Beaver Mountain Groundsel
C. Delmatier; C. Delmatier
Packera castoreus
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G1
State (S-rank): S1
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
General information
This perennial herb can be found in Polemonium, Trisodium, Festuca, and arenaria communities, often on windswept ridges or less commonly downward to the spruce-fir community. It is a southern plateau endemic characterized by corymbose heads that have a tinge of purple at the tips of the bracts.
The affinities of this tiny plant appear to lie with S. werneriifolius, but the leaf blades are seldom broadly oblanceolate to suborbicular.
Description
This perennial herb can be found in Polemonium, Trisodium, Festuca, and arenaria communities, often on windswept ridges or less commonly downward to the spruce-fir community. It is a southern plateau endemic characterized by corymbose heads that have a tinge of purple at the tips of the bracts.
The affinities of this tiny plant appear to lie with S. werneriifolius, but the leaf blades are seldom broadly oblanceolate to suborbicular.
Phenology
Most collections were made between July and September.
Species range
Endemic to high elevations of the Tushar Mountains in the Southern Utah High Plateaus of Piute and Beaver Counties, central Utah; known from at least Mount Belknap and Gold Mountain.
Threats or limiting factors
This species occurs in high alpine, difficult-to-access areas, and there are not many threats. In the past, off-road-vehicle use was a potential threat to this species; however, the Travel Management Plan now in place for the Fishlake National Forest prohibits cross-country travel. Trampling by hikers does not appear to be a threat; in general, plants are not located close to trails, and the steep relief of the substrates on which it grows discourages exploration. Climate change is a threat, including droughts and rapid snowmelt (Alexander 2015).
Taxonomy
No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies