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Cymopterus basalticus

M.E. Jones

Intermountain Wavewing

G2Imperiled (G2G3) Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
High - mediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.132691
Element CodePDAPI0U030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderApiales
FamilyApiaceae
GenusCymopterus
Other Common Names
basalt springparsley (EN) Basalt Spring-parsley (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 Date2023-03-20
Change Date2023-03-20
Edition Date2023-03-20
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2023).
Threat ImpactHigh - medium
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 80
Rank Reasons
Cymopterus basalticus occurs in the western United States, it is endemic to the Great Basin of southwestern Utah and eastern Nevada. There are estimated to be about 20 occurrences. In 1978, it was considered to be broadly distributed, and common to abundant in the center of its range, but more and current information is needed about its abundance, any population trend, and threats. It occurs on dolomite outcrops, gravelly hills and alluvial fans, in desert shrub, pinyon-juniper and sagebrush communities.
Range Extent Comments
Cymopterus basalticus occurs in the western United States, it is endemic to the Great Basin and occurs only in Beaver and Millard counties in southwestern Utah, and White Pine county in eastern Nevada, the range extent of Cymopterus basalticus is about 12,565 square kilometers, based on occurrences documented as extant between 1982 and 2018 (Goodrich 1986, iNaturalist 2023, Kartesz 1988, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023, Welsh et al. 2015).
Occurrences Comments
There are about 20 occurrences of Cymopterus basalticus documented as extant between 1982 and 2018 (iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats are not well known, but likely include impacts from livestock grazing, competition from invasive exotic plants, such as Bromus spp. and Salsola tragus, recreational ORV use, possibly mining (for dolomite), and extreme or long-term drought such as may become more severe with climate change ( NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023, Utah Natural Heritage Program 2021). More information is needed about threats to Cymopterus basalticus (Alexander 2016).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Cymopterus basalticus has orbicular to reniform leaf blades without a rachis, characters which are unique in the genus Cymopterus (Welsh et al. 2015).

Habitat

Cymopterus basalticus is reported to occur on bare basaltic, but more often dolomite rocks, barren clays, dolomite outcrops, gravelly hills and alluvial fans, at elevations of 1705 - 2134 m (5600 - 7000 feet) in desert shrub, pinyon-juniper and sagebrush communities (Alexander 2016, Kartesz 1988, Mozingo and Williams 1980, SEINet 2023, Welsh et al. 2015). On the USDA Forest Service Desert Experimental Range, in southwest Millard county, Utah the habitat is described as "...occasional on shallow soils over bedrock and on older alluvial fans. The name "basalticus" is a misnomer because the plant is found on dolomite and not on basalt" (Goodrich 1986).

Reproduction

April through June (Goodrich 1986).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandWoodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralDesertBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS1Yes
UtahS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
3 - Energy production & miningSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineUnknown
3.2 - Mining & quarryingSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineUnknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
11.2 - DroughtsPervasive (71-100%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Nevada (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Snake - Peacock CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,069
References (12)
  1. Alexander, J. 2016. The Utah Native Plant Society Rare Plant List: Version 2. Calochortiana. 3: 1-248.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2024. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 13. Magnoliophyta: Geraniaceae to Apiaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 566 pp.
  3. Goodrich, S., 1986. Vascular Plants of the Desert Experimental Range, Millard County, Utah. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, General Technical Report INT-209. Ogden, Utah, 72 pp.
  4. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  6. 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.
  7. Mozingo, H.N., and M. Williams. 1980. The threatened and endangered plants of Nevada. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management, Portland, OR. 268 pp.
  8. NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).
  10. Utah Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Utah Rare Plant Database (accessed 2021).
  11. Welsh, S. L. 1978b. Endangered and Threatened Plants of Utah: A Reevaluation. Great Basin Naturalist 38(1): 1-18.
  12. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins. (Eds). 2015. A Utah flora, fifth edition, revised 2015. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Provo, Utah. 987 pp.