Home/Species/ Jan's Catchfly

Silene nachlingerae

Tiehm

Jan's Catchfly

G2Imperiled Found in 5 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G2ImperiledGlobal Rank

UnknownThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.144948

Element CodePDCAR0U250

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single nation

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderCaryophyllales

FamilyCaryophyllaceae

GenusSilene

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 Date2025-05-19

Change Date1988-08-03

Edition Date2025-05-17

Edition AuthorsKnight, T.A. (1987), rev. A. Treher (2012), rev. Johnson, J. (2025)

Threat ImpactUnknown

Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences21 - 80

Rank Reasons

Silene nachlingerae is a perennial herb from the western United States, where it grows in mountainous areas of eastern Nevada and historically in northern Utah. Even though this species has a moderately large range, the populations are widely scattered and generally small, leading to a higher than normal extirpation risk. Updated surveys with population counts and threat assessments are needed for many populations.

Range Extent Comments

Silene nachlingerae is found in the western United States where it is endemic to the eastern Great Basin Floristic Province in Nevada and historically, Utah (FNA 2005). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

Occurrences Comments

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are 21 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

Threat Impact Comments

While the remote locations of occurrences protect them from many threats, livestock grazing is noted as a threat at some locations (NatureServe 2025). Minor threats from recreational use may exist near trails. The installation of radio towers has impacted the occurrence on Cave Mountain, and additional plants could be disturbed by the expansion of this site.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Silene nachlingerae grows in "generally dry, exposed or somewhat sheltered carbonate (rarely quartzite) crevices in ridgeline outcrops, talus, or very rocky soils on or at the bases of steep slopes or cliffs, on all aspects but predominantly on northwesterly to northeasterly exposures, mainly in the subalpine conifer zone with sparse Petrophytum caespitosum, Erigeron cf. simplex, Pinus flexilis, P. longaeva, Artemisia arbuscula, Cercocarpus betuloides, Ericameria watsonii, Symphoricarpos oreophila, Leucopoa nevadensis, Jamesia tetrapetala, Primula nevadensis, etc." (NDNH 2025).

Terrestrial Habitats

Woodland - ConiferAlpineBare rock/talus/scree

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN2

Province	Rank	Native
Nevada	S2	Yes
Utah	S1	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture	Restricted (11-30%)	Unknown	High (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching	Restricted (11-30%)	Unknown	High (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbance	Small (1-10%)	Unknown	High (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activities	Small (1-10%)	Unknown	High (continuing)
6.3 - Work & other activities	Small (1-10%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)Yes

Roadless Areas (5)

Nevada (5)

Area	Forest	Acres
Currant - Duckwater E	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	1,101
Currant - East Slope	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	10,101
Pearl Peak	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	71,405
Snake - Pole Cyn	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	766
South Schell	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	125,614

References (10)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2005. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 5. Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae: Caryophyllales, Polygonales, and Plumbaginales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. vii + 656 pp.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
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.
NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
Nevada Division of Natural Heritage (NDNH). 2025. Explore Species Tool. http://species.heritage.nv.gov/
<p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
Tiehm, A. 1985. A new species and a new combination in western North American Silene (Caryophyllaceae). Brittonia 37(4) 344-346.

Silene nachlingerae

Habitat

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