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Home/Species/ Maguire's Bitteroot

Lewisia maguirei

A. Holmgren

Maguire's Bitteroot

G2Imperiled Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.139297
Element CodePDPOR04090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
CITESAppendix II
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyMontiaceae
GenusLewisia
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 Date2023-02-01
Change Date2023-02-01
Edition Date2023-06-23
Edition AuthorsGreene, L. Maybury/Morefield (1996), rev. Maybury (2002), rev. L. Oliver (2011), rev. J. McClinton (2023), rev. Eberly (2023)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Lewisia maguirei occurs in the western United States in four counties of Nevada and one county in Utah, a wider range than previously understood. It is known from at least 12 occurrences. This species is protected from most threats by its high elevation habitat, but potential threats include horticultural collection, mineral exploration, grazing and trampling by livestock, and climate change.
Range Extent Comments
Lewisia maguirei occurs in the western United States where it was originally known only from one mountain range in the eastern part of Nye County, Nevada (FNA 2004). Since 2020, several additional populations have been identified in western Clark, Lincoln, and White Pine counties, Nevada and Millard County, Utah (iNaturalist 2023). These additional populations represent notable extensions of the known range of this species, and suggest that further surveys are needed to determine its full distribution.
Occurrences Comments
This species is known from 12 or 13 occurrences, if mapped at 1 km separation distance.
Threat Impact Comments
High elevation habitat protects this species from many forms of threat. Although it is not known to be in international trade, the species is of interest to alpine plant enthusiasts and may be threatened by collection (USFWS and CITES 2002). It has been listed in at least one database of "Rock Garden Plants," a website created in Europe (http://web.kadel.cz/flora/kvSearch.html; accessed June, 2002). It is "very rarely cultivated" (USFWS and CITES 2002) and so a demand for wild collected material may exist. While there may be some pressures on this species due to collection it has been noted it is likely difficult to cultivate, which should help steer collectors away (Dortort 2005). Mineral exploration and possibly grazing are other potential threats. Another threat is climate change, which is known to affect the ecosystem dynamics of high-elevation habitats in the Humboldt-Toiyabie National Forest where this species occurs (USFWS 2011). Cattle trampling is also a threat (NatureServe 2023).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species occurs in dry, sparsely vegetated carbonate scree or shallow gravelly-clay soils on steep slopes and ridgelines of all aspects. In the pinyon-juniper zone at elevations of 2,240 to 2,525 m. Plant associates include Frasera albomarginata, Astragalus calycosus, Hymenoxys acaulis, Allium nevadense, Petradoria pumila (Morefield, 2001).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandWoodland - ConiferBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS2Yes
UtahS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownUnknown
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
5.2 - Gathering terrestrial plantsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationSUMMER-FLOWERING
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (4)
Nevada (4)
AreaForestAcres
Black SpringHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,016
Grant - Little Deer SpHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest177
PotosiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,145
QuinnHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest62,459
References (10)
  1. Dortort, F. 2005a. Under discusstion: <i>Avonia</i> and other succulent Portulaceae. Cactus and Succulent Journal 77(1): 14-20.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2003b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 4, Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 559 pp.
  3. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  5. 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.
  6. Morefield, J.D., editor. 2001. Nevada rare plant atlas [with rare plant fact sheets]. Available as a pdf file at: http://heritage.nv.gov/atlas/atlas.html. Compiled by the Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Carson City, for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno, Nevada.
  7. Mozingo, H.N., and M. Williams. 1980. The threatened and endangered plants of Nevada. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management, Portland, OR. 268 pp.
  8. NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and CITES. 2002. Comments of the United States on proposals to ammend appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trand in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Available at: http://international.fws.gov/cop11/tranx1.html. Accessed June 19, 2002.
  10. U.S. Forest Service (USFS). 2011. Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Climate Change Vulnerability Report, April 2011. Accessed online on 8/25/2011 at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5294901.pdf.