Sclerocactus wetlandicus

Sclerocactus wetlandicus is morphologically very simliar to S. glaucus and frequently has been treated within S. glaucus as in Welsh et al. 2008. However, the taxon is recognized as distinct in Flora of North America volume 4 (2003) where the authors, Heil and Porter treat S. glaucus in a more narrow sense (known only from Grand Junction area south to near Montrose, Colorado). Heil and Porter cite consistent chloroplast DNA data with J.M. Porter et al. (2000) and F. Hochstätter's (1997) recognition of the two taxa. However Heil and Porter note that S. glaucus and S. wetlandicus are morphologically very similar and may be very difficult to discriminate without electron microscopy or a determination based on geography (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2003). As treated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), S. wetlandicus material was considered to be included in the Listed Threatened Sclerocactus glaucus "complex" until 18 September 2007. On that date, USFWS "proposed to change the taxonomy of the Sclerocactus glaucus 'complex' to three distinct species: Sclerocactus brevispinus, S. glaucus, and S. wetlandicus" (USFWS 2007); on 15 September 2009, USFWS finalized this taxonomic change.

Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus is endemic to the Uinta Basin in northeast Utah. It is vulnerable to trampling by livestock, disturbance from oil and gas exploration and development, invasive exotic species, and extreme drought.

The Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus occurs in the western United States, it is known only from the Uinta Basin region in Duchesne and Uintah counties, in northeastern Utah (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2003, USFWS 2021). The range extent is estimated to be 3543 square kilometers (Utah Natural Heritage Program 2021).

There are approximately 35 occurrences of Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus, with separation distances of at least 2 square kilometers between the occurrences (Utah Natural Heritage Program 2021). Due to the difficulty of identifying distinct populations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has delineated Core Conservation Areas based on population density analysis and pollinator travel distance, for recovery purposes. There are 11 Core 2 areas, and within these are 135 Core 1 areas with higher densities of Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus plants. The Core 1 areas include the densest concentrations of Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus and the most protective management recommendations (USFWS 2022).

Threats to Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus include disturbance (especially trampling) from domestic livestock grazing, oil and gas exploration and development, building stone collecting, and off-road vehicle use and recreation (Heil and Porter 1993 cited by Franklin 2005, USFWS 2021). Residential and commercial development is also threat in certain areas. Development of tar sands and oil shale are again of interest in the Uinta Basin (Franklin 2005). Demographic modeling indicates that reduction of livestock trampling is needed to improve the resilience, and likelihood of persistence of Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus populations (USFWS 2021).