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Home/Species/ Ruby Mountain Primrose

Primula capillaris

N.& A. Holmgren

Ruby Mountain Primrose

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.152036
Element CodePDPRI08020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderPrimulales
FamilyPrimulaceae
GenusPrimula
Other Common Names
Ruby Mountain primrose (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.
Taxonomic Comments
Distinct, species in genus with few western North American taxa.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2015-06-08
Change Date1990-09-05
Edition Date2015-06-08
Edition AuthorsJ. Morefield, rev. A. Tomaino (2015)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Narrowly endemic to high elevations in the Ruby Mountains of Elko County, Nevada. Restricted to a very specific habitat with unstable soils on extremely steep slopes. There are seven occurrences known. About half are within a wilderness area but collection for horticultural purposes may still be a threat.
Range Extent Comments
Primula capillaris is endemic to the Ruby Mountains of southern Elko County, Nevada, within a convex hull covering about 80 km2.
Occurrences Comments
The known global population consists of 7 occurrences (J. Morefield, pers. comm., 2015).
Threat Impact Comments
As of 2015, no new information about threats to this species was found. High mountain (subalpine) areas recover slowly from disturbance. Collection may still be a threat.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

"Primula capillaris resembles P. angustifolia; it differs in its narrow, upright leaves and smaller flowers with a bluish tint. The plants are the smallest among the species in sect. Parryi and are related to the widespread polymorphic P. cusickiana. Unlike the infraspecific varieties of P. cusickiana, P. capillaris is a morphologically well-differentiated taxon marked by its diminutive, delicate appearance and characteristic leaf shape." (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2009).

Habitat

Turf mats in wetland margin areas on soils derived from glacial till in alpine tundra (Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2009). Solufluction lobes, mostly on north-facing, rocky, steep slopes. Often grows in association with Selaginella mats. 2710-3160 m elevation. Moist, seasonally saturated, slowly creeping, dark brown loam or sandy loam soils derived from glacial till, generally on steep north to northeast aspects at 2710-3160 m elevation, particularly just below bedrock constrictions in the soil flow that have resulted in extra churning and steepening of the soil and lowered vegetation cover, sometimes on Selaginella mats, in subalpine meadow openings in the subalpine conifer zone, with Selaginella watsonii, Draba oligosperma, Geum rossii, Potentilla fruticosa, Sedum debile, Oxyria digyna, Ribes cf. montigenum, Lithophragma glabra, Luzula comosa, Mertensia ciliata, Pinus albicaulis, etc (Morefield 2001).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferGrassland/herbaceousAlpine
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLAND
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———
5 - Biological resource use———
5.2 - Gathering terrestrial plants———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Ruby - Lamoille CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest32,771
References (6)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2009. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 585 pp.
  2. Holmgren, N.H., and A.H. Holmgren. 1974. Three new species from the Great Basin. Brittonia 26: 309-315.
  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. Morefield, J.D., editor. 2001. Nevada rare plant atlas [with rare plant fact sheets]. Available as a pdf file at: http://heritage.nv.gov/atlas/atlas.html. Compiled by the Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Carson City, for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno, Nevada.
  6. 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.