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Oreocarya compacta

(L.C. Higgins) R.B. Kelley

Compact Cat's-eye

G3Vulnerable (G3?) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.131810
Element CodePDBOR0A0J0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderLamiales
FamilyBoraginaceae
GenusOreocarya
Synonyms
Cryptantha compactaHiggins
Other Common Names
Compact Cryptantha (EN) compact cryptantha (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
Cryptantha compacta was first described in 1968, based on collections from western Utah (Higgins 1968, Kartesz 1994, Welsh et al. 2015). Based on phylogenetic analysis, the genus Oreocarya was resurrected, and a new combination was made for this species, Oreocarya compacta (L. C. Higgins) R. B. Kelley in 2012 (Hasenstab-Lehman and Simpson 2012, POWO 2023), but this study was not cited for the treatment of Cryptantha in 'A Utah Flora, 5th Edition' (Welsh et al. 2015). Some authorities include C. ochroleuca within C. compacta and give it a broader range and ecological amplitude (Alexander 2016).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-06-06
Change Date2023-06-06
Edition Date2023-06-06
Edition AuthorsFranklin, B. (1996), rev. A. Tomaino (2008), rev. C. Nordman (2023).
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Cryptantha compacta has been considered to be locally common or frequent at some locations, but it is apparently narrowly endemic to southwestern Millard County in west-central Utah, and nearby eastern Nevada. There is some uncertainty about its wider distribution in Utah due to its similarity to other species, especially Cryptantha humilis. Trends are poorly known. Development, and mining may be threats.
Range Extent Comments
Cryptantha compacta occurs in the western United States. It is known from the Great Basin of southwestern Millard County, Utah and Elko and White Pine counties, Nevada (Higgins 1968, Tiehm 2007, Welsh et al. 2015). The range extent is estimated to be 20,000 square kilometers. Other Utah counties mentioned in Welsh et al. (2008, 2015), Utah State University (1988), and on SEINet (2023) are apparently based on specimens of similar looking plants, many of these collections are now identified as Cryptantha humilis. In the type description of Cryptantha compacta, Higgins (1968) wrote "Known only from southwestern Millard County, Utah, but to be expected from northern Beaver County, Utah, and perhaps in eastern Nevada." The range extent, including these other Utah specimens (which may need further verification) would be about 90,000 square kilometers (NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023, Utah Natural Heritage Program 2021).
Occurrences Comments
As of 2023, there are 17 occurrences documented, six of which are historical. There are additional observations or collections which may need further verification (Alexander 2016, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023, Utah Natural Heritage Program 2021).
Threat Impact Comments
Cryptantha compacta may be threatened by development or mining, it is tolerant of trampling and there is no evidence that any animals browse or graze on it (Higgins 1993). There is a lack of information about threats (Alexander 2016).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Cryptantha compacta is similar to C. humilis, but is shorter (0.3 - 1.0 dm tall), has smaller leaves (0.5 - 2.5 cm long), shorter calyx (2 - 2.5 mm) in anthesis, shorter corolla tube (1.8 - 2.2 mm long), and is nearly endemic to Millard County, Utah, whereas C. humilis is widespread, taller, and has all these characters are larger (Welsh et al. 2015). It is also closely related to C. nana and closely resembles C. caespitosa (Higgins 1968).

Habitat

Salt desert shrub and mixed desert shrub communities, mostly on Devonian Sevy Dolomite, on shallow, stony loam, rocky slopes and summits of desert ranges (Alexander 2016, Higgins 1968, Spahr et al. 1991, Welsh et al. 2015), also at locally on mountains at 1520-2957 m elevation (SEINet 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Desert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS3Yes
NevadaS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentRestricted - smallSerious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.3 - Tourism & recreation areasRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
3 - Energy production & miningSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Humboldt - Angel LkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,008
References (16)
  1. Alexander, J. 2016. The Utah Native Plant Society Rare Plant List: Version 2. Calochortiana. 3: 1-248.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). In Press. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 15. Magnoliophyta: Fouquieriaceae to Boraginaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York.
  3. Hasenstab-Lehman, K.E., and M.G. Simpson. 2012. Cat’s Eyes and Popcorn Flowers: Phylogenetic systematics of the genus <i>Cryptantha s. l.</i> (Boraginaceae). Systematic Botany 37(3):738–757.
  4. Higgins, L.C. 1968. New species of perennial Cryptantha from Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 28: 195-198.
  5. Higgins, L.C. 1993. Final report on a taxonomic study and inventory of <i>Cryptantha compacta</i> Higgins and <i>Cryptantha humilis</i> (A. Gray) Payson. Unpublished report on file Utah Natural Heritage Program, Salt Lake City, Utah.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. Plants of the World Online (POWO). 2023. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Online. Available: http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ (accessed 2023).
  10. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).
  11. Spahr, R., L. Armstrong, D. Atwood, and M. Rath. 1991. Threatened, endangered, and sensitive species of the Intermountain Region. U.S. Forest Service, Ogden, Utah.
  12. Tiehm, A. 2007. Noteworthy collections. Nevada. Madrono 54: 206-208.
  13. Utah Native Plant Society. 2003-2007. Utah Rare Plant Guide. Salt Lake City, UT. Online. Available: http://www.utahrareplants.org (accessed 2008).
  14. Utah Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Utah Rare Plant Database (accessed 2021).
  15. Utah State University. 1988. Atlas of the vascular plants of Utah, digital version of paper atlas authored by Beverly J. Albee, Leila M. Shultz, and Sherel Goodrich and published by the Utah Museum of Natural History. Online. Available: http://www.nr.usu.edu/Geography-Department/utgeog/utvatlas/ut-vascatlas.html (accessed 2008).
  16. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins. (Eds). 2015. A Utah flora, fifth edition, revised 2015. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Provo, Utah. 987 pp.