Barbarea orthoceras

Ledeb.

American Wintercress

G5Secure Found in 75 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.134260
Element CodePDBRA0A010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCapparales
FamilyBrassicaceae
GenusBarbarea
Other Common Names
American yellowrocket (EN) American Yellow-rocket (EN) Barbarée à fruits dressés (FR) Erect-fruit Wintercress (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 Date2024-08-14
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition Date2024-08-14
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Barbarea orthoceras is a widespread perennial or biennial forb occurring in grasslands, sandbars, on scree, alpine meadows, ledges, forests, riparian zones, on railroad embankments, and in gravel pits in most of North America, as well as in Baja Mexico, and Asia. It is threatened by coal mining, recreational activities, livestock grazing, rights-of-way construction and maintenance, erosion, and likely other threats in some places. With a large range extent, over 1,000 occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Barbarea orthoceras is widespread, occurring as a native species in most of North America, as well as in Baja Mexico, and Asia (POWO 2024). In North America, it is found from Alaska and the Northeast Territories east to Newfoundland, south to Massachusetts, through the northern Midwest, and New Mexico to California and north to Washington in the United States and Canada (FNA 2010). Range extent was estimated to be over 38 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations collected between 1993 and 2024 (iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be over 1,400 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Barbarea orthoceras is threatened by coal mining, recreational activities, livestock grazing, rights-of-way construction and maintenance, erosion, and likely other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2024). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

In North America, Barbarea orthoceras occurs in "open grassland, sandbars, scree, alpine meadows, ledges, rocky cliffs, forests, streamsides, railroad embankment, boggy ground, gravel pits, [and] moist grassy slopes" (FNA 2010).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest EdgeGrassland/herbaceousAlpineBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Island of NewfoundlandS2Yes
Yukon TerritoryS5Yes
LabradorS3Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
New BrunswickS1Yes
ManitobaS3Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
AlbertaS4Yes
OntarioSUYes
Nova ScotiaS1Yes
QuebecS4Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
WisconsinSNRYes
New HampshireSHYes
ArizonaSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
MontanaS4Yes
AlaskaSNRYes
MaineSHYes
NevadaS3Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
WyomingS3Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
UtahSNRYes
ColoradoS4Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownUnknown
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownUnknownUnknown
3.2 - Mining & quarryingUnknownUnknownUnknown
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownUnknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownUnknown
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownUnknown
9 - PollutionUnknownUnknownUnknown
9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluentsUnknownUnknownUnknown
9.3.2 - Soil erosion, sedimentationUnknownUnknownUnknown

Plant Characteristics
DurationBIENNIAL, PERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (75)
Alaska (36)
AreaForestAcres
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
ChichagofTongass National Forest555,858
Chilkat-West Lynn CanalTongass National Forest199,772
Dall IslandTongass National Forest105,780
Douglas IslandTongass National Forest28,065
El CapitanTongass National Forest26,693
FanshawTongass National Forest48,248
GravinaTongass National Forest37,381
Hoonah SoundTongass National Forest79,764
Juneau UrbanTongass National Forest101,581
Juneau-Skagway IcefieldTongass National Forest1,187,268
KartaTongass National Forest52,117
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
KosciuskoTongass National Forest64,134
MadanTongass National Forest68,553
Mansfield PeninsulaTongass National Forest54,991
MosmanTongass National Forest53,492
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
North EtolinTongass National Forest40,993
North KruzofTongass National Forest33,146
North KupreanofTongass National Forest114,660
Outer IslandsTongass National Forest99,862
Port AlexanderTongass National Forest120,681
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
RevillaTongass National Forest29,298
RhineTongass National Forest23,010
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
Rocky PassTongass National Forest78,163
Sitka UrbanTongass National Forest112,003
South KruzofTongass National Forest55,193
SukkwanTongass National Forest44,369
Taku-SnettishamTongass National Forest664,928
Tenakee RidgeTongass National Forest20,527
Windham-Port HoughtonTongass National Forest161,952
Arizona (2)
AreaForestAcres
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
California (30)
AreaForestAcres
Black ButteMendocino National Forest15,461
Black MountainLos Padres National Forest16,818
Boundary Peak (CA)Inyo National Forest210,884
Castle PeakTahoe National Forest14,974
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Cutca ValleyCleveland National Forest14,530
DardanellesEldorado National Forest8,110
GrindstoneMendocino National Forest26,031
Hall Natural AreaInyo National Forest5,236
Heart LakeLassen National Forest9,349
Hoover - Green Ck NoHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest7,155
Hoover - Mt.olsenHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest624
Hoover - Virginia LksHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,050
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
Mill PeakSan Bernardino National Forest7,884
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
Mt. LassicSix Rivers National Forest6,643
Mt. OlsenInyo National Forest2,161
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Raywood Flat BSan Bernardino National Forest11,373
Robinson PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,835
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
South SierraSequoia National Forest8,008
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
Montana (1)
AreaForestAcres
West Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest133,563
Nevada (3)
AreaForestAcres
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
Rose - GalenaHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest3,711
Ruby - Lamoille CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest32,771
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little SheepWallowa-Whitman National Forest5,238
Washington (2)
AreaForestAcres
QuartzWenatchee National Forest8,550
TaneumWenatchee National Forest26,140
References (8)
  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. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  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. Native Plant Trust. 2024. Go Botany website. Online. Available: https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org (accessed 2024).
  6. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Plants of the World Online (POWO). 2024. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Online. Available: https://powo.science.kew.org/ (accessed 2024).
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).