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Snake River Cat's-eye - Cryptantha spiculifera
Other Names:
Cryptantha macounii
Native Species
Global Rank:
G4?
State Rank:
S4
C-value:
Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
External Links
General Description
Perennial with a branched caudex. Stems erect, 3–20 cm. Herbage strigose, hispid. Leaves basal and cauline, petiolate, linear-oblanceolate, acute, 1–6 cm long, becoming sessile above. Inflorescence leafy-bracteate below. Flowers: calyx hirsute, hispid, 5–8 mm long in fruit; corolla 5–9 mm long, 6–8 mm across the limb; fornices ochroleucus. Nutlets 1 to 4, ovate to lance-ovate, ridged-rugose, 2–3 mm long; scar closed. (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Diagnostic Characteristics
Cryptantha macounii has been separated from Cryptantha spiculifera based on the length of the nutlets (Lesica et al. 2012). The length of the nutlets is continuous and varies within a population; therefore, Lesica et al. (2012) has chosen to retain the name of C. spiculifera. However, if the two taxa are officially separated then the Montana plants would be C. macounii.
Range Comments
Central Washington and E Oregon to NE California and N Nevada, E throughout Snake River Plains of Idaho, and N through EC Idaho to W Montana.
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 38
(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
Sandy or stony soil of ridges, open slopes in grasslands, sagebrush steppe; plains, valleys, montane (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Stewardship Responsibility
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.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
Harvey, S.J. 1990. Responses of steppe plants to gradients of water soil texture and disturbance in Montana, U.S.A. Ph.D. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 34 p.- 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.
- Quire, R.L. 2013. The sagebrush steppe of Montana and southeastern Idaho shows evidence of high native plant diversity, stability, and resistance to the detrimental effects of nonnative plant species. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 124 p.
- Seipel, T.F. 2006. Plant species diversity in the sagebrush steppe of Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 87 p.
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