination and the propagation is mainly based on gravity.
Plants are important from so many reasons. Even though we talk about the importance some of them have as medicinal cures or just the aesthetic values, everybody should fight against habitat destruction. By not giving our interest in saving these plants we just harm ourselves, as most of them are found as ingredients in several important drugs used in curing cancer, juvenile leukemia, heart diseases or even malaria.
Contra Costa Goldfields Pictures Gallery
