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Salix bebbiana

Sarg.

Bebb's Willow

G5Secure Found in 35 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.142015
Element CodePDSAL020E0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSalicales
FamilySalicaceae
GenusSalix
Other Common Names
Bebb willow (EN) Longbeak Willow (EN) Saule de Bebb (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 Date2024-10-10
Change Date1983-09-06
Edition Date2024-10-10
Edition AuthorsGwendolyn L. Waring; rev. R. Bittman (2013), rev. N. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Salix bebbiana is a perennial shrub or tree occurring in riparian and upland conifer forests, wet thickets, bogs, prairie margins, slopes, seeps, swamps, and disturbed areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. There are over 3,000 estimated occurrences rangewide, which are threatened by drought and climate change, pathogens, fire suppression, and herbivory. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent, high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Salix bebbiana is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Salix bebbiana is a widespread species, occurring in North America, Europe, and Asia (POWO 2024). In North America, it occurs from Alaska throughout all of Canada, and most of the western, upper Midwest, and northeastern regions of the United States (FNA 2010). Populations in the San Francisco Peaks and the White Mountains in Arizona represent the southernmost extent of its distribution in North America. Range extent was estimated to be 75 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be over 3,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Salix bebbiana populations face several threats, namely a lack of replacement by younger age classes, and accelerated successional replacement. Several studies have reported on populations that are in 'decadent' or declining condition (e.g., Froiland 1962, Dorn 1970, Atchley 1989). Another study verified the latter, reporting that Bebb's willow populations in interior Alaska are being replaced at a faster rate by spruce (Miquelle and Van Ballenberghe 1989). These conditions have probably resulted from an interruption of natural processes, including a decline in water availability due to drought conditions. There are several pathogens associated with Bebb's willow that pose a threat to this species. The most common foliage pathogen is the rust Melampsora epitea (Hepting 1971). This species also attacks most other Salix species in the southwest (Yohem et al. 1985). Prolonged suppression of fire in Bebb's willow habitat may pose a threat to the persistence of this species. Grazing of Bebb's willow by wild and domesticated herbivores can be intense. This is particularly true in Alaska, where feeding by snowshoe hare and moose commonly reduce plants to stumps.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

SALIX BEBBIANA occurs in the subgenus VETRIX in the section Vetrix, along with S. DISCOLOR and S. PETIOLARIS (Mosseler 1990). Froiland (1962) has proposed a second variety of SALIX BEBBIANA to be SALIX BEBBIANA var. PERROSTRATA (Rybd.) Schneid, also called smooth Bebb's willow. It is characterized primarily by glabrous and weakly reticulated leaves and has a wide distribution in the United States (Froiland 1962). Argus (1957) found the two forms difficult to distinguish in areas of overlap. This designation is somewhat controversial, however, as Goodrich (1983) states that "this separation probably merits no recognition."

Habitat

In North America, Salix bebbiana occurs in "riparian and upland conifer forests, wet lowland thickets, Picea mariana treed bogs, stream margins, lakeshores, prairie margins, dry south-facing slopes, cienegas, seeps, [and] disturbed areas" (FNA 2010). This species has colonized a variety of habitats, including borders of mountain streams, swamps, lakes, hillsides, open meadows, forest margins and even irrigation ditches (Froiland 1962, Goodrich 1983)
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferForest EdgeGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
ColoradoS4Yes
WyomingS5Yes
NebraskaS1Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
AlaskaSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
MontanaS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
UtahSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
NevadaS2Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
MarylandSHYes
IllinoisS3Yes
IdahoSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
New JerseyS4Yes
ArizonaS2Yes
VermontS5Yes
CaliforniaS2Yes
WashingtonSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
OregonS4Yes
OhioS3Yes
MaineSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
IowaS3Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
ManitobaS5Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS5Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
QuebecS5Yes
NunavutS3Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
Prince Edward IslandS5Yes
LabradorS3Yes
Yukon TerritoryS5Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2.2 - Named speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.4 - Problematic species/diseases of unknown originUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.4.2 - Named speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
11 - Climate change & severe weatherUnknownUnknownUnknown
11.2 - DroughtsUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (35)
Alaska (4)
AreaForestAcres
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
Idaho (3)
AreaForestAcres
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
Pioneer MountainsSalmon-Challis National Forest172,460
Pioneer MountainsSawtooth National Forest119,563
Montana (10)
AreaForestAcres
Cabinet Face East #671Kootenai National Forest50,326
Freezeout MountainBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest97,305
Hyalite - Porcupine - Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study AreaGallatin National Forest143,991
Jerico MountainHelena National Forest8,445
Lazyman GulchHelena National Forest11,614
Line Creek PlateauCuster National Forest24,825
Mt. Hefty Ra 1481Flathead National Forest12,938
North AbsarokaCuster National Forest21,063
Red Lodge Creek HellroaringCuster National Forest17,210
Silver KingLolo National Forest12,816
New Hampshire (7)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest3,660
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
New Mexico (3)
AreaForestAcres
GallinasSanta Fe National Forest13,208
Holy GhostSanta Fe National Forest2,352
Pecos WS RiverSanta Fe National Forest5,396
Oregon (2)
AreaForestAcres
Hurricane CreekWallowa-Whitman National Forest1,606
Mcclellan MountainMalheur National Forest21,213
Utah (2)
AreaForestAcres
Right Hand Fork LoganWasatch-Cache National Forest15,023
Temple PeakWasatch-Cache National Forest24,081
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Granite MountainOkanogan National Forest27,428
Wyoming (2)
AreaForestAcres
Beartooth Proposed WildernessShoshone National Forest16,837
South Beartooth HighwayShoshone National Forest105,570
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