Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 18, 2026

Dedeckera

The monotypic genus Dedeckera contains the single species Dedeckera eurekensis, a plant known by the common name July gold which is endemic to California. It is found in the mountains east and south of the Sierra Nevada, especially the Inyo and White Mountains.

Last revised
Jul 18, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
265 w
Citations
2
Source
Dedeckera
Dedeckera eurekensis flowers
Dedeckera eurekensis flowers
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Subfamily: Eriogonoideae
Genus: Dedeckera
Reveal & J.T.Howell
Species:
D. eurekensis
Binomial name
Dedeckera eurekensis
Reveal & J.T.Howell

The monotypic genus Dedeckera contains the single species Dedeckera eurekensis,1 a plant known by the common name July gold which is endemic to California. It is found in the mountains east and south of the Sierra Nevada, especially the Inyo and White Mountains.

July gold is a member of the buckwheat family. It is a matting shrub which bears small fleshy leaves and tiny yellowish flowers. It is a plant of the dry mountainous scrub, where it grows on gritty limestone cliffs. July gold is a rare plant, and its populations are scattered due to its specific niche habitat. It is also a poor reproducer; only about one percent of its flower ovules produce viable seed. These factors make it a species of concern.

The genus was named for California botanist Mary C. DeDecker. DeDecker found the plant in Death Valley National Park in 1976.2

References

References

  1. NRCS. "Dedeckera eurekensis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  2. Ely, Megan (February 18, 2025). "California Academy of Sciences and Partners Uncover New Sunflower Species in Big Bend National Park, Texas - California Academy of Sciences". www.calacademy.org. Archived from the original on 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
External links
Further reading

Further reading

  • Nickrent, D. L. and D. Wiens. (1989). Genetic diversity in the rare California shrub Dedeckera eurekensis (Polygonaceae). Systematic Botany 14:2 245–253.