Revision of the Phlox austromontana (Polemoniaceae) complex in Utah

The taxa centering around Phlox austromontana Coville are revised. Named as a new variety is P. austromontana var. lutescens Welsh from eastern Garfield County, Utah. A new combination is provided as P. austromontana var.  jonesii (Wherry) Welsh.          

Oxytropis DC.—names, basionyms, types, and synonyms—Flora North America Project

The taxa centering around Phlox austromontana Coville are revised. Named as a new variety is P. austromontana var. lutescens Welsh from eastern Garfield County, Utah. A new combination is provided as P. austromontana var.  jonesii (Wherry) Welsh.          

New Nevada entities and combinations in Eriogonum (Polygonaceae)

New species and varieties of the plant genus Eriogonum (Polygonaceae) that occur in Nevada are proposed. Eriogonum tiehmii and E. ochrocephalum var. alexanderae are endemic to Nevada, and E. lewisii is restricted to extreme northeastern Nevada and adjacent Utah. These entities belong to the subgenus Eucycla. Two varieties of E. umbellatum (of the subgenus Oligogonum) are proposed. The first, var. juniporinum , is found in eastern Nevada and in the desert ranges of southeastern California. The second is var. furcosum , which is restricted to the Sierra Nevada. One new combination is also proposed: E. nudum var. gramineum .         

The genus Eriogonum Michx. (Polygonaceae) and Michel Gandoger

New species and varieties of the plant genus Eriogonum (Polygonaceae) that occur in Nevada are proposed. Eriogonum tiehmii and E. ochrocephalum var. alexanderae are endemic to Nevada, and E. lewisii is restricted to extreme northeastern Nevada and adjacent Utah. These entities belong to the subgenus Eucycla. Two varieties of E. umbellatum (of the subgenus Oligogonum) are proposed. The first, var. juniporinum , is found in eastern Nevada and in the desert ranges of southeastern California. The second is var. furcosum , which is restricted to the Sierra Nevada. One new combination is also proposed: E. nudum var. gramineum .         

A survey and assessment of the rare vascular plants of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site

A two-year study of the rare vascular plants of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory generated new data on the abundance, distribution, and habitat features of eight taxa presently under review at either the federal or state level, or recently proposed for such review. Astragalus ceramicus Sheld. var. apus Barneby is common on the INEL and adjacent areas and will be recommended for removal from further consideration at the federal level and placed on Idaho's Federal Watch List. Coryphanta missouriensis (Sweet) Britt. & Rose is common throughout east central Idaho, but will be recommended for retainment on the State Watch List. Gymnosteris nudicaulis (H. & A.) Greene and Oxytheca dendroidea Nutt. are also recommended for retention on the State Watch List. Four taxa not previously known to occur in Idaho or not known from the southeastern part of the state ( Astragalus gilviflorus Sheld., Astragalus kentrophyta Gray var. jessiae (Peck) Barneby, Gilia polycladon Torr., and Lesquerella kingii S. Wats. var. cobrensis Roll. & Shaw) were encountered and evaluated with reference to current or potential threats, and are recommended for placement on Idaho's State Watch List.         

Utah's rare plants revisited

Presented is a current evaluation of the status and distribution of Utah's rare plant species, including those officially listed as endangered or threatened, those under review for listing, those recommended by the Utah Native Plant Society, and those which recently have been removed from consideration. Taxa are discussed alphabetically. Information on status, distribution, habitat, elevation, and specimens deposited at Brigham Young University are included in the discussion of each species. Maps showing the state distribution of each listed or candidate plant are also provided. New combinations include Dalea flavescens (Wats.) Welsh var. epica (Welsh) Welsh & Chatterley and Schoenerambe suffrutescens (Rollins) Welsh & Chatterley.        

New species and new records of North American Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), Part V: the Juglandis group

Six new species of Pityophthorus from Mexico are described. The new species, all in the Scriptor group, are: atkinsoni, diminutivus, equihuai, thamnus, trunculus and zexmenivora . An additional locality record for P. coronarius Blackman is included. A new key to the 22 species included in the Scriptor group is presented.         

New species and records of North American Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), Part IV: the Scriptor group

Six new species of Pityophthorus from Mexico are described. The new species, all in the Scriptor group, are: atkinsoni, diminutivus, equihuai, thamnus, trunculus and zexmenivora . An additional locality record for P. coronarius Blackman is included. A new key to the 22 species included in the Scriptor group is presented.         

Endangered, threatened, extinct, endemic, and rare or restricted Utah vascular plants

The status of 382 vascular plant taxa with distribution in Utah is presented. Some 66 species are possibly endangered, 198 threatened, 7 extinct, and 20 extirpated within the state; 4 species have questionable taxonomic status. Included in the list are nearly 225 species of endemic plants, many of which are among the possibly endangered, threatened, and extinct or extirpated plants. Bibliographic citations, type locality, status, and distribution by counties is included for each species or infraspecific taxon. Two new species are described: Psoralea pariensis and Eriogonum natum. One new name, Astragalus barnebyi, is proposed; and one new variety, Eriogonum umbellatum var. deserticum, is proposed. The following new combinations are made: Cycladenia humilis var. jonesii; Aralia racemosa ssp. bicrenata; Heterotheca jonesii; Hymenoxys depressa; Xanthocephalum sarothrae var. pomariense; Thelypodium integrifolium var. complanatum; Thelypodium sagittatum var. ovalifolium; Arenaria kingii var. plateauensis; Psorothamnus thompsonae; Najas caespitosus; Oenothera gouldii; Eriogonum corymbosum var. revealianum; Penstemon humilis var. obtusifolius; Penstemon lentus var. albiflorus; and Viola purpurea var. charlestonensis.       

Utah flora: Malvaceae

This paper is the third in a series dealing with a revision of the flora of Utah. Treated herein are 9 genera and 23 species, including both commonly cultivated, escaped, and indigenous representatives. Proposed new taxa include Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia (H. and A.) Rydb. var. moorei Welsh, Sphaeralcea leptophylla (Gray) Rydb. var. janeae Welsh, and Sphaeralcea psoraloides Welsh.       

High rates of photosynthesis in the desert shrub Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. albicaulis

  Basic aspects of photosynthesis were investigated in white rubber rabbitbrush ( Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Pallas) Britt. ssp. albicaulis ), a common C 3 deciduous shrub native to arid regions of the western U.S. Under favorable field conditions, net photosynthesis (P n ) ranged from 36 to 73 mgCO 2 · dm – 2 · hr – 1 , which is relatively high for a woody species. The leaves from the actively growing flowering shoots exhibited higher P n than those on the vegetative shoots. P n also varied according to the age of the leaves and the location of the plants. P n did not light saturate even at quantum flux densities (QFD) equivalent to full sunlight. The light compensation point was relatively high (ca 100 μ mol · m – 2 · S – 1 ), perhaps due to the presence of a tomentose vestiture on the leaf surface. At high QFD's, the stomatal conductance was high (ca 520 mmol · m – 2 · s – 1 ) for a woody species. RUBP - carboxylase content of the leaves ranged from 20 to 22 mg per gram F.W., which is similar to that found in most C 3 crop species. These results suggest that rabbitbrush is able to maintain high rates of P n , at least under nonstressed conditions.           

New variety of Yucca harrimaniae (Agavaceae) from Utah

Yucca harrimaniae var. sterilis Neese & Welsh is named and described from the Uinta Basin of Utah. The plant is strongly rhizomatous, evidently sterile, and has limber, sparingly filiferous leaves that tend to recline on the ground.         

Diatoms in recent bottom sediments and trophic status of eight lakes and reservoirs in northeastern Utah

Recent bottom sediments of eight lakes and reservoirs in northeastern Utah were examined. One hundred and sixty-four diatom taxa were identified and their relative abundances determined. Seven stand associations were evident by cluster analysis of similarity indices. These association patterns mirrored trophic status of the waters. Shannon-Wiener species diversity values were also determined. The diversities fell in patterns that were similar to the stand associations determined by cluster analysis. The most prevalent diatom taxa encountered in this study were found mostly in eutrophic waters. These taxa included Stephanodiscus astraea, Stephanodiscus astraea var. minutula, Asterionella formosa, and Fragilaria crotonensis. A wide variety of other taxa dominated various mesotrophic and oligotrophic sites.