Lomatium greenmanii

Both morphological and molecular data support the distinctness of this species; its closest relative appears to be Lomatium oreganum (J. Schultz, unpublished data cited in USFS & USFWS 2007).

A highly localized subalpine endemic with three known occurrences on three mountain peaks in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon. Fewer than 10,000 plants are believed to occupy approximately 250 ha of habitat. The largest population is accessible by an aerial tram, making the plants vulnerable to unintentional trampling by an estimated 30,000 annual visitors. Trampling impacts appear to have caused population decline in the past and newer activities drawing more visitors are a concern for trampling. Conservation actions are now being implemented to minimize these impacts, and a monitoring system has been set up to confirm that these measures are adequately protecting the populations.

Endemic to the Wallowa Mountains of northeast Oregon (Wallowa County). This species was only known from the type location in 1900 until a population was discovered on Mt. Howard in 1975; additional populations were discovered in 1984 and 2000. Range extent is very limited, approximately 6.65 square km using GeoCAT (GeoCAT).

Three known occurrences on three widely separated mountaintops in the Wallowa Mountains: Mount Howard, Ruby Peak, and Redmont Peak; all currently extant. Considerable surveys in the Wallowas have uncovered just one additional population (the third one), but it is possible that other populations exist in areas further afield, such as the Elkhorn Mountains of Oregon, adjacent to the Heath Ranger station in Idaho and in the Seven Devils Mountains of Central Idaho (USFS & USFWS 2007).

Trampling of plants and habitat is the major threat to this species. The Wallowa Lake Tramway, constructed in 1970 to allow direct access to the summit of Mount Howard, greatly increased visitation to this area. Mount Howard currently receives approximately 30,000 visitors per year. Prior to the late 1990s, no planned trails were constructed in this area, resulting in trampling impacts over a wide area and the eventual development of an unplanned trail system. These activities locally decreased the stability of the normally stable rocky substrate. In addition, this species' reproduction appears to be negatively affected by human trampling; most seedlings have been observed in sheltered microsites in undisturbed areas (Meinke et al. 1989 cited in USFWS 1995). As monitoring data revealed the effects of trampling on the population in the mid to late 1990s, the Forest Service undertook improvement projects to keep visitors on trails and minimize impacts such as erosion. This work is ongoing (USFWS 2015). At Ruby Peak, there is an unofficial trail to the summit and some hikers have been observed near the population, but significant trampling impacts have not been observed. Trampling impacts to the Redmont Peak populations are thought to be low to non-existent, as this population is not easily accessed. Trampling associated from observers of the hang-gliding and paragliding are relatively new activities on Mount Howard (USFWS 2007). Other potential threats include impacts from ORV use (Mount Howard is not currently subject to an area closure and low levels of ORV activity have been observed), possible impacts from winter recreation activities (unstudied at this time), higher-than-natural levels of herbivory by small mammals due to feeding of these animals by visitors and possible resultant increases in their population, potential impacts resulting from the use of Mount Howard as an access point for fire suppression activities (trampling, helicopter landings, etc.), and potential impacts associated with operation of the Tramway (e.g. vehicles or machinery driving off the service road or trails). Construction of ski facilities on Mount Howard were apparently proposed in the past and may represent another potential threat in the future, but this threat does not appear imminent at present.