S. Wats.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.135854
Element CodePDAPI070Q0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderApiales
FamilyApiaceae
GenusAngelica
Concept ReferenceKartesz, 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 Date2025-04-02
Change Date1990-03-19
Edition Date2025-04-02
Edition AuthorsBen Franklin, rev. B. Franklin (1999), rev. A. Treher (2012), rev. M. McCormick (2023) and N. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactVery high - high
Range Extent5000-200,000 square km (about 2000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank ReasonsAngelica wheeleri is a perennial forb occurring in wet, boggy areas in riparian communities, near seeps, and springs of Utah; in Cache, Juab, Piute, Salt Lake, Sevier, and Utah counties. There are an estimated seventeen occurrences of this species, which are primarily threatened by grazing and climate change. Additional threats impacting riparian and wetland habitats required by this species are urban development, impacts from hiking and fishing, stream channelization, water diversions, and other watershed and stream alterations, and invasion by exotic plant species. Many occurrences are historical and should be revisited.
Range Extent CommentsAngelica wheeleri occurs in the western United States as a Utah endemic (Welsh et al. 2015). Specifically, this species is a Northern Uplands and Southern Plateaus endemic occurring in Cache, Juab, Piute, Salt Lake, Sevier, and Utah counties. Range extent was calculated using data from the Utah Rare Plant Database (2023), excluding observations over 40 years old (UNHP 2023).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 2 km separation distance to population location data from the Utah Rare Plant Database (2023), there are seventeen estimated occurrences (UNHP 2023).
Threat Impact CommentsThreats were compiled using observations and notes from the Utah Rare Plant Database (2023) and Utah Geospatial Resource Center data (2023). Major threats to Angelica wheeleri are grazing and climate change (UNHP 2023). Almost all occurrences are in active grazing allotments, although it is unclear how many are directly accessed by cattle. The Utah Native Plant Rare Plant Master List (UNPS 2025) includes cattle grazing as a potential threat. The Utah Native Plant Society also indicates that there is a potential threat to this species from naturalized mountain goats in the Tushar Mountains and Wasatch ranges (Alexander 2016, UNPS 2025). However, Angelica wheeleri occurrences do not seem to have much overlap with mapped mountain goat habitat. Climate change is also a threat to this wetland species. Droughts and rapid snowmelt due to wind-blown sediments are melting snowpack earlier than normal in our region (UNPS 2025). Additional threats impacting riparian and wetland habitats required by this species are urban development, impacts from hiking and fishing, stream channelization, water diversions, and other watershed and stream alterations, and invasion by exotic plant species (Franklin 2005, UNHP 2023).