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Vesper purpurascens

(A. Gray) R.L. Hartm. & G.L. Nesom

Purple Cymopterus

G5Secure Found in 40 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.129186
Element CodePDAPI0U0V0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderApiales
FamilyApiaceae
GenusVesper
Synonyms
Cymopterus purpurascens(Gray) M.E. Jones
Other Common Names
Wide-wing Spring-parsley (EN) widewing springparsley (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 Date2026-07-16
Change Date2026-07-16
Edition Date2026-07-16
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2026)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Vesper purpurascens is a wide-ranging perennial herb found in sandy or loamy soils of shrublands and coniferous woodlands. It is endemic to the western United States from southeastern Oregon and southern Idaho south to southeastern California and north-central and northwestern Arizona. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent and over 300 occurrences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Vesper purpurascens is endemic to the western United States "in southern Idaho, Utah, north-central and northwestern Arizona, eastern Nevada, southeastern California, and southeastern Oregon near the Nevada border. Reports from Colorado and New Mexico are based on the misapplication of the name" (FNA 2024). Range extent was estimated to be over 600,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2026 (RARECAT 2026, GBIF 2026, NatureServe 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 2026, it is estimated that there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2026, GBIF 2026, NatureServe 2026).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by stressors, including development, grazing, road maintenance, invasive species, and drought.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Vesper purpurascens grows on shrubby slopes and in shrublands, including desert shrub and sagebrush communities, and woodlands, including pinyon-juniper and ponderosa pine communities, on sand or loam soils (Heil et al. 2013, Welsh et al. 2015, FNA 2024, Jepson Flora Project 2026).

Reproduction

This species flowers from mid March through early June (FNA 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
UtahSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
OregonS2Yes
IdahoSNRYes
NevadaS4Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (40)
California (3)
AreaForestAcres
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
Nevada (25)
AreaForestAcres
Angel Peak NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,577
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Charleston - Macks CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,378
Chineese Camp (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,207
Currant - Box Spr.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest508
Currant - BroomHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest158
Currant - East SlopeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest10,101
Currant - SawmillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,364
Grant - Burnt CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest126
Grant - Horse Spr.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest274
Humboldt - SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,152
Moriah - Silver CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,582
Mt. ArdiveyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest37,984
Pearl PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest71,405
Pine Grove SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest88,945
QuinnHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest62,459
Rough CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,476
ShellbackHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest36,455
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
Spanish PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest31,520
Steven's SpringsHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,282
Toiyabe RangeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest99,225
Ward MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,927
West Silver CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,028
West Walker (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,683
Utah (12)
AreaForestAcres
0401010Ashley National Forest21,886
0401011Ashley National Forest30,062
AtchinsonDixie National Forest17,655
Boulder Mtn. / Boulder Top / Deer LakeDixie National Forest110,690
Box - Death HollowDixie National Forest3,175
Cove MountainDixie National Forest16,632
Dark ValleyDixie National Forest27,481
Mt. Logan WestWasatch-Cache National Forest5,285
North HillsDixie National Forest24,480
North PavantFishlake National Forest53,262
Oak CreekFishlake National Forest54,053
Wayne WonderlandFishlake National Forest12,395
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2024. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 13. Magnoliophyta: Geraniaceae to Apiaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 566 pp.
  2. GBIF. 2026. Filtered export of GBIF occurrence data: Vesper purpurascens. Online. https://www.gbif.org/derivedDataset/10.15468/dd.uumzx4 (accessed 16 07 2026).
  3. Hartman, R.L. and G.L. Nesom. 2012. Taxonomy of the genus <i>Vesper </i>(Apiaceae). Phytoneuron 94:1-9.
  4. Heil, K.D, S.L. O'Kane Jr., L.M. Reeves, and A. Clifford. 2013. Flora of the Four Corners Region. Vascular Plants of the San Juan River Drainage: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden, Vol. 124, Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, MO. xvi + 1098 pp.
  5. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2026. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2026).
  6. 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.
  7. NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2026. Version: 3.1.1 (released July 6, 2026).
  9. 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.