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Cryptantha minima

Rydb.

Little Cat's-eye

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.154902
Element CodePDBOR0A1Y0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderLamiales
FamilyBoraginaceae
GenusCryptantha
Other Common Names
Cryptanthe minuscule (FR) Small Cryptantha (EN) Tiny Cryptantha (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 Date2025-04-01
Change Date1988-02-24
Edition Date2025-04-01
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Cryptantha minima is an annual forb occurring in grasslands, sandy plains, flats, foothills, sand dunes, and waste places of the Great Plains region of North America from Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada south through Texas and New Mexico in the United States. There are likely over 300 estimated occurrences of this species, which are threatened by oil and gas development, invasive plants, conversion of land for agriculture, fire suppression, succession, and climate change. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent, a high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Cryptantha minima is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Cryptantha minima occurs in North America, where it is native to the Great Plains region from Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada south through Texas and New Mexico in the United States (COSEWIC 2012). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
Based on herbarium records, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, and anecdotal evidence, there are likely more than 300 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats across its range are not widely documented, Cryptantha minima is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, agriculture, and other threats in some places. In Canada, threats to this species include oil and gas development, invasive plants, conversion of land for agriculture, fire suppression and succession, lack of grazing, and climate change (COSEWIC 2012). This species is dependent on some degree of disturbance, like fire or grazing, to maintain open habitat.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Cryptantha minima occurs on sandy plains, flats, foothills, and waste places east of the continental divide (Johnston 1925). In Canada, this species is found in dry uplands and sand dunes occurring adjacent to rivers in mixed grasslands (COSEWIC 2012).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceousSand/dune
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN2
ProvinceRankNative
AlbertaS2Yes
SaskatchewanS1Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
MontanaSNRYes
WyomingS4Yes
KansasS5Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
ColoradoS4Yes
South DakotaS4Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.1 - Annual & perennial non-timber cropsUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.1.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownUnknown
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownUnknownUnknown
3.1 - Oil & gas drillingUnknownUnknownUnknown
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
References (8)
  1. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). 2012. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Tiny Cryptantha <i>Cryptantha minima</i> in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, Ottawa. x + 37 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Johnston, I.M. 1925. Studies in the Boraginaceae. IV The North American species of <i>Cryptantha</i>. Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University 74: 3-55.
  5. 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.
  6. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).