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Athysanus pusillus

(Hook.) Greene

Common Sandweed

G5Secure Found in 20 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.131867
Element CodePDBRA08010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCapparales
FamilyBrassicaceae
GenusAthysanus
Other Common Names
Athysane nain (FR)
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 MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Biotics v1
Review Date2019-11-21
Change Date2019-11-21
Edition Date2019-11-21
Edition AuthorsTreher (2019)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Athysanus pusillus occurs in western North America from southern British Columbia to California, Arizona, and Baja California, and east to Montana, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. The species is common over large areas of its range with no pervasive threats or significant declines known. It is rare at the periphery of its range, specifically Montana.
Range Extent Comments
Athysanus pusillus occurs from southern British Columbia to California, Arizona, and Baja California (Mexico), and east to Montana (Ravalli County), Idaho, Nevada (Storey and Washoe counties), and Utah.
Occurrences Comments
The species is only known from three occurrences in the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana (along the eastern edge of its range) (Montana Natural Heritage Program 2019)..
Threat Impact Comments
In Montana, this species is threatened by invasive species including spotted knapweed and cheatgrass (Montana Natural Heritage Program 2019).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Sandweed is an annual with slender stems, up to 15 cm tall, that are simple or sparingly branched from near the base. The alternate, lance-shaped leaves, 6-20 mm long, have toothed margins and are stalked below but sessile above. Foliage is covered with simple and branched hairs. Miniscule white flowers are born on short, spreading stalks in open, unbranched inflorescences at the ends of the stems. The four white petals are ca. 2 mm long, and the sepals are only 1 mm long. The broadly pear-shaped fruits, 2-3 mm long, are covered with hooked hairs and borne on reflexed stalks.

Diagnostic Characteristics

The annual habit and drooping, pear-shaped fruits covered with hooked hairs make this species distinctive.

Habitat

Athysanus pusillus occurs in a variety of habitats including "grassy, open slopes, rocky outcrops, chaparral, flats, floodplains, cliffs, ledges (Jepson 2019)."
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandSavannaGrassland/herbaceousCliff
Other Nations (2)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
MontanaS1Yes
OregonSNRYes
NevadaS2Yes
WashingtonSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
UtahS1Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (20)
California (20)
AreaForestAcres
BackboneShasta-Trinity National Forest11,466
Black MountainLos Padres National Forest16,818
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
Cow CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest22,627
Cow CreekSix Rivers National Forest1,271
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
DardanellesEldorado National Forest8,110
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Lion RidgeSequoia National Forest5,265
ManzanaLos Padres National Forest2,101
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
Snow MountainMendocino National Forest14,457
South ForkShasta-Trinity National Forest16,786
Timbered CraterLassen National Forest4,096
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
WoolstaffSequoia National Forest41,445
References (4)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2010. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 7. Magnoliophyta: Salicaceae to Brassicaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxii + 797 pp.
  2. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2019. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html (accessed 2019).
  3. 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.
  4. Montana Natural Heritage Program. 2019. Montana Field Guide. Online. Available: http://fieldguide.mt.gov (Accessed 2019).