Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Johnston's frankenia (Frankenia johnstonii)

Kingdom: Plantae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Frankeniaceae

Listing Status:   

Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND

General Information

Johnston’s Frankenia, a member of the Frankenia family (Frankeniaceae), and is a grayish-green to bluish-green rounded shrub.

Map of Species occurrence

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Map Image Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence

This map represents our best available information about where a species is currently known to or or is believed to occur; however, it should NOT be used as an official species list for Section 7 Consultation purposes. To obtain an official species list for this purpose, please visit the Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) System (click here: http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac)


This population has been proposed for delisting
This species is listed wherever it is found, but
    • States/US Territories in which the Johnston's frankenia is known to or is believed to occur:  Texas
    • US Counties in which the Johnston's frankenia is known to or is believed to occur:  View All
    • USFWS Refuges in which the Johnston's frankenia is known to occur:  LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SANTA ANA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
    • Countries in which the the Johnston's frankenia is known to occur:  Mexico
    • For more information:  http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/johnston/
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
08/07/1984 Southwest Region (Region 2)

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 5)
Date Citation Page Title
10/25/2011 76 FR 66018 66021 Delisting of the Plant Frankenia johnstonii (Johnston's frankenia); Reopening of Comment Period and Availability of Draft Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan
05/22/2003 68 FR 27961 27961 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Delisting the Plant Frankenia johnstonii (Johnston’s frankenia) and Notice of Petition
08/07/1984 49 FR 31418 31421 Final Rule to Determine Frankenia johnstonii (Johnston's frankenia) to be End. Species; 49 FR 31418-31421
07/08/1983 48 FR 31414 31417 Proposed Rule to Determine Frankenia johnstonii to be End. Specie; 48 FR 31414-31417
06/16/1976 41 FR 24523 24572 Proposed Endangered Status for 1700 U.S. Plants; 41 FR 24523 24572

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
05/24/1988 Johnston's Frankenia(Frankenia johnstonii) Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 2 of 2)
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
10/25/2011 76 FR 66018 66021 Delisting of the Plant Frankenia johnstonii (Johnston's frankenia); Reopening of Comment Period and Availability of Draft Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan
  • Notice Doc. Availability, Draft Post Delisting Monitoring Plan
  • Notice Reopen Comment
  • 05/22/2003 68 FR 27961 27961 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Delisting the Plant Frankenia johnstonii (Johnston’s frankenia) and Notice of Petition
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial
  • Proposed Delisting, Original Data in Error - New information discovered
  • » Critical Habitat

    No critical habitat rules have been published for the Johnston's frankenia.

    » Conservation Plans

    No conservation plans have been created for Johnston's frankenia

    » Petitions

    Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 1 of 1)
    Date Citation Page Title Finding
    05/22/2003 68 FR 27961 27961 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Delisting the Plant Frankenia johnstonii (Johnston’s frankenia) and Notice of Petition
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial
  • Proposed Delisting, Original Data in Error - New information discovered
  • » Life History

    Habitat Requirements

    Plants found in association with Zapata baldderpod include saladillo (Varilla texana), tornillo (Prosopis reptans), blackbrush acacia (Acacia rigidula), guayacan (Guaiacum angustifolium), seepweed (Sueda sp.), gray coldenia (Tiquilia canescens), Drummond’s jimmy weed (Isocoma drummondii), and whorled dropseed (Sporobolus pyramidatus) among other species. Saladillo and Johnston’s Frankenia often, but not always, occur together, and are frequently the dominant species in these areas because they are better able to tolerate the high salinities in the areas. Johnston’s Frankenia has been found at elevations ranging from 250 feet to 2500 feet above sea level.

    Food Habits

    Johnston’s Frankenia grows on vegetated rocky hillsides or saline flats. It is found on saline sandy or clay soils composed on average of 10% gypsum.

    Movement / Home Range

    Zapata bladderpod populations occur in Starr, Zapata and Webb counties, Texas and are known from Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, Mexico.

    Reproductive Strategy

    Flowering follows rainfall events throughout the year. The flowers are white with a yellow center and have 5 petals. Potential pollinators including flies, bees and butterflies have been reported to visit Johnston’s Frankenia flowers.

    Other

    Johnston’s Frankenia may be up to 11.8 inches (30 centimeters) tall and 5.9 to 23.6 inches (15 to 60 centimeters) in width. It has a woody taproot and several ascending or recurved stems. The leaves are ¼ to ½ inches (0.6 to 1.3 centimeters) and are oblong with curled margins. The leaves have small, dense, grayish-white hairs on the underside where salt crystals are often visible. The plant turns from grayish-green to crimson red from November to February or under drought conditions

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: June 19, 2013