The San Clemente Island paintbrush is a hemi-parasitic perennial herb to subshrub in the broomrape family (Orobanchaceae). It was initially listed as endangered in 1977 as threats to the species included non-native herbivores, land use, erosion, non-native plants, fire and fire management and climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.

Learn more about climate change . Due to the removal of non-native herbivores and the Navy’s development of an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan to implement erosion and fire control measures, the species recovered to the point where it was delisted in 2023.