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Psathyrotes annua

(Nutt.) Gray

Mealy Brittle-stem

G5Secure Found in 20 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.149203
Element CodePDAST7N010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusPsathyrotes
Other Common Names
annual psathyrotes (EN) Annual Psathyrotes (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 Date2024-07-10
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2024-07-10
Edition AuthorsRusso, Mary (TNC WRO, 1989), rev. D. Gries (1998), rev. Johnson, J. (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
Psathyrotes annua is a small annual herb known from the western United States. With a large range extent, more than 200 occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Psathyrotes annua is found in the western United States from southwestern Idaho south to eastern California, Nevada, western Utah, and northwestern Arizona (Cronquist et al 1994, FNA 2006). Range extent was estimated 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 more than 200 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024). Many more occurrences are likely to exist within the extensive military land in southern Nevada and California where collecting is not allowed.
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Psathyrotes annua is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Psathyrotes annua is found in alkaline soils of playas and washes, roadsides, and open areas on sandy, gravelly, or clay soils (Cronquist et. al. 1994, FNA 2006).
Terrestrial Habitats
Playa/salt flatBarrens
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoS2Yes
UtahS3Yes
ArizonaSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
NevadaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (20)
California (10)
AreaForestAcres
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Boundary Peak (CA)Inyo National Forest210,884
Horse Mdw.Inyo National Forest5,687
Log Cabin SaddlebagInyo National Forest15,165
PaiuteInyo National Forest58,712
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
Wheeler RidgeInyo National Forest15,744
Wonoga Pk.Inyo National Forest11,272
Nevada (8)
AreaForestAcres
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
Charleston - CarpenterHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest17,828
Charleston - Macks CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,378
Pine Grove NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,749
Pine Grove SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest88,945
Rough CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,476
Toquima CaveHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest43,147
Utah (2)
AreaForestAcres
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
North PavantFishlake National Forest53,262
References (10)
  1. Cronquist, A., A. H. Holmgren, N. H. Holmgren, J. L. Reveal, and P. K. Holmgren. 1994. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A., Volume 5. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006c. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 21. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 8: Asteraceae, part 3. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 616 pp.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  4. Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.
  5. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  7. 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.
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  9. Strother, J.L. 2020. Flora of North America. <i>Psathyrotes annua</i>. Accessed: September 23, 2022. http://floranorthamerica.org/Psathyrotes_annua
  10. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins (eds.) 1993. A Utah flora. 2nd edition. Brigham Young Univ., Provo, Utah. 986 pp.