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Home/Species/ Ruby Valley Buckwheat

Eriogonum argophyllum

Reveal

Ruby Valley Buckwheat

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very high - mediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.141733
Element CodePDPGN080K0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderPolygonales
FamilyPolygonaceae
GenusEriogonum
Other Common Names
Sulphur Hot Springs buckwheat (EN) Sulphur Hot Springs Buckwheat (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 Date2020-11-03
Change Date1990-09-05
Edition Date2020-11-03
Edition AuthorsGreene, L., rev. Maybury & reviewed by J. Morefield (1996), rev. A. Frances (2010), rev. Treher (2020)
Threat ImpactVery high - medium
Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)
Number of Occurrences1 - 5
Rank Reasons
Eriogonum argophyllum is endemic to Nevada and is known from a single occurrence in Ruby Valley in the Sulphur Hot Springs area of Elk County. Although currently protected through a cooperative agreement with the private landowner, future development is a potential threat. This species grows on a fragile gravel substrate created by outflow of the main hot spring. Small changes to the water table or disturbances caused by livestock trampling could cause significant population declines.
Range Extent Comments
Eriogonum argophyllum is endemic to Nevada in the western United States where it occurs in Ruby Valley in the Sulphur Hot Springs area of Elk County.
Occurrences Comments
There is only one known occurrence at Sulphur Hot Springs. Many nearby spots with similar habitat have been searched without success.
Threat Impact Comments
While geothermal development was previously considered a threat, the population is currently protected through a cooperative agreement with the private landowner (S. Caicco, pers. comm., 2010). Previous threats also included livestock trampling and off-road vehicle use; both of these threats were eliminated with the construction of an exclosure fence (USFWS 2000). Although currently protected, future development is a potential threat. Energy development in areas surrounding the population has the potential to alter the hydrology upon which the taxon depends; however, this threat is not imminent. Digging by jackrabbits (a native species) is another potential threat but there is no evidence of a population decline (S. Caicco, pers. comm., 2010). Changes to the water table that impact outflow from the spring, would threaten the long term stability of the habitat that is generated by the outflow process.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species occurs on crusty, mineralized, sandy soils below a hot spring at 1,845 m elevation.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralDesert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquaculturePervasive (71-100%)UnknownModerate - low
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingPervasive (71-100%)UnknownModerate - low
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedPervasive (71-100%)UnknownModerate - low
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
3.1 - Oil & gas drillingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsPervasive (71-100%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
7.2 - Dams & water management/usePervasive (71-100%)UnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Nevada (2)
AreaForestAcres
Ruby - MarshHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest10,164
Ruby - ThompsonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,289
References (7)
  1. Caicco, S. Conservation Planner. National Wildlife Refuge System, Pacific Region. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2005. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 5. Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae: Caryophyllales, Polygonales, and Plumbaginales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. vii + 656 pp.
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  4. 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.
  5. Mozingo, H.N., and M. Williams. 1980. The threatened and endangered plants of Nevada. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management, Portland, OR. 268 pp.
  6. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2000. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Reclassification of Nine Candidate Taxa. Federal Register 65(204): 63044-63047.
  7. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2009. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Spotlight Species Action Plan <i>Eriogonum argophyllum.</i> Online. Available: http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/action_plans/doc3007.pdf (accessed 7 Dec 2010).