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Home/Species/ Shale Barren Buckwheat

Eriogonum allenii

S. Wats.

Shale Barren Buckwheat

G3Vulnerable Found in 13 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.135585
Element CodePDPGN08050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderPolygonales
FamilyPolygonaceae
GenusEriogonum
Other Common Names
shale barren buckwheat (EN)
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 Date2024-04-03
Change Date2024-04-03
Edition Date2024-04-03
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2023), rev. Soteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Eriogonum allenii is a perennial herb endemic to shale barrens in western Virginia and eastern West Virginia in the southeastern United States. Its full range extent, area of occupancy, number of occurrences, and trends are incomplete as populations in the eastern portion of the range need additional surveys, and access and rugged terrain may preclude complete surveys. Its rugged habitat and protection by state parks and national forests protects it from many threats, though active management including invasive species treatment and prescribed fire benefit the shale barrens habitat and this species. 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 species. Searching for additional sites to protect is a high priority.
Range Extent Comments
Eriogonum allenii "is restricted to the Appalachian shale barrens of [western] Virginia...and [eastern] West Virginia" in the southeastern United States where it has been documented in eleven counties in Virginia (Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Highland, Montgomery, Page, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, and Warren) and five counties in West Virginia (Greenbrier, Monroe, Pendleton, Pocahontas, and Summers) (FNA 2005).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimen data, photo-based observation data, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between the years of 1993 and 2023, it is estimated that there are at least 34 extant occurrences (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023). However, anecdotal evidence suggests there are over 80 occurrences (Townsend, pers. comm., 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Eriogonum allenii faces threats from habitat degradation and loss. Some occurrences face threats from residential development. Roadside occurrences could be impacted from maintenance activities, including herbicide (though at least two occurrences in West Virginia are designated as "no spray zones"), mowing, shale removal (borrow) for rural road maintenance, and invasive species, such as purple spotted Knapweed, Asiatic dayflower, ragweed, and Bromus sterilis. Many populations are located on public lands with recreational activities, though the impact from recreation is likely slight. Further recreational development of roads, trails, and especially use of off-road vehicles could increase recreational threats to this species. While in a matrix of potential logging threats, this species occurs on relatively steep, shaley slopes likely protected from logging activity. The greatest impact to this species is likely canopy closure from fire suppression (NatureServe 2023).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Eriogonum allenii grows on open, rocky slopes, in shale (rarely sandstone) barrens, oak and pine woodlands (FNA 2005, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedGrassland/herbaceousBarrensBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaS4Yes
West VirginiaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightModerate (short-term)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateModerate (short-term)
1.3 - Tourism & recreation areasRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightModerate (short-term)
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.2 - Wood & pulp plantationsRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.2.3 - Scale unknown/unrecordedRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsRestricted (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)
7 - Natural system modificationsRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (13)
Virginia (11)
AreaForestAcres
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Little AlleghanyGeorge Washington National Forest10,215
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Patterson MountainJefferson National Forest4,865
Price MountainJefferson National Forest9,119
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
References (9)
  1. 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.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2023. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2023).
  3. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  4. 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.
  5. NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).
  8. Townsend, J. Personal communication. Staff Botanist. Virginia Division of Natural Heritage. Department of Conservation and Recreation. Richmond, VA.
  9. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.