Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.140268
Element CodePDAST2E0R0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusCirsium
SynonymsCirsium eatonii var. clokeyi(S.F. Blake) D.J. Keil
Concept ReferenceKartesz, 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.
Taxonomic CommentsSiniscalchi et al. (2023) treat this taxon as Cirsium clokeyi. It was recognized as C. eatonii var. clokeyi by FNA (vol. 19, 2006). Siniscalchi et al. (2023) recognize the following twelve distinct species in the Cirsium eatonii complex: C. clokeyi, C. culebraense, C. eatonii, C. funkiae, C. harrisonii, C. hesperium, C. murdockii, C. peckii, C. scopulorum, C. tukuhnikivatzicum, C. tweedyi, C. viperinum.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Biotics v1
Review Date2019-06-11
Change Date2019-06-11
Edition Date2013-05-02
Edition AuthorsOliver, L. (2013), rev. A. Tomaino (2019)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank ReasonsA Nevada endemic with about 12 known occurrences, all at higher elevations, primarily in the core area of the Spring Mountains. Threats include habitat alteration, climate change, recreation and exotic species.
Range Extent CommentsOne mountain range in Clark County, Nevada within approximately 58 sq km (NatureServe data 2013).
Occurrences CommentsA 2014 analysis of available spatial data indicates twelve estimated occurrences separated by 1 km or more (J. Morefield, pers. comm., 2019).
Threat Impact CommentsAn 'Adaptive Management Report for Clark County, Nevada, Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP)' was written in 2008 for all of Clark County, Nevada in response to an Incidental Take Permit held by Clark County, Nevada Department of Transportation and several cities. The Incidental Take Permit allows up to 145,000 acres of habitat loss to take place over 30 years beginning in January 2001 (Sada et al. 2008). Cirsium clokeyi is endemic to Clark County, Nevada, Spring Mountains and is considered in the MSHCP. It is estimated that approximately 13% of the considered sites of C. clokeyi in the Plan will be lost due to direct human impacts from the Permit (Sada et al. 2008). Sada et al. 2008 note the following major threats to the communities in which Cirsium clokeyi is found: Climate Change, Recreation, and change in fire regime (i.e. mega fires). Sada et al. (2008) notes Climate Change is a major threat to the Spring Mountains because are completely surrounded by desert which has isolated the Alpine ecosystem where C. clokeyi occurs. C. clokeyi occurs in other habitat types in the Spring Mountains including Mixed-conifer and Bristlecone Pine (where cold temperature is a major system driver) ecosystems (Sada et al. 2008). Also, it occurs in alpine habitat adjacent to hiking trails (Morefield 2001). Finally, exotic species are a threat.