[PCA] NEWS: Scientists excited about new rare plants: recent flames could prompt explosion of manzanita species found nowhere else

[Olivia Kwong]

http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_13156080

Scientists excited about new rare plants: recent flames could prompt 
explosion of manzanita species found nowhere else
By GENEVIEVE BOOKWALTER
Posted: 08/19/2009 01:30:45 AM PDT

SANTA CRUZ -- For rare plant biologists, the Lockheed Fire burning in the 
Santa Cruz mountains is like a long, drawn-out Christmas Eve.

In just a few weeks, fresh manzanita shoots are expected to poke up from 
many places in the blackened soil. Biologists like Grey Hayes, a Bonny 
Doon resident for the past 23 years, hope that many of them will germinate 
from a large, previously dormant seed bank -- collected over the past 60 
years -- that is chock full of fresh starts for species now considered 
biologically rare and endangered.

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