Cymopterus glomeratus

This record represents the broad sense of Cymopterus glomeratus (C. acaulis) including Lomatium concinnum as the variety Cymopterus glomeratus var. concinnus, following FNA (vol. 13, 2024). FNA (vol. 13, 2024) treats Lomatium concinnum as a variety of Cymopterus glomeratus, along with five other varieties that were formerly treated in Cymopterus acaulis. "C. glomeratus has often been called C. acaulis, but that name is illegitimate" (FNA vol. 13, 2024). In contrast, Kartesz (1994) treated C. acaulis and L. concinnum as distinct species.

Cymopterus glomeratus is a wide-ranging perennial herb found in a variety of open, xeric habitats, including desert scrub, blackbrush scrub, sagebrush scrub, mixed grass prairies with scattered shrubs, plains, sand dunes and hills, deciduous woodlands, juniper woodlands, and pinyon-juniper woodlands. It occurs in western North America from Manitoba west to Alberta, Canada, south in the United States to western Minnesota (historically), Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Oregon, and northern Mexico in Chihuahua. There are over 800 occurrences, which face threats from conversion to agriculture, grazing and associated habitat degradation, mining, solar development, road construction and maintenance, utility development and maintenance, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles, but also foot traffic and dispersed camping), invasive species, and drought. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this taxon is considered secure.

Cymopterus glomeratus occurs in western North America from Manitoba west to Alberta, Canada, south in the United States to western Minnesota (historically), Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Oregon, and northern Mexico in Chihuahua (FNA 2024). Range extent was estimated to be over 2.7 million 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).

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 800 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026).

This taxon faces threats from conversion to agriculture, grazing and associated habitat degradation, mining, solar development, road construction and maintenance, utility development and maintenance, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles, but also foot traffic and dispersed camping), invasive species, and drought, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this taxon rangewide (UNHP 2024, NatureServe 2026).