NEVADA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
Rare Plant Committee Meeting
NEVADA RARE PLANT WORKSHOP
Wednesday & Thursday, 2-3 April 2008, Reno

2008 MEMBER COMMENTS
http://heritage.nv.gov/nrpw/commnt08.htm

This page is available for any comments, information, issues, etc. that you would like to offer the group prior to the 2008 Workshop. They should be in some way relevant to the business of the Workshop. Those unable to attend, but with thoughts or information to contribute, are especially encouraged to send them to us (jdmore [at] heritage [dot] nv [dot] gov) well ahead of time for posting on this page. See past contributions for examples. The entire page will be made available at the 2008 Workshop for the consideration of participants.

(NOTE: comments below are listed in reverse chronologic order, and include past years' comments when applicable to this year's agenda or stale items.)

Member: Dr. Donald Farrar
Date: 20 Mar 2008
Comments: The analysis that I sent to Bruce [Lund] is the last word for now. It was great that we were able, finally, to confirm the presence of Botrychium lineare (B. "furcatum" genotype) in the Spring Mountains and understand why we were puzzled by the heterozygosity that we found in plants I had previously analyzed.

I presume you know that the Fish and Wildlife Service removed B. lineare from endangered plant candidacy last year, based on all the new discoveries we have made. Still it is a rare plant and its presence in the Spring Mountains is quite significant. I hope that someone will continue to monitor the plants at Mary Jane Falls. It was so dry last summer that we found only a small patch of suitable habitat, but I'll bet that a wetter year will bring out more.

Member: Brian Knaus
Date: 24 Feb 2008
Comments: Astragalus lentiginosus var. multiracemosus S.L. Welsh & N.D. Atwood 2007. Distribution: "Moist seep in Lamoile [sic] Canyon at circa 2593 m in the Ruby Mts., Elko Co., Nevada."  When I saw isotypes of this taxon before its description I thought it was really different! So I was excited when I learned that Dr. Welsh had described it as a new taxon. This taxon is very similar to the 'seepy' varieties of A. lentiginosus. These include vars. albifolius, piscinensis and sesquimetralis, all of which appear very different from the rest of A. lentiginosus. It has become my opinion that these populations may represent independent adaptations to these seepy habitats. 

I feel there is a nomenclatural issue with this taxon that deserves some attention. This taxon may represent a synonym to A. l. var. tremuletorum Barneby (1945). The type locality for var. tremuletorum is "Meadow, 8500 ft., upper Lamoille Canyon, Elko Co., NV." which I find to be remarkably similar to the type of A. l. var. multiracemosus. Barneby (1964) lumped tremuletorum under scorpionis as did Welsh (2007). I have seen specimens of both and do see some slight differences but would caution that this may require further investigation/clarification as to whether this is the same organism. The type image for var. tremuletorum can be viewed at my website: http://oregonstate.edu/~knausb/ASLE/Al_scorpionis.html.

In an e-mail Dr. Welsh has informed me that he based his distinction of var. multiracemosus on measurements provided by Barneby 1964 for var. scorpionis. It therefore seems very reasonable that Dr. Welsh has described it as a new taxon. However I do not believe he has compared his multiracemosus to tremuletorum.

Recommendation: List as rare. While I feel there is some issue as to what the appropriate name for this taxon may be I do agree with Dr. Welsh’s determination that this represents a taxon. This taxon is currently only known from its type locality. I am unaware of what threats may be present to this taxon. However, due to its rarity it seems prudent to list it at least as a taxon where more information is needed.

Member: Brian Knaus
Date: 24 Feb 2008
Comments: Astragalus lentiginosus var. stramineus (Rydberg) Barneby 1945.  Barneby (1964: 944) has described this taxon as having ’an intangible individuality’ and approaches vars. micans, variabilis (form gamma), and var. coachellae in morphology.  CpSSR data indicate that a sampled population of var. stramineus represents a unique haplotype which is very similar to haplotypes of vars. micans and variabilis.  This taxon may represent an adaptation to a sandy environment that is independent from other events within A. lentiginosus. 

Member: Barbara Ertter
Date: 19 Feb 2008
Comments: Yes, I forgot to mention Potentilla holmgrenii. Dave and Reidar are co-authors on Potentilla, responsible for sect. Niveae, so this ended up in their bailiwick. I reviewed the manuscript, and am satisfied with it as a distinct taxon. I haven't seen the voucher from the Deep Creek mountains of Utah, however.

Member: Don Farrar
Date: 24 March 2006
Comments: The only new thing we have done with the Nevada [Botrychium] plants has been to compare the "lunaria" plants there to other species in their genetic constitution. These comparisons, done in PopGene analysis, yields Genetic Identity relationships, i.e., how close they are to other species. In these comparisons, the Nevada "lunaria" comes out closest to Botrychium tunux in Alaska. I also found similar plants in Glacier National Park last summer. Quite possibly we will call both the Nevada and Glacier NP plants B. tunux. That will be a new species for Nevada and all of the lower 48 except Montana. This will constitute a remarkable range disjunction. I would be very interested in hearing of any other similar range disjunctions involving Alaska and/or Glacier NP and the Spring Mountains.

Relative to Botrychium lineare in the Spring Mountains we have also further knowledge of the genotypic range of the species from new discoveries made last year in Colorado and California. This new information may help in interpreting the peculiar genotypes of B. lineare-like plants in the Spring Mountains.

Member: Arnold Tiehm
Date: 4 March 2005
Comments: I have seen both collections of Cryptantha insolita and it sure looks like a good taxon to me. The type was collected by Goodding in 1905 and the label is just "Las Vegas". The 1942 collection was by Ripley and Barneby and again just says "Las Vegas". I once asked Rupert about the location. He told me that Las Vegas was just a wide spot in the road in 1942. They stayed at the Sal Sagev (anagram of Las Vegas) Motel and out behind the motel were springs. The Cryptantha was on the deposits from the springs. They also got Calochortus striatus at the same site. I would imagine that a little detective work could turn up a location for the old motel and then a search of the immediate area would tell if the plant is in existence.

Member: Dana York
Date: 17 March 2004
Comments (in part): Sisyrinchium funereum--I question that this species occurs at Ash Meadows. There are no other rare plant correlations between Ash Meadows and Death Valley. This plant only occurs in the springs surrounding the (Death) valley. The populations vary in size (some >100 plants) and seem to be stable, but threats include exotic plants, water extraction, cattle, and burros.

Member: Jason Alexander
Date: 27 April 2003
Comments: With a taxon as complicated as Astragalus lentiginosus, we do not yet know if these small [Nevada var. stramineus] populations with unique morphology are significantly differentiated from the rest of the complex or are they fully intergradient with neighboring varieties. Untested hypotheses abound (including, so far, mine) but no concrete data has ever been researched. It is important to protect the diversity in this variety in either scenario in a population biology context.

If var. stramineus is a full hybrid, or the Nevada populations are hybrids with var. fremontii, these hybrids swarms are an important conduit for genetic diversity of typical var. stramineus. It is likely that var. stramineus will become genetically depauperate and potentially go extinct if this conduit for genetic diversity is severed. In this case, a conservation plan would encompass populations from Toquop Wash (which are distinguishable from typical stramineus only in having slightly smaller flowers) east to the Beaver Dam Wash. These putative hybrids should be considered var. stramineus until genetic data show otherwise.

If var. stramineus is distinct from other varieties of this complex, the population in Toquop Wash is likely the main source for dispersal in Nevada, having the largest and most widespread extant populations. The others around Mesquite are heavily impacted. In addition, the populations around Beaver Dam are also heavily impacted by past and current development. The remote sandy pockets in washes between Toquop Wash and Beaver Dam Wash are important small populations that promote gene flow and the maintenance of diversity in this species. If this hypothesis is correct, loosing these small populations could cause a loss of genetic diversity and the possible extinction of this variety. In any case, var. stramineus is a taxon in need of some mitigation from habitat loss.

Member: Anita Cholewa
Date: 18 March 2003
Comments: For starters, this genus is not an easy one to separate and is fraught with danger for inexperienced botanists. Here's some additional information that might be of help. In the area where these plants occur (southern NV, UT) there aren't too many other species. In fact, Sisyrinchium demissum is the only other one that overlaps in range. (S. bellum is further west and S. halophilum is further northwest -- we've searched extensively and never found these closer). Sisyrinchium demissum, S. funereum, and S. radicatum are all branched species but can be distinguished on the basis of additional bract and floral characters (see table below). The characters are subtle but real. I have done a fair amount of crossing among these [species] and barriers exist. I don't have flowering dates but generally these are all spring to early summer for the particular region.

The Sisyrinchium funereum populations are mostly within Death Valley and thus protected (Furnace Creek near Inn, Sand Springs at north end of Death Valley and the Ash Meadows border area both within -Devils Hole- and outside Death Valley -McGill Ranch and Jackrabbit Springs [maybe this is inside I don't remember]). Populations contain lots of individuals.

The Sisyrinchium radicatum populations are a bit more dispersed, in Clark, Nye, and Lincoln cos. with some also in Washington Co. in UT. Clark: Charleston Mts - Pine Canyon, Charleston Mts - Ash Spring, Spring Mts - Pine Creek, Red Rock Canyon - Calico Basin. Nye: Big Springs (aka Deep Springs) in Ash Meadows, Pahrump Valley. Lincoln: Pahranagat Lakes, Pahranagat Valley - Ash Springs. I can't assess the threats to these populations.

I would be happy to look at your materials [in Nevada herbaria] but I cannot promise a speedy return if more than just a few specimens.

(last updated 25 March 2008) 

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