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Many-flowered Viguiera - Viguiera multiflora
Other Names:
Heliomeris multiflora
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
DRAFT: Requesting feedback on the 2026 revised rank, factors, and State Rank Reason outlined below and in the Conservation Status Rank Report.
Viguiera multiflora is rare to uncommon in Montana, where it is at the northern extent of its historical range. Data on population sizes and extent are limited, and it is unclear if the species is still extant at some of the historical collection sites. Overall, population trends are unknown. Habitat conversion, fire suppression and vegetation succession may have negatively impacted some occurrences. Additionally, invasive species, especially non-native, perennial grasses may invade some of the species' habitat. More recently, the species is being used ornamentally and in wildflower mixes and it appears to be escaping and persisting beyond its historical range. Observations of the species along Highway 212 in Park County near Cooke City are likely introduced. As such, there is some uncertainty concerning the species' status in Montana, though it still appears to be vulnerable.
Surveys are needed to document population sizes and extent, habitat quality and potential threats at the known sites. Surveys are also needed to survey potentially suitable habitat for additional populations. There is also a need to try and clarify the status of several recent observations outside of the species' mapped range to determine if they are truly introductions and if they are persiting and/or spreading at these sites.
General Description
Many-flowered Viguiera is a perennial from a short taproot or fibrous rootstock with several stems standing 20-130 cm tall. All but the uppermost leaves are opposite on the stem. Leaves are 3-10 cm long and 8-30 mm wide, short-stalked or stalkless, narrowly oval in shape, and with pointed tips and surfaces with short, stiff hairs. Flower heads are borne at the ends of the branches. The involucre is 5-10 mm high, and composed of 2-3 series of narrow green bracts. Each head has 8-16 showy yellow rays that are 1-2 cm long by 3-5 mm wide, surrounding a disk, 6-15 mm across, composed of yellow tubular flowers. The black, hairless achenes are thick and angular in cross-section, lack bristles and scales at their tops, and are clasped by chaffy bracts as in a sunflower head.
Our plants are variety multiflora.
Phenology
Flowering in late July - August.
Diagnostic Characteristics
Viguiera multiflora belongs to the sunflower Tribe Heliantheae, which are distinguished from other composites by having opposite leaves and heads with chaffy bracts surrounding the achenes. It is distinguished within this group by the 4-sided achene and lack of a pappus. A hand lens and technical key are needed for positive identification.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
MT to CA, AZ, NM and TX (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX). The species is used ornamentally and is being planted in areas outside of its native range and it may spread further from these plantings. As such, observations are expected outside of its suspected native range in Montana.
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 22
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Aspen woodlands and open slopes.
National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species
Forest and Woodland
Deciduous Forest and Woodland
Montane - Subalpine Forest and Woodland
Grassland
Montane - Subalpine Grassland
Wetland and Riparian
Riparian and Wetland Forest
Ecology
POLLINATORS The following animal species have been reported as pollinators of this plant species or its genus where their geographic ranges overlap:
Bombus bifarius,
Bombus flavifrons,
Bombus rufocinctus,
Bombus insularis, and
Bombus flavidus (Pyke et al. 2012, Williams et al. 2014).
Stewardship Responsibility
Threats or Limiting Factors
STATE THREAT SCORE REASON
Threat impact not assigned because threats are not known (MTNHP Threat Assessment 2021).
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
MTNHP Threat Assessment. 2021. State Threat Score Assignment and Assessment of Reported Threats from 2006 to 2021 for State-listed Vascular Plants. Botany Program, Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana.- Pyke, G.H., D.W. Inouye, and J.D. Thomson. 2012. Local geographic distributions of bumble bees near Crested Butte, Colorado: competition and community structure revisited. Environmental Entomology 41(6): 1332-1349.
- Williams, P., R. Thorp, L. Richardson, and S. Colla. 2014. Bumble Bees of North America. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 208 p.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Culver, D.R. 1994. Floristic analysis of the Centennial Region, Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Montana State University, Bozeman. 199 pp.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
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