Home/Species/ Cliff Brittlebush

Apacheria chiricahuensis

C.T. Mason

Cliff Brittlebush

G2Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →

G2ImperiledGlobal Rank

LowThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.150024

Element CodePDCRO01010

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single nation

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderRosales

FamilyCrossosomataceae

GenusApacheria

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 MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x

Review Date2013-10-21

Change Date1998-01-26

Edition Date1999-05-28

Edition AuthorsGries, D., rev. A. Olivero (2003), rev S. Schuetze (2012)

Threat ImpactLow

Range Extent100-250 square km (about 40-100 square miles)

Number of Occurrences6 - 20

Rank Reasons

Apacheria chircahuensis, a monotypic genus, occurs in widely scattered populations in southwestern New Mexico, southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico (Carter 1998). It is known from the Chiricahua and Dragoon Mountains in Arizona and from the Black Range, and the San Mateo, San Andreas and Animas mountains in New Mexico. Its habitat is north-facing cliffs of limestone and rhyolite (Carter 1998). The cliffside habitat of this rare shrub offers considerable protection from human impacts (Carter 1998).

Range Extent Comments

Known from the Chiricahua Mountains in Chiricahua National Monument, and the Dragoon Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona. In New Mexico, known from East Red Canyon in the San Mateo Mountains, Cibola County, the Black Range in Sierra and Grant counties, San Andreas in Sierra and Socorro counties, and Animas Mountains in Hildago County. Also known from northern Mexico (Carter 1997; The New Mexico Native Plant Protection Committee 1984, 2005; Gottlieb 1999).

Occurrences Comments

Nine populations occur in Arizona, with seven on the Chiricahua National Monument; the other two occurrences occur on Forest Service land in same mountain range. In New Mexico, known from eleven occurrences (Gottlieb 1999).

Threat Impact Comments

The isolated cliffside habitats of this rare shrub offers considerable protection from human impacts (Carter 1998, AGFD 2012).

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Grows in crevices and on ledges on bare north and south exposed rhyolitic rock outcrops (Mason, Jr. 1975).
Great Basin conifer (pinyon-juniper) woodland, Rocky Mountain montane conifer forest; cliffs (Sivinski and Lightfoot 1994)

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferWoodland - ConiferBare rock/talus/screeCliff

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN2

Province	Rank	Native
Arizona	S2	Yes
New Mexico	S2	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (1)

Arizona (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Middle Dragoon Roadless	Coronado National Forest	10,543

References (9)

Arizona Department of Agriculture. 2001. December 11-last update. Salvage Restricted Protected Native Plants. Online. Available: http://agriculture.state.az.us/PSD/protplantlst3.htm. Accessed 2003, April 15.
Carter, J. 1997a. NMRPTC status summary: <i>Apacheria chiricahuensis</i> C.T. Mason (Crossosomataceae). New Mexico Rare Plant Technical Council; Reports on little-known plants. Online. Available: http://biology.unm.edu/chelo/98reports/carter.htm#apachi Accessed 1999, April 14.
Carter, J. 1998. New Mexico Rare Plants: <i>Apacheria chiricahuensis</i> (cliff brittlebush). New Mexico Rare Plant Technical Council, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Online. Available: http://nmrareplants.unm.edu (Version 15 March 2002). Accessed 2003, April 15.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2014b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 9. Magnoliophyta: Picramniaceae to Rosaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 713 pp.
Gottlieb, S.J. 1999. Excerpts from DRAFT reports in preparation by members of the New Mexico Rare Plants Technical Committee. New Mexico Natural Heritage Program, Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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.
Mason, C.T., Jr. 1975. Apacheria chiricahuensis: a new genus and species from Arizona. Madrono 23(3):105-108.
New Mexico Native Plant Protection Advisory Committee. 1984. A handbook of rare and endemic plants of New Mexico. Univ. New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 291 pp.
Sivinski, R., and K. Lightfoot, eds. 1994. Inventory of the rare and endangered plants of New Mexico. 2nd edition. Miscellaneous Publication No. 3, New Mexico Forestry and Resources Conservation Division, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Dept., Santa Fe. 46 pp.