Home/Species/ Great Basin Downingia

Downingia laeta

(Greene) Greene

Great Basin Downingia

G5Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Least concernIUCN

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.151028

Element CodePDCAM06080

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

IUCNLeast concern

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderCampanulales

FamilyCampanulaceae

GenusDowningia

Other Common Names

Downingie agréable (FR)

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

Review Date1991-08-05

Change Date1991-08-05

Range Extent Comments

Occurs from southern Alberta and western Montana to eastern Oregon, northern California, and central Nevada to southern Wyoming.

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Great Basin Downingia is a glabrous annual with simple or branched stems that can be up to 20 cm tall. The sessile, lance-shaped leaves are 5-20 mm long, and the lower wither early. The stalkless flowers are borne in the axils of the smaller upper leaves, or bracts. The flower is borne on top of the slender ovary, which may appear to be a thickened stalk. The inconspicuous, blue-marked-with-yellow corolla is 4-7 mm long and has a 2-lobed upper lip and a 3-lobed lower lip. The calyx has 5 linear lobes that are 3-8 mm long and as long or longer than the corolla. The stamens are united into a column. The many-seeded capsule is 20-45 mm long and 1-2 mm thick.

Diagnostic Characteristics

The 2-lipped corolla is as long as the calyx and is mounted on the long slender ovary; both this facet and the fruit are distinctive. HOWELLIA AQUATILIS has 2-4 seeds per capsule.

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN3

Province	Rank	Native
Alberta	S3	Yes
Saskatchewan	S2	Yes

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Nevada	S3	Yes
Wyoming	S1	Yes
Utah	S2	Yes
Montana	S2	Yes
Oregon	S4	Yes
California	S3	Yes
Idaho	SNR	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (4)

California (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Mt. Bidwell	Modoc National Forest	11,687

Nevada (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
South Schell	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	125,614

Oregon (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Crane Mountain	Fremont National Forest	23,096
Mt. Bidwell	Fremont National Forest	4,449

References (2)

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.
Lesica, P. 1991d. The rare vascular plants of Pine Butte Preserve. Unpublished report to The Nature Conservancy, Montana Field Office, Helena. 15 pp.