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Xylorhiza cronquistii

Welsh & Atwood

Cronquist's Woody-aster

G1Critically Imperiled (G1Q) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.150457
Element CodePDASTA1080
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusXylorhiza
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
Utah Heritage Program questions taxonomic validity. Potentially a hybrid.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2021-11-29
Change Date1996-02-27
Edition Date2021-11-29
Edition AuthorsB. Franklin (1995), rev. Treher and McCormick (2021)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent250-1000 square km (about 100-400 square miles)
Number of Occurrences1 - 5
Rank Reasons
Xylorhiza cronquistii is a white-flowered subshrub that is endemic to the Navajo Basin where it is known from only 5 locations on the Kaiporowitz Plateau in Garfield County, Utah. The greatest distance between any two occurrences is 9 miles. Research is needed but this entity is potentially an F1 hybrid. Threats are not well documented and the boundaries and designations of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument fluctuate with every political administration change so it is difficult to assess at this time.
Range Extent Comments
Xylorhiza cronquistii is endemic to the Kaiparowitz Plateau in the Navajo Basin of Garfield and Kane Counties in Utah (Welsh et al. 2015).
Occurrences Comments
There is one historical occurrence, but there is hope it is extant, as it is near another that has been visited in recent years. Additional surveys may add new occurrences or connect existing occurrences, but with only seven data points (most recent is from 2005) total it is difficult to determine at the time of this update (Utah Rare Plant Database 2021).
Threat Impact Comments
Most occurrences within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument are still within designated grazing allotments (for winter grazing), however the land management strategy of this area has been in flux for several decades and the severity of this impact to this species has not been documented (UNHP 2021). There is an ongoing drought in Utah; the Utah Division of Water Resources confirmed that Utah is now in "extreme" or "exceptional" drought.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Associated with pinyon-juniper community on gray soils of the Tertiary Kaiparowits and Triassic Chinle mudstone (Welsh et al. 2015).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandWoodland - Conifer
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquaculturePervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
11.2 - DroughtsPervasive (71-100%)UnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
References (6)
  1. Cronquist, A., A. H. Holmgren, N. H. Holmgren, J. L. Reveal, and P. K. Holmgren. 1994. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A., Volume 5. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.
  2. 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.
  3. Utah Native Plant Society (UNPS). 2003-2021. Utah rare plant guide. A.J. Frates editor/coordinator. Salt Lake City, UT. Utah Native Plant Society. Online. Available: https://www.utahrareplants.org (accessed 2021).
  4. Utah Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Utah Rare Plant Database (accessed 2021).
  5. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins (eds.) 1993. A Utah flora. 2nd edition. Brigham Young Univ., Provo, Utah. 986 pp.
  6. 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.