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Ligusticum verticillatum

(Hook.) Coult. & Rose ex Rose

Idaho Lovage

G3Vulnerable Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
High - mediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.138771
Element CodePDAPI180B0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderApiales
FamilyApiaceae
GenusLigusticum
Other Common Names
Livèche verticillée (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
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-11-26
Change Date2024-11-26
Edition Date2024-11-26
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactHigh - medium
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Ligusticum verticillatum is a perennial forb occurring in moist to mesic meadows, streambanks, marshes, and forest openings of montane zones of western North America, from northern Idaho and Montana. There are an estimated 38 occurrences of this species, but it is likely under-represented in herbarium records. This species is threatened by climate change and an increased risk of high severity, stand-replacing wildfire as a result of hotter and drier summers, conditions which are projected to worsen in future. Up to date site surveys are needed to document abundance, distribution, trends and threats, and further taxonomic work is needed.
Range Extent Comments
Ligusticum verticillatum occurs in western North America in northern Idaho and Montana (Lesica et al. 2012). Its range also (erroneously) included south-central and south-eastern British Columbia, Canada (Douglas et al.1998), but all collections of Ligusticum verticillatum from British Columbia were reassigned to Ligusticum canbyi (British Columbia Conservation Data Center 2001). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1993 and 2024 (CPNWH 2024, GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are 38 occurrences rangewide (CPNWH 2024, GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024). However, this plant is under-collected and generally under-documented, and there are likely more than 38 occurrences (Hays, pers. comm., 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Ligusticum verticillatum are largely unknown (Montana Natural Heritage Program 2024).This species occurs in moist forests which have typically had long fire return intervals (M. Darrach, pers. comm., 2024). However, climate change has led to increasingly hotter and drier summers in previously wet forest plant associations, which has led to an increased risk of very hot stand-replacing wildfires, conditions which are projected to worsen in future.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Ligusticum verticillatum occurs in moist to mesic marshes, streambanks, meadows, and in forest openings of montane zones (Douglas et al. 1998, Lesica et al. 2012).

Ecology

This species grows in a narrow range of ecological conditions and does not tolerate extensive disturbance (Pipp 2015).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandGrassland/herbaceousAlpine
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
MontanaS3Yes
IdahoSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
7 - Natural system modificationsPervasive (71-100%)Serious - moderateHigh - moderate
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionPervasive (71-100%)Serious - moderateHigh - moderate
7.1.1 - Increase in fire frequency/intensityPervasive (71-100%)Serious - moderateHigh - moderate

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (1)
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
West Meadow CreekNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest115,949
References (13)
  1. British Columbia Conservation Data Centre. 2001. Element Subnational Tracking Form:<i> Ligusticum verticillatum</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 14 November 2024).
  2. Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria (CPNWH). 2024. Online database of vascular plant specimens from the Pacific Northwest. Online. Available: http://www.pnwherbaria.org/index.php (accessed 2024).
  3. Darrach, Mark E. Personal communication. Research Associate. Herbarium, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington. Seattle, WA.
  4. Douglas, G.W., G.B. Straley, D. Meidinger, and J. Pojar, editors. 1998. The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia. Volume 1. Gynmosperms and Dicotyledons (Aceraceae through Asteraceae). British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Victoria.
  5. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  6. Hays, Mike. Personal communication. Forest Botanist. US Forest Service, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. Grangeville, Idaho.
  7. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  8. 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.
  9. Lesica, P. 2012a. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, TX. 771p.
  10. Montana Natural Heritage Program. 2024. Montana Field Guide. Online. Available: http://fieldguide.mt.gov (Accessed 2024).
  11. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  12. Patterson, P. A., Neiman, K. E. and J. R. Tonn. 1985. Field guide to forest plants of northern Idaho. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station General Technical Report INT-180, Ogden, UT. 246 pp.
  13. Pipp, A. 2015. Coefficient of Conservatism Rankings for the Flora of Montana: Part I. Report to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.Unpublished Report Prepared by the Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana. 73 pp.