Eriogonum lewisii

Reveal

Lewis' Buckwheat

G3Vulnerable (G3Q) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.159627
Element CodePDPGN086M0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderPolygonales
FamilyPolygonaceae
GenusEriogonum
Other Common Names
Lewis' 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.
Taxonomic Comments
Accepted as a species by Kartesz (floristic synthesis, 1999), following recommendation of Jim Reveal. Flora of North America (2005) includes E.lewisii as a synonym of Eriogonum desertorum.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2020-10-05
Change Date2020-10-05
Edition Date2020-10-05
Edition AuthorsMorefield, J. D. (1997), rev. D. Gries (1997), rev. J. Morefield (NVHP, 5/01), rev. Treher (2020)
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Eriogonum lewisii is known only from Elko and Eureka Counties in northeastern Nevada. There are 20 occurrences separated by at least 1 km, with about 665,000 individual plants when population size was last estimated. Threats to this species include mining, off-road vehicles and road maintenance activities, livestock, and fire suppression. Some declines are likely to have occurred rangewide.
Range Extent Comments
Eriogonum lewisii is endemic to Nevada and found in north-central Elko County and northern Eureka County in the Bull Run, Independence, and Tuscarora Mountains and the Jarbidge Mountains complex.
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to this species include mineral exploration and development, development and maintenance of roads and electronic sites, off-road vehicle travel, trampling by livestock or feral animals, and fire and fire suppression activities. Most sites have sustained some level of impacts. Four occurrences were immediately adjacent to an expanding open-pit gold mining operation in 1996.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Dry, exposed, rocky, convex ridge-line knolls and crests underlain by siliceous carbonate, siliceous limestone, or dolomite on all aspects at 1970-2960m elevation. At lower elevations, occasionally found on clay hills derived from silty carbonate or calcium-rich siliceous rock. Co-dominating with Artemisia arbuscula, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Elymus elymoides, and Achnatherum hymenoides.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
3 - Energy production & miningRestricted (11-30%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingRestricted (11-30%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
RattlesnakeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest19,672
References (7)
  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. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Kartesz, J. T. 1999. Comments regarding taxa 1-187 [of list supplied by TNC]. Unpublished, Biota of North America Program, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C., Nov. 25, 1999.
  6. Morefield, J.D. 1996. Current knowledge and conservation status of <i>Eriogonum lewisii</i> Reveal (Polygonaceae), the Lewis buckwheat. Status report prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno by Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Carson City.
  7. Morefield, Jim. Personal Communication. Botanist, Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Carson City, Nevada.