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Erigeron petrophilus

Greene

Cliff Fleabane

G4Apparently Secure Found in 24 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.152866
Element CodePDAST3M350
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusErigeron
Other Common Names
rockloving erigeron (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 Date2026-03-03
Change Date1991-02-08
Edition Date2026-03-04
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2026)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Erigeron petrophilus is a wide-ranging perennial herb found on rocky slopes, crevices, ledges, and talus from foothills to montane forest, and sometimes on serpentine areas. It is endemic to the western United States in southwestern Oregon south to central California. There are over 100 occurrences, which potentially face threats from development, cattle grazing and trampling, road maintenance, logging, recreational activities, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered apparently secure.
Range Extent Comments
Erigeron petrophilus is endemic to the western United States in southwestern Oregon south to central California (FNA 2006, Jepson Flora Project 2026, OSU 2026). Range extent was estimated to be over 100,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 100 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by stressors, including development, cattle grazing and trampling, road maintenance, logging, recreational activities, and invasive species, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species rangewide (NatureServe 2026).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Erigeron petrophilus grows on rocky slopes, crevices, ledges, and talus from foothills to montane forest, and sometimes on serpentine areas (FNA 2006, Jepson Flora Project 2026, OSU 2026).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousBarrensBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS2Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (24)
California (24)
AreaForestAcres
BackboneShasta-Trinity National Forest11,466
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Bonanza KingShasta-Trinity National Forest16,402
Bucks LakePlumas National Forest680
Castle Crags AShasta-Trinity National Forest113
Castle Crags BShasta-Trinity National Forest1,619
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
Condrey Mtn.Klamath National Forest2,923
East YubaTahoe National Forest17,968
Elk CreekMendocino National Forest23,182
JohnsonKlamath National Forest10,652
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Lake EleanorShasta-Trinity National Forest397
Middle ForkPlumas National Forest29,278
Mt. EddyShasta-Trinity National Forest7,232
Orleans Mtn.Klamath National Forest49,090
RussianKlamath National Forest21,771
ShacklefordKlamath National Forest1,679
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
Snow MountainMendocino National Forest14,457
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
West YubaPlumas National Forest6,071
West YubaTahoe National Forest16,059
References (9)
  1. 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.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2026. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2026).
  3. iNaturalist. 2026. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2026).
  4. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2026. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2026).
  5. 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.
  6. NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Oregon State University (OSU). 2026. Oregon Flora website. Oregon State University Herbarium at Oregon State University. Online. Available: https://oregonflora.org/ (accessed 2026).
  8. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2026. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2026).