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Pediomelum pariense

(Welsh & Atwood) J. Grimes

Paria Breadroot

G2Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
HighThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.137230
Element CodePDFAB5L0H0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderFabales
FamilyFabaceae
GenusPediomelum
Synonyms
Psoralea pariensisWelsh & Atwood
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 Date2025-04-18
Change Date2025-04-18
Edition Date2025-04-18
Edition AuthorsRoth, E. (1988), rev. B. Franklin/K. Maybury (1996), rev. Treher (2016), rev. M. McCormick (2022) and N. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Pediomelum pariense is a perennial forb occurring in barren Carmel Formation and Claron Formation limestone outcrops in ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper woodlands of southern Utah, in Garfield and Kane counties. There are an estimated twelve to fifteen occurrences of this species, which are threatened by climate change, grazing, off-road vehicle use, and habitat alteration due to pinyon-juniper removal projects. The bulk of populations are located on lower steps of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, where they may be impacted by future oil and gas extraction and mining activities. This plant has low seed set and may have pollinator limitations, though further study is needed.
Range Extent Comments
Pediomelum pariense occurs in the western United States, in Garfield and Kane Counties, Utah (Welsh et al. 2015). This species has a restricted range as a Southern Plateaus-Dixie-Divide-Virgin Basin endemic. Range extent was calculated using data from the Utah Rare Plant Database (2022).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 2 km separation distance to population location data from the Utah Rare Plant Database, there are 15 estimated occurrences (2022). However, recent extensive surveys for this species resulted in an estimation of twelve populations occurring in three watersheds (Egan and White 2022).
Threat Impact Comments
Some populations of Pediomelum pariense located outside of Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) are likely being impacted by grazing and off-road vehicle use. In addition, the lower steps of GSENM, where the bulk of occurrences are found, are areas which may become targets for future mining and oil and gas development (FNA 2023).

One population was almost entirely destroyed as a result of a pinyon-juniper removal vegetation "treatment" at the "Walt Fertig" site (possibly located south of Mt. Carmel Junction) (Olson 2022). Climate change and drought are also threats to Pediomelum pariense. The Utah Division of Water Resources confirmed the Utah is now in "extreme" or "exceptional" drought which is likely impacting this species in similar ways as it is other desert perennial forbs in Southern Utah (UNHP 2022).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Pediomelum pariense occurs in barren Carmel Formation and Claron Formation limestone outcrops or alluvial deposits derived from them (Welsh et al. 2015, Utah Native Plant Society 2025). This species is found in ponderosa pine and juniper woodlands, usually in openings among pines from 1700 to 2500 m in elevation (Welsh et al. 2015, FNA 2023). The majority of localities are found on platy shales at the margins of canyons of Carmel Formation in ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper woodlands (Welsh et al. 2015). This species prefers moderate slopes between 2-10 degrees and east and southeast aspects (Egan and White 2022).

Reproduction

Pediomelum pariense produces flowers from June through July, with pods ripening by late July through early August (Spahr 1991).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferWoodland - ConiferBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
3 - Energy production & miningPervasive - largeUnknownModerate (short-term)
3.1 - Oil & gas drillingPervasive - largeUnknownModerate (short-term)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingPervasive - largeUnknownModerate (short-term)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.3 - Work & other activitiesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
11.2 - DroughtsPervasive (71-100%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
FishhookDixie National Forest12,959
References (15)
  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. 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. Egan, A. and J. White. 2022. Examining the ecological niche of the rare plant <i>Pediomelum pariense</i> (Fabaceae) from the perspective of topographical indices and digital elevation modeling. Presentation at the 2022 Rare Plant Meeting, Utah Native Plant Society. Online. Available: https://youtu.be/1M-DB2messk?si=nwKuCz2ane0ZjDJz (accessed 2025).
  4. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2023. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 11. Magnoliophyta: Fabaceae, parts 1+2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvii + 1108 pp.
  5. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  6. 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.
  7. Olson, Aljexi. 2022. Something is in the Dirt: <i>Pediomelum pariense</i>’s last foothold in the Grand Staircase Escalante region. Sego Lily 45(3): 2-6.
  8. Spahr, R., L. Armstrong, D. Atwood, and M. Rath. 1991. Threatened, endangered, and sensitive species of the Intermountain Region. U.S. Forest Service, Intermountain Region, Ogden, UT.
  9. Utah Native Plant Society. 2003-2024. Utah rare plant guide. Utah Native Plant Society, Salt Lake City, UT. Online. Available: https://www.utahrareplants.org. (accessed 2024).
  10. Utah Native Plant Society (UNPS). 2025. 2016-2025 UNPS Utah Rare Plant Master List . Online. Available: www.utahrareplants.org/rpg_species.html (Accessed 2025).
  11. Utah Natural Heritage Program. 2022. Utah Rare Plant Database (accessed 2022).
  12. Utah Natural Heritage Program (UNHP). 2022. Element Subnational Ranking Form: <i>Pediomelum pariense</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 18 April 2025).
  13. Welsh, S.L. 1979. Illustrated manual of proposed endangered and threatened plants of Utah. Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT. 318 pp.
  14. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins (eds.) 1993. A Utah flora. 2nd edition. Brigham Young Univ., Provo, Utah. 986 pp.
  15. 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.