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Aliciella sedifolia

(Brandeg.) J.M. Porter

Stonecrop Gily-flower

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very high - highThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.130087
Element CodePDPLM04200
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSolanales
FamilyPolemoniaceae
GenusAliciella
Synonyms
Gilia sedifoliaBrandeg.
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 Date2024-10-04
Change Date1996-11-23
Edition Date2024-10-04
Edition AuthorsThunhorst, G., rev. Maybury (1997), rev. Spackman, S. and D. Anderson (2000), rev. Doyle, G. (2006), rev. J. Cordeiro (2010), rev. Handwerk, J. (2010, 2023) and N. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactVery high - high
Range Extent100-250 square km (about 40-100 square miles)
Number of Occurrences1 - 5
Rank Reasons
Aliciella sedifolia is a rare endemic biennial or short-lived perennial forb of high alpine regions of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado in the western United States. It was thought to be extinct but was rediscovered near the original collection site in 1995 and at the type location in 2007. Since then, two additional occurrences have been found. Threats to the species include recreation (primarily by hikers), motorized recreation, sheep grazing, mining, exotic species invasion, effects of small population size, pollution, and climate change. Very little is known about the biology of Aliciella sedifolia, and inventory work is also needed at known occurrences and within potential habitat.
Range Extent Comments
Aliciella sedifolia is endemic to the western United States in Hinsdale County, Colorado, where it is found in the the San Juan Mountains. The estimated range extent of 111 square kilometers was calculated using NatureServe Network occurrence data (NatureServe 2024).
Occurrences Comments
There are four occurrences tracked by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, all of which have been verified as extant since 2007 (NatureServe 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
The primary threat at this time is considered to be non-motorized recreation (Hogan, pers. comm., 2008). This species is found in areas popular for hiking. Other threats, in order of decreasing priority, are off-road vehicle use and road construction, sheep grazing and its secondary impacts, mining, exotic species invasion, effects of small population size, and pollution (Anderson 2004). As a high alpine species, Aliciella sedifolia is also considered to be extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts (Handwerk et al. 2015).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A small-statured, taprooted herb with a basal rosette of leaves. Leaves are linear, entire, terete, and succulent. Flowers are are dark purple-blue and have corollas with lobes longer than the tube. Flowers are borne in a somewhat spikelike, few-flowered cluster. Like many other members of this family it appears to be a biennial, or possibly a short-lived, monocarpic perennial. An abundance of old leaves at the base of the stem suggests it may be a perennial (Komarek 1995).

Habitat

Aliciella sedifolia occurs in the high alpine zone on a substrate of white volcanic ash from 3596 to 4084 meters in elevation (Anderson 2004). It is apparently restricted to dry, rocky or gravelly talus of tuffaceous sandstone (Porter 1998, Komarek 2003). Its habitat is very sparsely vegetated. Associated species include Erysimum capitatum, Elymus scribneri, Thalictrum alpinum, and Acomastylis rossii (NatureServe 2024).

Reproduction

Aliciella sedifolia seeds are winged, suggesting that wind is the primary dispersal method (Anderson 2004).
Terrestrial Habitats
Alpine
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
ColoradoS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownUnknownLow (long-term)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingUnknownUnknownLow (long-term)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceLarge (31-70%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesLarge (31-70%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationBIENNIAL, PERENNIAL, Short-lived
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Colorado (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pole Mountain / Finger MesaRio Grande NF43,863
References (17)
  1. Anderson, D.G. 2004. <i>Gilia sedifolia</i> Brandeg. (stonecrop gilia): A Technical Conservation Assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/giliasedifolia.pdf [2006-01-09]
  2. Clark, D. and T. Hogan. 2000. Noteworthy collections from Colorado. Madroño 47:142-144.
  3. Colorado Natural Heritage Program. 2005. The Second Annual Colorado Rare Plant Symposium: G1 Plants of Colorado. Symposium Minutes. Available on-line http://www.cnhp.colostate.edu/teams/botany.asp#symposia.
  4. Colorado Natural Heritage Program. 2012. Colorado Rare Plant Guide. Fact sheet for <i>Aliciella sedifolia</i>. Online. Available: <a href="https://cnhp.colostate.edu/rareplant/details/?plantID=18710">cnhp.colostate.edu/rareplant/details/?plantID=18710</a> (Accessed 2024).
  5. Handwerk, J., L. Grunau, and S. Spackman-Panjabi. 2015. Colorado Wildlife Action Plan: 2015 Rare Plant Addendum. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
  6. Hogan, T. 2008. Personal communication with Colorado Natural Heritage Program staff.
  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. 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.
  9. Komarek, S. 1995. Element occurrence data for <i>Gilia sedifolia</i>. Unpublished report provided to the Colorado Natural Heritage Program.
  10. Komarek, S. 2003. Plant species of special concern survey form submitted to the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Boulder, Colorado.
  11. Lyon, P. and M. Denslow. 2002. Rare Plant Survey: San Juan National Forest. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Fort Collins, Colorado.
  12. Lyon, P., D. Culver, M. March, and L. Hall. 2003. San Juan County Biological Assessment. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Fort Collins, Colorado. 256 pp.
  13. Michener-Foote, J. and T. Hogan. 1999. The Flora and Vegetation of the Needle Mountains, San Juan Range, Southwestern Colorado. Natural History Inventory of Colorado No. 18. University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, Colorado.
  14. NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  15. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  16. Porter, J.M. 1998. <i>Aliciella</i>, a recircumscribed genus of Polemoniaceae. Aliso 17(1): 23-46.
  17. Porter, J.M. 2002. Personal communication with expert on the Polemoniaceae regarding <i>Gilia </i>(<i>Aliciella</i>) <i>sedifolia</i>.