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Field Guide


Goodrich’s Cleomella

Goodrich’s Cleomella (Cleomella hillmanii var. goodrichii)
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Cleomella hillmanii var. goodrichii

NatureServe conservation status

Global (G-rank): G4G5T1
State (S-rank): S1

Utah Wildlife Action Plan status

  • SGCN

External links


General information

Cleomella hillmanii var. goodrichii is known from Unitah County, Utah and Lemhi County, Idaho where it grows in dry, open, often alkaline meadows and flats. This stinkweed blooms while it's still quite small with powerful little yellow flowers that are described as ill-smelling. This species has trifoliate leaves with rounded tips and grows mid calf height in the very narrow and disjunct regions it is found.  It is best identified while it is in fruit.

Description

Cleomella hillmanii var. goodrichii is known from Unitah County, Utah and Lemhi County, Idaho where it grows in dry, open, often alkaline meadows and flats. This stinkweed blooms while it's still quite small with powerful little yellow flowers that are described as ill-smelling. This species has trifoliate leaves with rounded tips and grows mid calf height in the very narrow and disjunct regions it is found.  It is best identified while it is in fruit.

Phenology

Flowers primarily in the spring months, April to June.

Diagnostic characteristics

Cleomella hillmanii is divided further into two varieties by measurements of the fruiting parts:

Cleomella hillmanii var. goodrichii has fruiting pedicels which attach to the stem and are 4.5-8.5 (10) mm long, the stipe which attaches to the fruit and the fruiting pedicel is 3.5-6.5 mm long and the capsules are (5) 6.5-10.5 mm in diameter.

Cleomella hillmanii var. hillmanii has fruiting pedicels which attach to the stem measure (6.5) 9-17 mm long, the stipe which attaches to the fruit and the fruiting pedicel is (6) 7-15 mm long and the capsules are 4-7 (8) mm in diameter.

In flower, Cleomella hillmannii var. goodrichii which stems that are hairless can resemble Cleomella platycarpa which has stems with spreading hairs and glandular hairs.

Species range

Uintah County, Utah and Lemhi County, Idaho.

Threats or limiting factors

Observations in Utah Rare Plant Database reported farming and ranching, OHV recreation, invasive plant species, drought, storms and flooding, hiking as well as natural rarity and small isolated populations as threats (URPD 2025).

Taxonomy

No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies