Welsh's Milkweed
Photo Courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Asclepias welshii
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G1G2
State (S-rank): S1
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
General information
Asclepias welshii is a federally listed as threatened species with a restricted range in Kane County, Utah, as well as in the immediately adjacent Coconino County, Arizona. This species is only known from the Dixie Divide sand dunes where it is able survive the ever shifting depths of the sand. Welsh's milkweed has tiny cream to rose colored flowers which form a round ball like inflorescence, and has thick leathery leaves with soft hairs across the surfaces. This plant is an important pollinator species in the Coral Pink sand dunes.
Description
Asclepias welshii is a federally listed as threatened species with a restricted range in Kane County, Utah, as well as in the immediately adjacent Coconino County, Arizona. This species is only known from the Dixie Divide sand dunes where it is able survive the ever shifting depths of the sand. Welsh's milkweed has tiny cream to rose colored flowers which form a round ball like inflorescence, and has thick leathery leaves with soft hairs across the surfaces. This plant is an important pollinator species in the Coral Pink sand dunes.
Phenology
Flowers from June to August.
Diagnostic characteristics
Asclepias welshii can be identified by its large soft-woolly, oval shaped leaves which grow opposite each other along a tall, upright stem. The numerous unique tiny flowers form spherical clusters and bloom from the leaf axils. These unique characteristics in the restricted range of the Coral Dune habitat help positively identify this rare plant.
Species range
A sand dune Dixie Divide endemic, found only in Kane County, Utah, and adjacent counties of Arizona.
Threats or limiting factors
Primary threats include recreation (OHV, camping, hiking, and etc.) and grazing. The BLM Ferry Swale and Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliff populations (Paria Wilderness Area) do not show any immediate impacts and are protected from OHV use and grazing.The more immediate threats are its small geographic area, drought, and undisturbed dunes. This species prefers some amount of disturbance whether by wind, or OHV use, however, the age class observed is generally primary or secondary in areas with OHV use. More mature stems tend to be observed in those areas with natural disturbance such as wind. The populations on BLM land in Arizona are not affected by the light grazing that occurs there. Light activity occurs below the dunes, and none of the plants were eaten or utilized by .
Taxonomy
No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies