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Lathyrus grimesii

Barneby

Grimes' Vetchling

G2Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.129278
Element CodePDFAB251D0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderFabales
FamilyFabaceae
GenusLathyrus
Other Common Names
Grimes' pea (EN) Grimes' Pea (EN)
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 MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2016-06-28
Change Date2001-05-29
Edition Date2016-06-28
Edition AuthorsJ. Morefield (2005), rev. Treher (2016)
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent100-250 square km (about 40-100 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Lathyrus grimesii is a locally abundant Nevada endemic. Thirteen occurrences separated by at least 1 km have been documented in 9 separate drainages in the northern Independence Mountains of Nevada and 1 neighboring peak in the Bull Run Mountains, in a small range covering about 126 km2. Estimated stems total at least 7.6 million but the species reproduces clonally so the number of occurrences/genetic individuals is likely to be much lower. Livestock grazing, the presence of exotic weeds within many populations (possibly attributable to poor range conditions), and the potential for mineral exploration and development all pose some threat to the species.
Range Extent Comments
Known only from a small portion of the northern Independence Range and southern Bull Run Mountains of north-central Elko County, Nevada.
Occurrences Comments
The global population consists of 57 patches, comprising 13 occurrences separated by at least 1 km.
Threat Impact Comments
Threatened by mineral exploration and development, slope destabilization and erosion caused by exploration roads and other disturbances, road maintenance, concentrated trampling by livestock or feral horses, vulnerable to fire hazard and/or competition with invasive weed species, possible declines in insect pollinator populations.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

SUMMARY: Gravel scree derived from siliceous members of the Schoonover Formation. Tends to be in places where the scree is underlain by soils with high clay content. FULL DESCRIPTION: Dry, open, shallow, silty clay soils usually overlain by a thin scree of reddish to yellowish brown gravel floated from an underlying cherty or partly quartzitized mudstone component of the Schoonover Formation, forming relatively barren patches on mostly steep slopes of all aspects at 1850-2525 m elevation, and supporting a sparse to moderately dense vegetation usually dominated by Lathyrus grimesii in association with Purshia tridentata, Ericameria nauseosa, Artemisia tridentata vaseyana, Leymus cinereus, Bromus tectorum, and occasionally Euphorbia esula and Trifolium leibergii.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS2Yes
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
McaffieHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest26,110
References (5)
  1. Bair, J. 1995. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; 12-month finding for a petition to list the plant Lathyrus grimesii (Grimes vetchling) as endangered in Nevada. Federal Register 60(112): 30826-30827.
  2. Barneby, R.C. 1989. Fabales. In A. Cronquist, A.H. Holmgren, N.H. Holmgren, J.L. Reveal, and P.K. Holmgren (eds.). Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Vol. 3, Part B. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 279 pp.
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  4. 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.
  5. Morefield, J.D. 1996. Current knowledge and conservation status of <i>Lathyrus grimesii </i>Barneby (Fabaceae), the Grimes vetchling. Status report prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno by Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Carson City.