Last Chance Townsendia
Townsendia aprica
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G2
State (S-rank): S2
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
General information
Townsendia aprica is an Utah endemic species. It grows among pinyon-juniper communities on clay or clay-silt exposures of the Cretaceous Mancos Shale in Emery, Sevier, and Wayne Counties. Townsendia aprica is a mound-forming plant absent of stalks, so the flowers lay directly on the mound. It has relatively large flowers consisting of golden-yellow ray petals that are often purplish dorsally, many disc florets in the center, and hairy leaf surfaces. It is federally listed as threatened with less than 6,500 individuals.
Description
Townsendia aprica is an Utah endemic species. It grows among pinyon-juniper communities on clay or clay-silt exposures of the Cretaceous Mancos Shale in Emery, Sevier, and Wayne Counties. Townsendia aprica is a mound-forming plant absent of stalks, so the flowers lay directly on the mound. It has relatively large flowers consisting of golden-yellow ray petals that are often purplish dorsally, many disc florets in the center, and hairy leaf surfaces. It is federally listed as threatened with less than 6,500 individuals.
Phenology
Flowers from April to May.
Diagnostic characteristics
Townsendia aprica is a relatively unique looking species within its geographic region with its showy yellow orange ray flowers and matt forming habit. Some confusion could arise with similarly appearing Townsendia jonesii var. lutea which has ray flower pappus measuring 2-4.5 mm in length, while T. aprica produces a much smaller ray flower pappus that is just 0.7-1 mm in length.
Species range
A narrow endemic of south-central Utah in Emery, Sevier, and Wayne counties (USFWS 2013).
Threats or limiting factors
Threats include energy exploration and development, recreation, grazing , damage from wild horses and burros, and road maintainence. The primary threats at this time are energy develpment and grazing. Most sites have have serveral threats per site.
Taxonomy
No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies