Home/Species/ Lewis' River Suncup

Camissonia parvula

(Nutt. ex Torr. & Gray) Raven

Lewis' River Suncup

G5Secure (G5?) Found in 9 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

UnknownThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.150541

Element CodePDONA03190

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single nation

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderMyrtales

FamilyOnagraceae

GenusCamissonia

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 Date2024-06-26

Change Date2024-06-26

Edition Date2024-06-26

Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)

Threat ImpactUnknown

Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences81 to >300

Rank Reasons

Camissonia parvula is an annual herb occurring in sagebrush scrub and sandy soils of western North America from Oregon east to Wyoming south to New Mexico and California, United States. There are approximately 183 occurrences of this species, which are potentially threatened by development, right of way maintenance, invasive species, and drought. However, due to different treatments of this entity, this may be an under-representation of its true abundance.

Range Extent Comments

Camissonia parvula occurs in western North America from Washington east to Montana, south to New Mexico, and west to California in the United States (FNA 2021). Range extent was estimated to be 1.3 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1983 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).

Occurrences Comments

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1983 and 2024, it is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024). However, due to different treatments of this entity, herbarium records and photo-based observations may underrepresent true abundance, not all collections are georeferenced, and anecdotal comments support the likelihood that there may be over 300 occurrences rangewide, especially since photo-based observations may be misidentified as C. parvula, C. pusilla, and C. contorta.

Threat Impact Comments

Although threats are not widely documented, Camissonia parvula is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Climate change and drought may impact this species, which is an annual and dependent on favorable climactic conditions to complete its life cycle.

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Small Camissonia is an annual herb with branching stems up to 15 cm high. The strap-shaped leaves are alternate and 1-3 cm long. Foliage is sparsely hairy to glandular. Small flowers are attached to the stem at the base of upper leaves. The four separate, yellow petals are 2-4 mm long, and the four sepals are reflexed. The stigma is ball-shaped. Petals and sepals are attached at the top of the ovary, which matures into a linear capsule, 2-4 cm long, that becomes twisted or coiled at maturity.

Diagnostic Characteristics

C. PARVULA can be distinguished from other annual members of the genus by the sessile capsules and the yellow petals greater than 2 mm long. A hand lens may be necessary for positive determination.

Habitat

Camissonia parvula occurs in sagebrush scrub and sandy soils at elevations ranging from 100 to 2,700 meters (FNA 2021).

Terrestrial Habitats

Shrubland/chaparral

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN5

Province	Rank	Native
Arizona	S2	Yes
Montana	S1	Yes
Colorado	S2	Yes
New Mexico	SNR	Yes
Washington	SNR	Yes
California	SNR	Yes
Oregon	S2	Yes
Idaho	S2	Yes
Wyoming	S3	Yes
Nevada	S3	Yes
Utah	S3	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
11 - Climate change & severe weather	Pervasive (71-100%)	Unknown	High (continuing)
11.2 - Droughts	Pervasive (71-100%)	Unknown	High (continuing)

Plant Characteristics

DurationANNUAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (9)

California (6)

Area	Forest	Acres
Birch Creek	Inyo National Forest	28,816
Black Canyon	Inyo National Forest	32,421
Boundary Peak (CA)	Inyo National Forest	210,884
Coyote Southeast	Inyo National Forest	53,159
Rock Creek West	Inyo National Forest	3,626
Wheeler Ridge	Inyo National Forest	15,744

Nevada (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Boundary Peak (NV)	Inyo National Forest	21,851
Pine Grove South	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	88,945
West Walker (NV)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,683

References (9)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2021. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 10. Magnoliophyta: Proteaceae to Elaeagnaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 456 pp.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
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. and P. L. Achuff. 1992. Distribution of vascular plant species of special concern and limited distribution in the Pryor Mountain desert, Carbon County, Montana. Unpublished report to the Bureau of Land Management. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 105 pp.
Montana Natural Heritage Program. 2011. Element Subnational Ranking Form in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
Oregon Biodiversity Information Center. 2016. Element Subnational Ranking Form: <i>Camissonia parvula</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 26 June 2024).
Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
Wagner, W.L.. 2022. Flora of North America: <i>Camissonia parvula</i>. Accessed: September 7, 2022. http://floranorthamerica.org/Camissonia_parvula

Camissonia parvula

Description

Diagnostic Characteristics

Habitat

—