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Doellingeria gormanii

(Piper) Semple, Brouillet & G.A. Allen

Gorman's Aster

G3Vulnerable Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.134673
Element CodePDASTEC060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusDoellingeria
Synonyms
Aster gormanii(Piper) BlakeEucephalus gormaniiPiper
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Taxonomic Comments
Allen et al. (2019) combine Doellingeria and Eucephalus into a single North American genus, with "all new combinations...made in Doellingeria, which has priority."
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-21
Change Date1996-01-19
Edition Date2025-03-21
Edition AuthorsRoth, E. (1987), rev. E. Joyal (1997), rev. Soteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
This species is a perennial herb on open rocky slopes and exposed cliffs on gravelly, unstable scree and talus that is endemic to northwestern Oregon in the northwestern United States in the northern Cascade Mountains. There are an estimated 23 occurrences which face threats from logging, gravel operations, road building, trail maintenance and recreational activities, and invasive species. A number of occurrences were last observed between 1979 and 1992, and field surveys of potentially historic occurrences are needed to determine if plants are extant. Monitoring of populations should be conducted to improve our understanding of reproduction, plant abundance, threats, and trends, as well as continuing conservation measures to protect the taxon.
Range Extent Comments
This species is endemic to northwestern Oregon in the northwestern United States in the northern Cascade Mountains where it has been documented in Clackamas, Jefferson, Linn, and Marion counties (FNA 2006, OBIC 2010, NatureServe 2025, OSU 2025). Range extent was estimated to be 2,232 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, OBIC 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 23 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, OBIC 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
This species faces threats from logging, gravel operations and rock sliding in disturbed areas of quarry, road building, trail maintenance and recreational activities, and invasive species, including Hypericum perforatum, Taeniatherum caput-medusae, and Cirsium vulgare.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species grows on open rocky slopes and exposed cliffs on gravelly, unstable scree and talus on exposed, sunny, usually south-facing slopes; common co-associates include Abies procera (noble fir), Tsuga mertensiana (mountain hemlock), Comandra umbellata (bastard toadflax), Arctostaphylos nevadensis (pinemat manzanita), Juniperus communis (common juniper), Vaccinium membranaceum (thin leaved huckleberry), and Acer glabrum var. douglasii (Douglas maple) (FNA 2005, OSU 2025).

Ecology

This species in intolerant of shade and competition, and it does not occur in stable soils but rather in areas where continuing natural solid movement allows few other species to establish themselves (OBIC 2010).

Reproduction

This species reproduces by seed and rhizomes (OBIC 2010).
Terrestrial Habitats
Bare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
3 - Energy production & miningSmall (1-10%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingSmall (1-10%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsSmall (1-10%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsSmall (1-10%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceLarge (31-70%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesLarge (31-70%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Oregon (2)
AreaForestAcres
ElkhornWillamette National Forest9,380
Opal CreekWillamette National Forest5,417
References (11)
  1. Allen, G.A., L. Brouillet, J.C. Semple, H.J. Guest, and R. Underhill. 2019. Diversification of the North American <i>Doellingeria-Eucephalus</i> Clade (Astereae: Asteraceae) Inferred from Molecular and Morphological Evidence. Systematic Botany 44(4): 930-942.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 20. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 7: Asteraceae, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 666 pp.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  6. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  8. Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (OBIC). 2010. Element Subnational Ranking Form: <i>Eucephalus gormanii</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 19 Feb 2025).
  9. Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (OBIC). 2025. Biodiversity Tracking and Conservation System (Biotics 5). Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon.
  10. Oregon State University (OSU). 2025. Oregon Flora website. Oregon State University Herbarium at Oregon State University. Online. Available: https://oregonflora.org/ (accessed 2025).
  11. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).