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Packera musiniensis

(Welsh) D.K. Trock

Musinea Ragwort

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.147879
Element CodePDAST8H440
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusPackera
Synonyms
Senecio musiniensisWelsh
Other Common Names
Musinea Groundsel (EN)
Concept Reference
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.
Taxonomic Comments
Described by S. L. Welsh in 1993. Kartesz (1999) recognizes, and retains in the genus Senecio. The Flora of North America (2006, vol. 20) transfers Senecio musiniensis to Packera musiniensis; these represent the same concept for the element.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-11-25
Change Date1995-04-20
Edition Date2024-11-25
Edition AuthorsB. Franklin, rev. B. Franklin (1996), rev. K. Gravuer (2009), rev. M. Russo (2011), rev. N. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Packera musiniensis is a perennial forb occurring in Tertiary Flagstaff limestone on ridgetops, barren areas, and on talus/scree slopes in alpine and subalpine communities of Musinea Peak and the Wasatch Plateau in Sanpete County, Utah. There are seven estimated occurrences, all of which are located in the Manti-La Sal National Forest on lands managed by the US Forest Service. Threats are unknown, but likely include climate change. First described in 1993, this species is in need of field surveys and follow-up of data collection on long-term monitoring plots to better understand its current status.
Range Extent Comments
Packera musiniensis is endemic to the western United States in Sanpete County of central Utah (Welsh et al. 2015). Specifically, it is a Southern Plateaus endemic, occurring on Musinea Peak and along the margins of the Wasatch Plateau near its southern end. Range extent was calculated at 82 square kilometers using data from the Utah Rare Plant Database (2021, UNHP 2021).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 2 km separation distance to observations from the Utah Rare Plant Database, there are estimated to be seven occurrences rangewide (Utah Rare Plant Database 2021, UNHP 2021). This includes one occurrence that is considered to be historical by the Utah Natural Heritage Program (has not been visited since prior to 1978).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Packera musiniensis are unknown (UNHP 2021). However, potential threats include climate change, because this species occurs on high elevation peaks and there are limited elevational gains for shifting habitat. Climate change was considered to be a potential threat to other endemic Packera taxa limited to alpine and subalpine talus habitats (for example, P. franciscana, which occurs in the San Fransicsco Peaks near Flagstaff, AZ) (Fowler and Sieg 2010).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Similar to S. multilobatus in having pinnatifid leaves and to S. canus in having a dense gray tomentum. However, this species differs in having eradiate or only sparingly radiate heads and in being soboliferous (with loosely clumped shoots arising some distance apart from the rhizomes) (Welsh et al. 2008, Utah Native Plant Society 2024).

Habitat

Packera musiniensis occurs along ridgetops, talus/scree slopes, and barren areas in subalpine and alpine communities on friable rubble of white Tertiary Flagstaff Limestone from 2,900 to 3,300 m in elevation (Wesh 1993, FNA 2006).

Reproduction

Packera musiniensis flowers from July to September (Utah Native Plant Society 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
AlpineBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
11 - Climate change & severe weatherUnknownUnknownUnknown
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
Utah (3)
AreaForestAcres
Big Bear CreekManti-Lasal National Forest28,440
Musinia PeakFishlake National Forest6,746
White MountainFishlake National Forest23,939
References (12)
  1. Cronquist, A. 1994. Asterales. In A. Cronquist, A.H. Holmgren, N.H. Holmgren, J.L. Reveal, and P.K. Holmgren. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Vol. 5. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 496 pp.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 20. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 7: Asteraceae, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 666 pp.
  3. Fowler, J.F. and C.H. Sieg. 2011. Density and Elevational Distribution of the San Francisco Peaks Ragwort, <i>Packera franciscana</i> (Asteraceae), a Threatened Single-Mountain Endemic. Madroño 57(4): 213-219.
  4. 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.
  5. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Utah Native Plant Society. 2003-2024. Utah rare plant guide. Utah Native Plant Society, Salt Lake City, UT. Online. Available: https://www.utahrareplants.org. (accessed 2024).
  7. Utah Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Utah Rare Plant Database (accessed 2021).
  8. Utah Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Utah Rare Plant Database. (Accessed 2021).
  9. Utah Natural Heritage Program (UNHP). 2021. Element Subnational Ranking Form:<i> Packera musiniensis</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 25 Nov 2024).
  10. Welsh, S.L. 1993. New taxa and new nomenclatural combinations in the Utah flora. Rhodora 95(883/884):392-421.
  11. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich and L.C. Higgins. (Eds.) 2008. A Utah Flora. 4th edition, revised. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, U.S.A. 1019 pp.
  12. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins. (Eds). 2015. A Utah flora, fifth edition, revised 2015. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Provo, Utah. 987 pp.