Home/Species/ Arizona Bugbane

Actaea arizonica

(S. Wats.) J. Compton

Arizona Bugbane

G2Imperiled Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G2ImperiledGlobal Rank

MediumThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.136364

Element CodePDRAN07020

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single state or province

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderRanunculales

FamilyRanunculaceae

GenusActaea

Synonyms

Cimicifuga arizonicaS. Wats.

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

Treated by Kartesz (1999) as Actaea arizonica; also known as Cimicifuga arizonica (e.g., in Kartesz (1994)). Phylogenetic analyses of Compton et al. (1998) support the inclusion of Cimicifuga within a monophyletic Actaea.

Conservation Status

Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x

Review Date2015-06-01

Change Date1998-07-09

Edition Date2015-06-01

Edition AuthorsGardner, P.A.(1989), rev. S. Schuetze (2012), rev. A. Treher (2015)

Threat ImpactMedium

Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences21 - 80

Rank Reasons

Endemic to Arizona and only known from the central portion of the state. Less than 20 sites extant.

Range Extent Comments

Coconino, Gila, and Yavapai Counties, Arizona. Reported from Bill Williams Mountains and Oak Creek, Coconino County and Sierra Ancha, Gila County, Arizona.

Occurrences Comments

Of the 24 element occurrences in Arizona Heritage Program database, 1 is historical, 8 extant, and the rest are unrankable until site visits are done to determine persistence (AGFD 2012).

Threat Impact Comments

Habitat modification and destruction threats due to such activities as recreation, road construction, logging, off-road vehicle use, and water control structures. (USFWS 1992)

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Wooded ravines with rich soil 1675-2130 m elevation.
Grows in the moist, loamy soil of the ecotone (transition) between the coniferous forest and the riparian habitat (5300-7000 feet). Most of the known populations are located within canyons but some are found on mountain sites within drainages, seeps, springs and on shaded north slopes. Rich, fertile soils high in humus content, deep shade, and high humidity appear to be the primary habitat requirements for this species (USFWS 1992).

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest/WoodlandForest - Mixed

Palustrine Habitats

FORESTED WETLANDRiparian

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN2

Province	Rank	Native
Arizona	S2	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
4 - Transportation & service corridors	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbance	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
6.1 - Recreational activities	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)Yes

Roadless Areas (2)

Arizona (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Cherry Creek	Tonto National Forest	11,371
Sierra Ancha Wilderness Contiguous	Tonto National Forest	7,787

References (7)

Arizona Game and Fish Department. 1992. Heritage Data Management System: Plants- Status and occurrences. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ.
Compton, J. A., A. Culham and S.L. Jury. 1998. Reclassification of Actaea to include Cimicifuga and Souliea (Ranunculaceae): phytogeny inferred from morphology, nrDNA ITS, and cpDNA trnL-F sequence variation. Taxon 47:593-634.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1997. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 3. Magnoliophyta: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiii + 590 pp.
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.
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Kearney, T.H., R.H. Peebles, and collaborators. 1951. Arizona flora. 2nd edition with Supplement (1960) by J.T. Howell, E. McClintock, and collaborators. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1085 pp.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1992. Handbook of Arizona's Endangered, Threatened, and Candidate Plants. USFWS. Arizona Ecological Services State Office, Phoenix, Arizona.

Actaea arizonica

Habitat

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