Professional Documents
Culture Documents
November 2009
Vol. 32, No. 6
In this issue:
Developing a Utah Rare Plant list 1
Chapter News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
UNPS Contributes to White Dome
Preserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The UNPS Rare Plant Ranking
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2009 Utah Native Plant Society
Rare Plants of Utah List
I. Extremely High Priority . . . 8
II. High Priority . . . . . . . . . . . 10
III. Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
IV. Need Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
USFWS Updating Utah‘s Endan-
gered and Candidate Lists . . . . 18
While they often do not get the same attention or notoriety, plants can be just as endangered or threatened with
extinction as animal species. With a few notable exceptions, conservationists have traditionally been more concerned
with the plight of rare game animals, showy birds, and edible fish than with less charismatic vertebrates, inverte-
brates, or plants. This bias was reflected in early efforts to protect endangered species. The first national law, passed
in 1966, only addressed vertebrates and was little more than an effort to compile a list of vulnerable species. It pro-
vided little in the way of habitat protection or penalties.
The law was amended in 1969, but it remained until 1973 before an Endangered Species Act was passed that had
real teeth. The 1973 act was also the first to extend endangered species protection to plants and invertebrates deemed
worthy of listing by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Specifically, the new law protected listed species from direct
harm, preserved critical habitat, and required development projects on public lands and using federal funds to con-
sider the potential impacts on these species during the planning process. This landmark piece [continued on page 4]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Manzanita (Kane County): Our In November, I will be speak- going (―just a few more should be
October meeting featured paleo- ing about the Deer Creek bio- fine‖). Species we collected include:
botanist Dr. Ian Miller of the Denver blitz project conducted by The Frasera speciosa, Penstemon sub-
Museum of Nature and Science. Dr. Nature Conservancy outside of glaber, Elymus elymoides, Bal-
Miller‘s team has spent the past two Boulder, Utah in July 2007 and samorhiza macrophylla, Castilleja
summers excavating late Cretaceous May 2008. The bio-blitz was a chromosa, and Tetradymia canes-
age floodplain deposits of the Kai- 48 hour effort by a team of wild- cens. Let‘s hope for a successful
parowits Formation in the Grand life biologists, entomologists, propagation! - Mindy Wheeler
Staircase-Escalante National Monu- botanists, and ecologists to re-
ment between Henrieville and Esca- cord as many species of animals Southwestern: The chapter held a
lante. So far Miller has identified and plants as possible from the ―Landscaping and Water Conserva-
fossil leaf impressions of at least 86 study area (a tributary of the tion‖ hands-on presentation by Tim
species of flowering dicots, aquatic Escalante River). The meeting McAlmond (from Shadow Farm Na-
monocots, gymnosperms, and fern will be held on Tuesday, Novem- tive Plant Nursery) on October 5th.
allies from the strata. Based on ber 10 at 7 PM in the Grand Our field trip to Ali‘s Organics in La
morphological characteristics of the Staircase visitor center.— Walter Verkin on October 21st was a huge
leaves and other physical evidence, Fertig success. Ali has created a small
Miller believes the vegetation of the farm within the town and showed us
area was a subtropical swamp and Mountain (Summit County): how she set up a small greenhouse
had a climate similar to the Gulf On September 5, about 10 mem- and several cold frames. Her enthu-
Coast of North America today. The bers of the chapter went out to a siasm was reflected in our desires to
site will likely have one of the most property just east of Park City find ways to successfully propagate.
species-rich floras of any late Creta- and collected native seed for a - Barbara Farnsworth
ceous site in western North America native plant propagation work-
when their study is complete. shop in the spring. Most every-
one got a bit of that ‘seed greed‘
3
Utah Native Plant Society
Amendments to the ESA in 1978 Utah‘s Endangered and Over the next several years, at least
changed the listing process, and the 11 of the recommended critically
mass proposal of 1700 species was
Threatened Plants endangered and endangered plants
withdrawn. Under the new rules, from the 1980 document would be-
species would go through a more The following 25 Utah plant species come listed under the ESA.
are listed under the Endangered Spe-
formal process in which they were UNPS and the Endangered Plants
cies Act as of October, 2009. Nomen-
first nominated as candidates before clature follows A Utah Flora (2008) Committee would continue to spon-
being carefully scrutinized as to sor annual meetings to revise the
whether listing was appropriate. Arctomecon humilis (Dwarf bearclaw society‘s rare plant list over the next
Those that passed muster would poppy) Endangered decade. Updated lists were pub-
then be proposed for listing in the Asclepias welshii (Welsh‘s milkweed) lished in the Great Basin Naturalist
Federal Register. After a public re- Threatened (Welsh and Chatterley 1985) or the
view process, proposed species Astragalus ampullarioides (Shivwits Sego Lily. Rare plant meetings were
would then either be listed as threat- milkvetch) Endangered also a catalyst for developing the
Astragalus desereticus (Deseret milk-
ened or endangered or dropped Utah Endangered, Threatened, and
vetch) Threatened
from consideration. Astragalus holmgrenii (Holmgren‘s Sensitive Plant Field Guide (the
Of the nearly 200 Utah plants milkvetch) Endangered ―blue book‖), generating new collec-
initially considered for listing, two Astragalus montii (Heliotrope milk- tions in remote areas for the state‘s
were officially designated in 1978: vetch) Threatened herbaria, creating sensitive species
Rydberg milkvetch (Astragalus Carex specuicola (Navajo sedge) lists for federal land management
perianus) as threatened and Clay Threatened (recently verified for agencies, and getting location data
phacelia (Phacelia argillacea) as SE Utah by sedge expert Anton into the new Utah Natural Heritage
endangered. These were followed by Reznicek of the Univ. of Michigan) Program‘s databases. By the mid
Cycladenia humilis var. jonesii
six additional species in 1979. From 1990s rare plant conservation efforts
(Jones‘ cycladenia) Threatened
this original group of eight, three Erigeron maguirei (Maguire‘s daisy) in Utah were well established, but
would eventually be dropped from Threatened, proposed for de-listing UNPS was no longer taking a lead-
the endangered species list following Lepidium barnebyanum (Barneby‘s ing role.
subsequent surveys that found them pepperwort) Endangered The last major effort to summa-
much more abundant and less Pediocactus despainii (Despain‘s pin- rize and prioritize Utah‘s rare plant
threatened than initially thought (as cushion cactus) Endangered species was conducted by Doug
in the case of Rydberg milkvetch), or Pediocactus sileri (Siler‘s pincushion Stone and Ben Franklin of the natu-
because of changes in taxonomic cactus) Threatened ral heritage program (now called the
Pediocactus winkleri (Winkler‘s pin-
concepts (Purple hedgehog cactus, Utah Conservation Data Center or
cusion cactus) Threatened
Echinocereus engelmannii var. pur- Phacelia argillacea (Clay phacelia) UT-CDC) in the late 1990s. This
pureus and Spineless hedgehog cac- Endangered effort culminated in the publication
tus, E. triglochidiatus var. inermis). Physaria rubicundula var. tumulosa of a 600+ page overview of the
The Utah Native Plant Society (Lesquerella tumulosa, Koda- state‘s endemic and rare plants, pre-
was founded in November 1978, in chrome bladderpod) Endangered pared for the Utah Reclamation
part to bring together professional Primula maguirei (Maguire‘s prim- Mitigation and Conservation Com-
and amateur botanists concerned rose) Threatened mission and the US Department of
over the plight of the state‘s indige- Ranunculus acris var. aestivalis (R. Interior in 1998. The authors ana-
aestivalis, Autumn buttercup) En-
nous rare flora. As one of the fledg- lyzed the status of 1643 Utah plant
dangered
ling Society‘s first projects, Stan Schoenocrambe argillacea (Clay taxa (nearly 50% of the state‘s native
Welsh and other members of the reed-mustard) Threatened flora). Species were divided into
original UNPS Endangered Plants Schoenocrambe barnebyi (Barneby‘s seven main groups depending on
Committee developed a revised list reed-mustard) Endangered their degree of rarity, threat, geo-
of rare plants of Utah that was pub- Schoenocrambe suffrutescens graphic distribution within the state,
lished in the January 1980 issue of (Shrubby reed-mustard) Endan data needs, and taxonomic uncer-
the Society‘s newsletter (the precur- gered tainty. This report is still available
sor of the Sego Lily). The commit- Sclerocactus whipplei var. glaucus on-line through the UT-CDC and
(S. wetlandicus, Ouray hookless
tee identified 14 species as ―critically remains a valuable reference and
cactus) Threatened
endangered‖, 31 as ―endangered‖, Sclerocactus whipplei var. ilseae summary.
and 68 as ―threatened‖*. The list (S. brevispinus, Pariette hookless But after 10 years, the UT-CDC
was presented to the US Fish and cactus) Threatened work is overdue for revision. New
Wildlife Service as supporting docu- Sclerocactus wrightiae (Wright‘s and on-going monitoring, field sur-
mentation for potential listings. fish-hook cactus) Endangered veys, floristic inventories, and taxo-
Spiranthes romanzoffiana var. dilu- nomic studies continue to refine our
vialis (S. diluvialis, Ute ladies‘- knowledge of the status of rare and
*Critically endangered species were differen- tresses) endemic plant species of Utah.
tiated from plain endangered based on their Townsendia aprica (Last Chance
Many species once considered high
heightened threat from over-collection. townsendia) Threatened
5
Utah Native Plant Society
priorities for listing under the ESA The UNPS Rare Plant Ranking System
have now been shown to be more
abundant or less threatened than The goal of the UNPS rare plant across western North America [covering
ranking system is to assess the rarity > 250,000 square km] and across Utah,
once thought. A number of new spe-
and conservation needs of all native occupying well over 5% of state‘s area) =
cies have been named or discovered vascular plant taxa (including full spe- 0 pts
in the state in the past decade (at cies and varieties) in Utah. The scoring 2. Number of Populations: Low (<25
least 60 just in the last 6 years) that protocol is designed to be objective, populations) = 1 pt
might warrant special attention. transparent, and repeatable. Ideally, High (>25 populations) = 0 pts
In 2007 the UNPS state board the system will help prioritize those spe- 3. Abundance in Utah: Low (de-
voted to re-establish the rare plant cies in the greatest need of conservation pends on life history of species, but typi-
committee and charged the group attention and identify species with sig- cally <30,000 individuals for a peren-
with developing an updated state nificant data gaps that are a priority for nial [allow larger numbers for annuals]
additional field surveys, research, or or covering an area of <3000 acres) = 1
rare plant list. The committee con-
monitoring. pt
sisted of Ben Franklin and Robert Ranking Methods: All native vascu- High = 0 pts
Fitts from the Utah Conservation lar plant species from Utah (based on 4. Habitat Specificity: High (re-
Data Center, Duane Atwood of Brig- the 2008 edition of A Utah Flora, the stricted to 1-few specialized geologic
ham Young University, and Rita Intermountain Flora, Flora of North substrates, soil types, or vegetation
Dodge of Red Butte Garden. I was America, and other pertinent literature) types, a specialist) = 1 pt
tabbed to chair the committee. were assessed using 7 criteria: Low (occurs in numerous geologic
Based on a ranking system devel- 1. Utah‘s Contribution to Global substrates, soil types, or vegetation
oped as part of my doctoral thesis at Range (local endemic, regional endemic, types, a generalist) = 0 pts
disjunct, peripheral, sparse, wide- 5. Intrinsic Rarity: High (unusual life
the University of Wyoming, (see spread) history, dependence on rare or special-
sidebar at right), we divided the 2. Number of Populations in Utah ized pollinators, poor dispersal, low
state‘s native flora into seven groups 3. Abundance in Utah (number of fecundity, poor seedling survival, etc) =
according to their conservation pri- individuals) 1 pt
ority and data needs (extremely 4. Habitat Specificity (edaphic en- Low = 0 pts
high, high, medium, and low priori- demics or restricted to particular vege- 6. Threats: High (threats significant
ties, watch, need data, and status tation types) or broad in scale and scope) = 1 pt
uncertain). 5. Intrinsic Rarity (such as unusual Low (threats minor, or limited to
The scoring system and draft lists life history, dependence on rare or spe- small percentage of populations) = 0 pts
cialized pollinators, poor dispersal, low 7. Population Trend: Decreasing = 1
of extremely high and high priority
fecundity, or poor seedling survival) pt
and watch species were presented at 6. Magnitude of Threats (significance Increasing, stable, or oscillating
a break-out session during the 5th and scale of threats to population sur- around a stable mean = 0 pts.
Southwestern Rare Plant Confer- vival) Uncertainty: if scores cannot be read-
ence at the University of Utah in 7. Population Trend (are long term ily assigned due to lack of adequate
March, 2009. Based on oral and trends increasing, stable, decreasing, or data, each criterion should be ranked
written comments by over 40 atten- oscillating around a stable mean?). ―unknown‖.
dees, the draft lists were revised Each criterion is scored as follows Comments: Each assessor of a species
with new data and a number of spe- based on the best available data or per- should add brief comments to explain
sonal knowledge/experience: how they derived particular values for
cies were shifted from one category 1. Utah‘s Contribution to Global selected criteria. These should include
to another. Abridged versions of the Range: Local endemic (global range is the assessor‘s name and the date the
final extremely high and high prior- an area of less than 16,500 square km, species was scored.
ity, watch, and need data lists are or 1 degree of latitude x 2 degrees of Scoring: The numeric scores as-
presented on pages 8-17. A longitude) = 2 pts signed for the 7 criteria for each species
downloadable MS excel version will Regional endemic (global range is an are summed to derive a minimum score
be posted on the UNPS website area between 16,500-250,000 square (scores can range from 0-8). A second,
(www.unps.org) with the lists in km, or about the size of the state of potential score is calculated by adding
their entirety. Wyoming) = 1 pt any criteria ranked as unknown and
Disjunct (distribution in Utah is iso- giving each a score of 1.
Using this ranking system, the
lated from the main, contiguous portion Prioritization scale: The rarity and
UNPS rare plant committee identi- of a species‘ range by a gap of more than conservation needs of species can be
fied 31 Utah species that are an ex- 800 km or 500 miles) = 1 pt summarized and compared using the
tremely high priority for conserva- Peripheral (distribution in Utah is at following scale, based on the final mini-
tion attention. These species are all the margin of the species‘ main, contigu- mum score or the average of the mini-
local endemics with specialized ous range and occupies less than 5% of mum and maximum score (rounded
habitat requirements and few popu- the state‘s area – usually along a state down):
lations. Occurrences of most of boundary) = 1 pt Extremely High: summary score of 7-
these species contain few individuals Sparse (distribution in Utah is patchy 8 points
and discontinuous, but not restricted to High: summary score of 6 points
and are either highly threatened or less than 5% of the state‘s area or along Watch: summary score of 5 points
have downward population trends. the state boundary, species otherwise Medium: summary score of 4 points
Half of these species are presently widespread) = 1 pt Low: summary score of 0-3 points.
listed as threatened or endangered Widespread (species occurs widely Need Data: For species with 3 or
more ―unknown‖ values
6
Sego Lily November 2009 32 (6)
Distribution of UNPS Rare Plant Species Statewide and by County rare plant taxa in Utah, followed by
Kane, Garfield, and San Juan coun-
Table includes just those species on the UNPS Extremely High and High ties. Uintah County, with its con-
Priority lists and Watch list.
centration of Uinta Basin endemics
County Extremely High Prior- Watch List Need Data Total and high threats from on-going min-
High Prior- ity List eral exploration and development,
ity List has the highest number of rare
Statewide 31 114 262 102 509 plants of any county in northern
Beaver 0 8 13 6 27 Utah. Surprisingly few rare plant
Box Elder 1 1 9 4 15 species occur in the Salt Lake City
Cache 0 1 7 2 10 area, though this may be an artifact
Carbon 1 1 8 5 15
of under-sampling or reflect signifi-
Daggett 1 2 12 3 18
Davis 0 0 2 1 3 cant habitat losses over the last 150
Duchesne 5 13 27 8 53 years of settlement.
Emery 5 8 23 16 52 The UNPS rare plant list pre-
Garfield 1 18 46 18 83 sented here is just the latest in a
Grand 1 11 24 15 51 long line stretching back to the mid
Iron 0 5 16 5 26 1970s and the early days of the En-
Juab 1 6 11 7 25 dangered Species Act. The list will
Kane 3 26 47 8 84 already be out of date when the ink
Millard 0 6 20 15 41
is dry, and it will need to be updated
Morgan 0 0 2 0 2
Piute 0 9 12 3 24 annually to reflect new field discov-
Rich 0 1 4 4 9 eries, taxonomic insights, and the
Salt Lake 0 5 10 1 16 realities of an ever-changing natural
San Juan 1 12 37 13 63 and human environment. Hopefully
Sanpete 2 7 11 4 24 agency botanists, land managers,
Sevier 3 13 17 6 39 researchers, consultants, and inter-
Summit 0 0 5 2 7 ested amateurs will find the list and
Tooele 1 3 11 2 17 the scoring system useful and will be
Uintah 7 13 34 9 63
willing to share data and recommen-
Utah 1 7 13 11 32
Wasatch 0 3 8 3 14 dations with the UNPS rare plant
Washington 6 17 77 15 115 committee and the state natural
Wayne 6 12 9 12 39 heritage program to continually
Weber 0 2 6 2 10 make improvements.
References
in Utah by the US Fish and Wildlife and reassess their status periodi- Atwood, D., J. Holland. R. Bolander, B.
Franklin, D.E. House, L. Armstrong, K.
Service. cally. We recognize 262 species in Thorne, and L. England. 1991. Utah Threat-
Another 114 species in Utah are the watch list category. ened, Endangered, and Sensitive Plant Field
considered a high priority for con- Perhaps the most important, Guide. US Forest Service Intermountain
servation. Most of these plants are but often neglected, group of Region, National Park Service, Bureau of
Land Management, Utah Natural Heritage
local or regional endemics with few plants are those in need of more Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Envi-
populations, low numbers of indi- data. We identify 102 Utah species ronmental Protection Agency, Navajo Nation,
viduals, and high habitat specificity. that would benefit from additional and Skull Valley Goshute Tribe.
They usually differ from the species surveys or taxonomic studies to Ayensu, E.S. and R.A. DeFilipps. 1978.
Endangered and Threatened Plants of the
on the extremely high priority list in resolve their conservation status. United States. Smithsonian Institution and
having fewer or less imminent Most of the species in this category World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC. 403
threats or stable population trends. have only recently been named or pp.
The UNPS Watch list is com- newly documented in the state. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. 1998.
Inventory of sensitive species and ecosys-
prised of plant species that have lim- Research will likely show that tems in Utah. Endemic and rare plants of
ited geographic ranges and special- many of these plants should ulti- Utah: an overview of their distribution and
ized habitat requirements, but mately be assigned a higher prior- status. Report prepared for Utah Reclama-
which are either locally abundant or ity. tion Mitigation and Conservation Commis-
sion and US Department of Interior. 566 pp.
apparently secure at present. If cur- The number of rare species in + app.
rent conditions were to change sig- Utah is definitely skewed towards Welsh, S.L. 1978. Endangered and threat-
nificantly, however, population the southern portion of the state, ened plants of Utah: a reevaluation. Great
numbers of these species could eas- particularly the Mojave desert, Basin Naturalist 38:1-18.
Welsh, S.L. and L.M. Chatterley. 1985.
ily trend downward and they would Colorado Plateau, and south- Utah‘s rare plants revisited. Great Basin
become species of greater concern. central high plateaus. With 115 Naturalist 45:173-236.
While they are in less need of direct rare species (or nearly 20% of the Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, and J.L. Reveal.
human intervention, land managers state total), Washington County 1975. Endangered, threatened, extinct, en-
demic, and rare or restricted Utah vascular
should be aware of watch list species has the highest concentration of plants. Great Basin Naturalist 35:327-376.
7
Utah Native Plant Society
Score
Score
Comments
Spec
Min
Trend
Pot
# Indiv
Threat
Species
Rarity
# Pops
Hab
Range
Intrins
Agavaceae
Yucca sterilis (Y. harrimaniae var. 2 1 Unk 1 1 1 Unk 6 8 Uinta Basin endemic,
sterilis, Creeping yucca) Duch?, Uint never found in fruit
Asteraceae (Compositae)
Townsendia aprica (Last Chance town- 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 7 7 Vulnerable to trampling,
sendia) Emer, Sevi, Wayn, USFWS: T trend downward in recent
years from drought
Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
Lepidium barnebyanum (Barneby‘s 2 1 1 1 Unk 1 Unk 6 8 Intrinsic rarity perhaps
pepperwort) Duch, USFWS: E higher, low recruitment
Schoenocrambe argillacea (Clay reed- 2 1 1 1 Unk 1 Unk 6 8 Info needed on trends
mustard) Uint, USFWS: T
Schoenocrambe barnebyi (Barneby‘s 2 1 1 1 Unk 1 Unk 6 8 Info needed on trends
reed-mustard) Emer, Wayn, USFWS:
E
Schoenocrambe suffrutescens (Shrubby 2 1 1 1 Unk 1 1 7 8 Pollinator unknown, re-
reed-mustard) Duch, Uint, USFWS: E crutiment low
Cactaceae
Pediocactus despainii (Despain‘s pin- 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 8 Threats high from ATV
cushion cactus) Emer, Wayn?, recreation, over-
USFWS: E collecting
Pediocactus winkleri (Winkler‘s pin- 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 8 Trend significantly down-
cusion cactus) Wayn, USFWS: T ward in recent years
Sclerocactus whipplei var. glaucus 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 7 7 True S. glaucus not inUT,
(S. wetlandicus, Uinta Basin hookless threatened by mineral
cactus) Duch, Uint, USFWS: T development, collecting
Sclerocactus whipplei var. ilseae 2 1 1 1 1 1 Unk 7 8 Threats high, prob declin-
(S. brevispinus, Pariette hookless cac- ing though recent counts
tus) Duch, Uint, USFWS: T up (incr. survey effort)
Sclerocactus wrightiae (Wright‘s fish- 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 7 7 High threats from ATV
hook cactus) Emer, Wayn, USFWS: E recreation, collecting,
drought, browsing
Chenopodiaceae
Atriplex canescens var. gigantea (Giant 2 1 1 1 Unk 1 Unk 6 8 ATV recreation high at
four-wing saltbush) Juab Lyndyl Dunes, threats
from cheatgrass, fire
Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Astragalus ampullarioides (Shivwits 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 8 Decreasing over much of
milkvetch) Wash, USFWS: E range except in Zion NP
Astragalus anserinus (Goose Creek 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 7 7 Pops sharply declining
milkvetch) BoxE, USFWS: C after 2007 wildfires
Astragalus holmgreniorum (Holm- 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 8 Large block of habitat
gren‘s milkvetch) Wash, USFWS: E near St. George slated for
development
Astragalus iselyi (Isely‘s milkvetch) 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 7 7 Pops small, some im-
Gran, SanJ pacted by roads
Astragalus lentiginosus var. pohlii 2 1 1 1 1 1 Unk 7 8 Pops small & declining,
(Pohl‘s milkvetch) Tooe impacts from ATVs
8
Sego Lily November 2009 32 (6)
2009 UNPS Rare Plants of Utah List: I. Extremely High Priority List
Score
Score
Species Comments
Spec
Min
Trend
# Indiv
Threat
Pot
Rarity
# Pops
Hab
Range
Intrins
Trifolium variegatum var. parunu- 2 1 1 1 Unk 1 Unk 6 8 Sand seep habitat im-
weapensis (Parunuweap clover) Kane pacted by ATVs, grazing
Hydrophyllaceae 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 7 7 Listed as Endangered
Phacelia argillacea (Clay phacelia) since 1978
Utah, USFWS: E
2 1 1 1 Unk 1 1 7 8 Arapien endemic, threats
Phacelia utahensis (Utah phacelia) from mining, ATVs
Sanp, Sevi
9
Utah Native Plant Society
10
Sego Lily November 2009 32 (6)
2009 UNPS Rare Plants of Utah List— II. High Priority List
Fagaceae Ipomopsis congesta var. ochroleuca (Arapien gilia) Sanp, Sevi
Quercus gambelii var. bonina (Goodhope oak) SanJ Phlox hoodii var. madsenii (Madsen‘s carpet phlox) Wayn
Fumariaceae Polygonaceae
Corydalis caseana var. brachycarpa (Case‘s corydalis) Salt, Eriogonum brevicaule var. huberi (Huber‘s wild buckwheat)
Utah, Wasa, Webe Duch
Eriogonum brevicaule var. mitophyllum (Lost Creek wild
Hydrangeaceae buckwheat) Sevi
Jamesia americana var. macrocalyx (Wasatch jamesia) Juab, Eriogonum brevicaule var. promiscuum (Mount Bartles wild
Salt, Utah, Wasa buckwheat) Carb
Eriogonum corymbosum var. cronquistii (Cronquist‘s wild
Hydrophyllaceae buckwheat) Garf
Phacelia argylensis (Argyle Canyon phacelia) Duch Eriogonum corymbosum var. heilii (Heil‘s wild buckwheat)
Phacelia cephalotes (Chinle phacelia) Kane, SanJ, Wash Wayn
Phacelia cronquistiana (Cronquist‘s phacelia) Kane Eriogonum corymbosum var. matthewsiae (included in var.
Phacelia demissa var. heterotricha (Brittle phacelia) Piut, Sevi, albiflorum by some authors, Springdale wild buckwheat)
Wayn Wash
Phacelia demissa var. minor (Brittle phacelia) Duch, Uint Eriogonum corymbosum var. smithii (Flat top wild buck-
Phacelia pulchella var. atwoodii (Atwood‘s pretty phacelia) wheat) Emer, Wayn
Kane Eriogonum esmeraldense var. tayei (Taye‘s wild buckwheat)
Phacelia pulchella var. gooddingii (Goodding‘s pretty Sevi
phacelia) Wash Eriogonum nummulare var. ammophilum (Ibex wild buck-
Phacelia sabulonum (P. pulchella var. sabulonum, Tompkins wheat) Mill
phacelia) Garf, Kane Eriogonum racemosum var. nobilis (included in var. zionis by
some authors, Bluff wild buckwheat) Kane, SanJ
Loasaceae Eriogonum soredium (Frisco wild buckwheat) Beav
Mentzelia shultziorum (Shultz‘s stickleaf) Gran
Petalonyx parryi (Parry‘s sandpaper-plant) Wash Portulacaceae
Talinum thompsonii (Thompson‘s talinum) Emer
Malvaceae
Sphaeralcea fumariensis (S. grossulariifolia var. fumariensis, Primulaceae
Smoky Mountain globemallow) Kane Dodecatheon dentatum var. utahense (Hooker‘s shooting-star)
Sphaeralcea janeae (Jane‘s globemallow) Gran, SanJ, Wayn Salt
Sphaeralcea psoraloides (Scurfpea globemallow) Emer, Gran, Primula domensis (House Range primrose) Mill
Wayn Primula maguirei (Maguire‘s primrose) Cach, USFWS: T
Onagraceae Ranunculaceae
Camissonia exilis (Meager camissonia) Kane Aquilegia holmgrenii (formerly included in A. elegantula,
Oenothera caespitosa var. stellae (Stella‘s evening-primrose) Holmgren‘s columbine) Garf
Emer, Garf, Kane, Sanp Aquilegia rubicunda (Link Trail columbine) Emer, Sevi
Oenothera murdockii (Murdock‘s evening-primrose) Kane, Aquilegia scopulorum var. goodrichii (Goodrich‘s columbine)
Wash Duch
Ophioglossaceae Rosaceae
Botrychium lineare (Slender moonwort) Salt Ivesia shockleyi var. ostleri (Shockley‘s ivesia) Beav
Orchidaceae Scrophulariaceae
Spiranthes romanzoffiana var. diluvialis (S. diluvialis, Ute Castilleja aquariensis (Aquarius paintbrush) Garf
ladies‘-tresses) Dagg, Duch, Garf, Salt, Tooe, Uint, Utah, Castilleja parvula var. revealii (Reveal‘s paintbrush) Garf,
Wayn, Webe, USFWS: T Iron, Kane
Penstemon flowersii (Flowers‘ penstemon) Duch, Uint
Poaceae Penstemon goodrichii (Goodrich‘s penstemon) Duch, Uint
Elymus simplex (Alkali wildrye) Dagg Penstemon x jonesii (Fuchsia penstemon) Kane, Wash
Penstemon pinorum (Pinyon penstemon) Iron
Polemoniaceae Penstemon tidestromii (included in P. leptanthus by some
Gilia imperialis (G. latifolia var. imperialis, Cataract gilia) authors, Tidestrom‘s penstemon) Juab, Sanp, Utah
Emer, Garf, Kane, SanJ, Wayn Penstemon wardii (Ward‘s penstemon) Mill, Piut, Sanp, Sevi
Gilia tenuis (Aliciella tenuis, Mussentuchit gilia) Emer, Sevi
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Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) Erigeron katiae (Katie‘s daisy) Rich, newly described, general
Cymopterus basalticus (Shadscale spring-parsley) Beav, Mill, info needed
info needed on abundance, threats, & trends Erigeron mancus (La Sal daisy) Gran, SanJ, info needed on
Cymopterus crawfordensis (Crawford Mountain spring- abundance, threats, & trends
parsley) Rich, newly described, general info needed Erigeron watsonii (Watson‘s daisy) reported for UT, general
info needed
Asteraceae (Compositae) Haplopappus acaulis var. atwoodii (Atwood‘s goldenweed),
Artemisia biennis var. diffusa (Mystery wormwood) Garf, Juab, taxonomic questions—may be a good entity, general
taxonomic questions info needed
Artemisia parryi (Parry‘s wormwood) Gran, SanJ, need info Haplopappus crispus (Pine Valley goldenbush) Mill?, Wash,
on abundance, threats, & trends info needed on abundance, threats, & trends
Artemisia tridentata var. parishii (Parish‘s big sagebrush) SW Haplopappus leverichii (Canyon goldenweed) Wash, taxon-
UT, info needed on distribution, abundance, threats, trends omic questions, not seen since 1971
Chrysothamnus nauseosus var. uintahensis (Uinta rabbit- Haplopappus racemosus var. paniculatus (Racemose golden-
brush) Dagg, Uint, info needed on abundance, life history weed) Mill, info needed on abundance, threats, & trends
Crepis runcinata var. aculeolata (Utah hawksbeard) Kane, Haplopappus racemous var. prionophyllus (Racemose
taxonomic questions, info needed on abundance, threats goldenweed) Cach, Duch, Utah, general info needed
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Acknowledgments
These lists were developed by the Utah Native Plant Society Rare Plant Committee: Walter Fertig (chair), Duane Atwood (BYU
herbarium), Rita Dodge (Red Butte Garden), Robert Fitts (UT Conservation Data Center), and Ben Franklin (UT Conservation
Data Center). We would like to thank the 40 botanists who participated in the Utah rare plant ranking session of the 5th South-
western Rare Plant Conference in March 2009 for their helpful comments on developing the scoring system and applying it to
specific plant species. Session attendees included a cross section of amateur and professional botanists representing government
agencies (BLM, US Forest Service, National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service), universities, botanical gardens, and
consulting firms. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the additional comments provided on the draft list by Jason Alex-
ander (Utah Valley University), Debi Clark (Canyon De Chelley NM), Cheryl Decker (Zion NP), and Kezia Nielson (Zion NP). —W.
Fertig
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Utah Native Plant Society
US Fish and Wildlife Service Updating Utah‘s Endangered and Candidate Plant List
By Walter Fertig
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Utah Native Plant Society
Want to see the Sego Lily in color? Or read late breaking UNPS news and find links to other
botanical websites? Or buy wildflower posters, cds, and other neat stuff at the UNPS store? Go
to unps.org!
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