Grindelia fraxino-pratensis

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Grindelia fraxino-pratensis
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Astereae
Genus: Grindelia
Species: G. fraxino-pratensis
Binomial name
Grindelia fraxino-pratensis
Reveal & Beatley

Grindelia fraxino-pratensis (sometimes incorrectly written sans hyphen[1]) is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name Ash Meadows gumplant, or Ash Meadows gumweed.

Distribution

It is endemic to the Amargosa Valley along the southern part of the border between California and Nevada, where it is known from only 14 to 16 occurrences.[2] Many are found within the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in the Amargosa Desert area.

The plant grows in the clay, saline and alkaline soils of the land surrounding desert warm springs in the valley. Its main habitat type is the saltgrass meadow (Distichlis spicata). It is relatively abundant in the moist areas of its habitat, and rare in the drier areas.[3]

Description

The Grindelia fraxino-pratensis plant is a biennial or perennial herb growing one half to 1.2 meters tall, erect in form, brown or reddish in color, and hairless and oily in texture. It grows from a thick caudex atop a woody taproot. The dark green leaves are up to 7 centimeters long, widely lance-shaped or oblong, sometimes toothed near the tips, and studded with visible resin glands. The inflorescence bears one to four flower heads lined with thick phyllaries. The head contains about 15 yellow disc florets surrounded by about 13 yellow ray florets each about 4 millimeters long. The fruit is an achene with a pappus made up of two awns.

Conservation

This is a federally listed threatened species. Habitat in the area was first altered when peat mining was started and Carson Slough, a large local wetland, was drained.[4] The area was then farmed. Large scale farming by corporate agriculture altered much of the Ash Meadows habitat.[1] Today a main threat to the species is the lowering of the water table, which may move water supplies too deep into the soil for the plant to reach with its roots.[1][3][4] Other threats include trampling by feral horses and cattle, off-road vehicle use, and non-native plant species.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Management Report
  2. ↑ Nevada Natural Heritage Program
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 SDSU Soil Ecology & Research Group. (2004) Demographics and Ecology of the Amargosa Niterwort (Nitrophila mohavensis) and Ash Meadows Gumplant (Grendelia fraxino-pratensis) of the Carson Slough Area
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 FWS. (1985). Determination of threatened status with critical habitat of six plants and one insect in Ash Meadows, Nevada and California... Federal Register.

Further reading

Hasselquist, N. J. and M. F. Allen. (2009). Increasing demands on limited water resources: Consequences for two endangered plants in Amargosa Valley, USA. Am J Bot 96: 620-626.

External links

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