Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Goldenrod Snakeweed

Gutierrezia petradoria

(Welsh & Goodrich) Welsh

Goldenrod Snakeweed

G2Imperiled Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
HighThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.146775
Element CodePDAST4B070
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusGutierrezia
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-04-17
Change Date2025-04-17
Edition Date2025-04-17
Edition AuthorsNeise, J.; update B. Franklin & K. Maybury (1996); rev. B. Franklin (2007), rev. M. McCormick (2024) and N. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Gutierrezia petradoria is a woody subshrub occurring in open to semi-open areas on quartzite in sagebrush, mountain mahogany, oak, and white fir communities of Utah in the United States. Specifically, it is found in the Canyon and Pavant Mountains of Millard and Juab counties. There are an estimated eleven occurrences of this species, which are threatened by habitat degradation due to grazing, fire, invasive weeds, drought, and road maintenance. Up to date site surveys are needed to document abundance, distribution, trends, and threats to existing populations, and to search for additional occurrences. Historical populations should be revisited to confirm that plants are extant.
Range Extent Comments
Gutierrezia petradoria occurs in the western United States, where it is endemic to central Utah (Welsh et al. 2015). Specifically, this species occurs in the Canyon Mountains and northern Pavant Range of eastern Millard and immediately adjacent Juab counties. Range extent was calculated using data from the Utah Rare Plant Database (2024), excluding historical observations over 40 years old (UNHP 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 2 km separation distance to population location data from the Utah Rare Plant Database (2024), there are eleven estimated occurrences, excluding historical observations over 40 years old (UNHP 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
The main threats to Gutierrezia petradoria are from habitat degradation due to grazing, fire, invasive weeds, drought, and road maintenance (UNHP 2024). Threats were compiled using observations and notes from Utah Rare Plant Database (2024) and the Utah Geospatial Resource Center GIS Data (2024). Severity of impacts are not well known, so ranges are provided where appropriate.

Almost all occurrences are within grazing allotments. Fire has impacted over half of known occurrences and this risk is exacerbated by invasive cheatgrass and other annual weeds. Invasive plant species are impacting many occurrences (UNHP 2024). Occurrences near roads may be impacted by maintenance. Drought and climate change are also threats likely impacting this species throughout its range (Wrobleski et al. 2023).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Gutierrezia petradoria occurs on dry, rocky ridges, crevices, slopes, and in open to semi-open places on quartzite in sagebrush, oak, mountain mahogany, and white fir communities from 1,800 to 2,700 m in elevation (FNA 2006, Welsh et al. 2015).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferShrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquaculturePervasive (71-100%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingPervasive (71-100%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedPervasive (71-100%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsSmall (1-10%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsSmall (1-10%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1.1 - Increase in fire frequency/intensityLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesLarge (31-70%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesLarge (31-70%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
11.2 - DroughtsPervasive (71-100%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (4)
Utah (4)
AreaForestAcres
FergusonFishlake National Forest5,690
Joe LottFishlake National Forest19,826
North PavantFishlake National Forest53,262
Oak CreekFishlake National Forest54,053
References (12)
  1. Albee, B.J., L.M. Shultz, and S. Goodrich. 1988. Atlas of the vascular plants of Utah. Utah Museum Natural History Occasional Publication 7, Salt Lake City, Utah. 670 pp.
  2. Alexander, J. 2016. The Utah Native Plant Society Rare Plant List: Version 2. Calochortiana. 3: 1-248.
  3. Cronquist, A. 1994. Asterales. In A. Cronquist, A.H. Holmgren, N.H. Holmgren, J.L. Reveal, and P.K. Holmgren. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Vol. 5. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 496 pp.
  4. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 20. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 7: Asteraceae, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 666 pp.
  5. Franklin, M.A. 1991. Report for 1990 Challenge Cost Share Project, Fishlake National Forest. Target species: Aster kingii barnebyana (Welsh & Goodrich) Welsh, Gutierrezia petradoria (Welsh & Goodrich) Welsh, and Epilobium nevadense Munz. Utah Natural Heritage Program, Utah Dept. Natural Resources. 8 pp + appendices.
  6. Goodrich, S. 1984. Checklist of vascular plants of the Canyon and Church mountains. The Great Basin Naturalist 44(2): 277-295.
  7. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  8. Lane, M.A. 1985. Taxonomy of Gutierrezia (Compositae: Asteraceae) in North America. Systematic Botany 10(1): 7-28.
  9. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  10. Utah Natural Heritage Program (UNHP). 2024. Element Subnational Ranking Form: <i>Gutierrezia petradoria</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 17 April 2025).
  11. Utah Natural Heritage Program (UNHP). 2024. Utah Rare Plant Database (accessed 2024).
  12. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins. (Eds). 2015. A Utah flora, fifth edition, revised 2015. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Provo, Utah. 987 pp.