Lupinus uncialis

S. Wats.

Inch-high Lupine

G4Apparently Secure Found in 14 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.146823
Element CodePDFAB2B410
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderFabales
FamilyFabaceae
GenusLupinus
Other Common Names
inchhigh lupine (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.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-08-30
Change Date1985-09-06
Edition Date2023-08-30
Edition AuthorsGries, D. (1998), rev. C. Nordman (2023).
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Inch-high Lupine (Lupinus uncialis) occurs in the western United States, in the Great Basin of northern and central Nevada, southeastern Oregon, southwestern Idaho, and Modoc County in eastern California. There are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide, it is fairly common in northern Nevada and is rare in the other states where it occurs. It is most common in years of heavy rainfall, so it is threatened by extreme or long-term drought, such as may be exacerbated by climate change. In portions of the Intermountain West, the invasive exotic plant, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) has replaced native annuals such as Inch-high Lupine.
Range Extent Comments
Inch-high Lupine (Lupinus uncialis) occurs in the western United States, in the Great Basin of northern and central Nevada, southeastern Oregon, southwestern Idaho, and Modoc County in eastern California. Range extent was estimated to be 170,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1982 and 2023 (CNDDB 2023, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, Kartesz 1988, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1982 and 2023, it is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide (CNDDB 2023, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023).
Threat Impact Comments
Inch-high Lupine (Lupinus uncialis) is most common in years of heavy rainfall (Kartesz 1988), so it is threatened by extreme or long-term drought, such as may be exacerbated by climate change. In portions of the Intermountain West, the invasive exotic plant, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) has replaced native annuals such as Inch-high Lupine (Lupinus uncialis), exotic annual grasses compete directly with these native plants for space, moisture, and light, and indirect impacts caused by exotic annual grasses include increased fire frequency and the associated conversion of shrub-steppe to nonshrub annual grasslands (Rosentreter 1994).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

An annual lupine, the smallest occurring in Nevada, 2-5 cm tall, and 2.5-6 cm wide, with a dense tuft of leaves, which surpass the flowers and pods (Kartesz 1988).

Habitat

This species is found on limestone, rhyolite, volcanic gravels in open areas, barrens, and talus in sagebrush and pinyon/juniper woodland, at elevations ranging from 1030 to 2225 meters, 3380 to 7300 feet (SEINet 2023, Sholars and Riggins 2022).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralBarrensBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS2Yes
IdahoS3Yes
OregonSNRYes
NevadaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
7 - Natural system modificationsRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1.1 - Increase in fire frequency/intensityRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherLarge (31-70%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
11.2 - DroughtsLarge (31-70%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)

Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (14)
California (4)
AreaForestAcres
FalesHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,138
Long MeadowHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,967
Mt. JacksonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest20,721
Wild Horse Mtn. (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,822
Nevada (10)
AreaForestAcres
CottonwoodHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest18,161
Currant - East SlopeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest10,101
East Fork QuinnHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest30,977
Indian CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,996
Iron SpringHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest36,737
Red MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest30,242
Ruby - ThompsonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,289
Sam's CanyonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,869
Toquima CaveHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest43,147
WilhoitesHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,297
References (9)
  1. California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2023. RareFind Version 5.2.14. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2023. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2023).
  3. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  5. 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.
  6. NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Rosentreter, R. 1994. Displacement of rare plants by exotic grasses. Pages 170-175 in: S. B. Monsen and S. G. Kitchen, compilers. Proceedings-Ecology and Management of Annual Rangelands; 1992 May 18-21; Boise, ID. General Technical Report INT-GTR-313. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. Online. Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_int/int_gtr313/int_gtr313_170_175.pdf (accessed 2023).
  8. Sholars, T. and R. Riggins. 2022. Jepson eFlora: <i>Lupinus uncialis</i>. Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=32102
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).