About a year ago we shared the news that a wild specimen of the plant known as Franciscan manzanita had been discovered on a center freeway divider in the Presidio near the Golden Gate Bridge. Well, the botanist community basically freaked out and painstakingly excavated and moved the specimen to an undisclosed location on a bluff nearby. In moving the plant, it needed to be trimmed, and the cuttings were taken to the UC Santa Cruz arboretum and several other botanical gardens. Yesterday, the UCSC arboretum hosted a ceremonial planting.

From one plant now comes hundreds of progeny which have been distributed through the Bay Area and which will ultimately help the National Parks Service rebuild a long-lost habitat known as the Maritime Chaparral. As the Mercury News reports, "A reversal of fate at a time of so many tough environmental challenges, the future of the Franciscan manzanita now seems secure."

A specimen of the Franciscan manzanita plant -- also known as the San Francisco manzanita and thought to be extinct in the wild -- was discovered recently in the Presidio by botanist Daniel Gluesenkamp in a spot that had been recently cleared of eucalyptus trees. The shrub, which was removed from San Francisco cemeteries to make way for construction in the 1940s, was believed to exist only in botanical gardens since that time -- when a famous botanist stood in the way of excavation equipment to save the last known specimen in the wild.

Since California does not have provisions under state law for the protection of endangered plants, the Wild Equity Institute has filed a petition with the federal government to have the Franciscan manzanita added to the protected list under the Endangered Species Act. Score one point for rare local flora! [via NBC Bay Area]

A big crash involving a turned-over car and at least four other vehicles in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge has put traffic at a near stand-still in both directions, with only one lane open going either direction (all the lanes were closed until just a few minutes ago). Only minor injuries reported in the accident but clean-up is ongoing and drivers are being advised to take the Bay Bridge and Richmond Bridge to get to Marin if at all possible. UPDATE: All lanes have been re-opened. Watch that lack of center divide, people. And also, slow down on the S-curve (on the other bridge)!

In addition to raising the car toll another $1 come 2013, the board of directors of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District is considering charging bicyclists and pedestrians to cross the bridge following the completion of seismic upgrades to the pedestrian walkways. The board meets today to review these proposals, which are meant to close a projected $132 million deficit over the next five years.

While this proposal seems kind of crazy to us given the oddity of paying to walk across something, we suppose it's just another way to bilk the tourists -- and it sure isn't as batshit insane as this proposal by the Committee for Pedestrian Tolls in New York City, which suggests installing toll booths on sidewalks to enter the area between 14th and 59th Streets because, and we quote, pedestrians "cause every bit as much damage to our infrastructure as drivers." Ha!

Oh boy.

"Four" by Darwin Bell.