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Lewisia leeana

(Porter) B.L. Robins.

Lee's Bitterroot

G4Apparently Secure Found in 23 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.141925
Element CodePDPOR04080
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyMontiaceae
GenusLewisia
Synonyms
Lewisia leana(Porter) Robinson
Other Common Names
quill-leaf lewisia (EN) Quill-leaf Lewisia (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 Date2025-02-20
Change Date1991-10-24
Edition Date2025-02-20
Edition AuthorsBroaddus, Lynn, rev. N. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Lewisia leeana is a perennial forb occurring on granitic or serpentine slopes and cliffs of western North America, in northwestern California and southwesternmost Oregon, as well as Fresno County, California. There are an estimated 106 occurrences of this species, which are potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way construction and maintenance, invasive species, off-road vehicle impacts, recreation, logging, wildfire, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats and trends, and monitoring populations is important to improving our understanding of the status of Lewisia leeana.
Range Extent Comments
Lewisia leeana occurs in the western United States in northwestern California and southwesternmost Oregon, and also as a disjunct population in Fresno County, California (FNA 2003). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
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 106 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Lewisia leeana is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way construction and maintenance, invasive species, off-road vehicle impacts, recreation, logging, wildfire, and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2025).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Lewisia leeana occurs on "open north- or northwest-facing granitic or serpentine slopes or cliffs" (FNA 2003). In California this species is associated with conifer forests (Jepson Flora Project 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
OregonS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (23)
California (21)
AreaForestAcres
Blue Creek Rare ISix Rivers National Forest12,134
Castle Crags AShasta-Trinity National Forest113
Castle Crags BShasta-Trinity National Forest1,619
Condrey Mtn.Klamath National Forest2,923
Dinkey LakesSierra National Forest34,171
East ForkShasta-Trinity National Forest6,201
East GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest27,894
JohnsonKlamath National Forest10,652
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
Lake EleanorShasta-Trinity National Forest397
Mt. EddyShasta-Trinity National Forest7,232
Murphy GladeShasta-Trinity National Forest1,015
Orleans Mtn.Klamath National Forest49,090
RussianKlamath National Forest21,771
Ship MountainSix Rivers National Forest11,936
SiskiyouKlamath National Forest54,039
Siskiyou ASix Rivers National Forest1,017
Siskiyou BSix Rivers National Forest18,871
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
Oregon (2)
AreaForestAcres
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
References (8)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2003b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 4, Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 559 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  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. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).