The conservation of rare, threatened and endangered flora typically requires the protection of these species from the general population. There have been many instances in which these species have been inadvertently destroyed. Because of this, most of the information on the location of these precious flora has been kept secret by conservation agencies.
If you are willing to make the effort to illustrate these species in their natural environment, here are some reliable sources of information about the general locations of protected plants. The following resources will be of particular interest to conservation-minded artists in southern California:
1. Center for Plant Conservation (http://www.centerforplantconservation.org)
2. California Department of Fish and Game (http://www.dfg.ca.gov)
3. Western Riverside Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (http://ecoregion.ucr.edu/list_head.asp)
Exploring these websites will help you narrow down your search for these species so that you can find them in their natural habitat and illustrate them as they occur naturally. Please use this information responsibly and remember that you should never impact these species or their habitats during your search or while you are drawing them in you sketchbooks.
ArtPlantae Today 