National Collection of Imperiled Plants

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Photographer:

Andrew Kratz

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CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis

Family:	Brassicaceae
Common Name:	Howell's spectacular thelypody
Author:	(M.E. Peck) Al-Shehbaz
Growth Habit:	Forb/herb
CPC Number:	4275

Distribution
Protection
Conservation
References

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Photographer: Andrew Kratz
Image Owner: Oregon Natural Heritage Data Base

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Photographer: Andrew Kratz
Image Owner: Oregon Natural Heritage Program

Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis is Fully Sponsored

Primary custodian for this plant in the CPC National Collection of Endangered Plants is:

Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank & Plant Conservation Program

Edward Guerrant, Ph.D. contributed to this Plant Profile.

Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis

Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis is found only in five populations, all in the Baker-Powder River Valley region bordered by the Wallowa and Elkhorn Mountains in northeastern Oregon. This member of the mustard family is listed as Endangered by the State of Oregon and Threatened by the Federal Government. However, all known populations of this rare plant are found on private land. Unless a project or particular land use on private land involves federal funds or violates state law, neither listing does anything to protect this rare plant.

At the very center of the population distribution, a yearly tradition continues to threaten this species. To prepare for the annual July 4-5 rodeo, a large field is mowed every year to provide parking. In 1998, observations were made before and after the rodeo (USFWS 1999). Before the rodeo, 10,000 individual plants were observed on the parcel. After the rodeo, only 300 remained, with most of them along the fence line. That year, like many, the mowing occurred at the height of their growing season when the plants still had immature fruit. Nearly the entire reproductive output of that population was destroyed by a single pass of the mower.

Distribution & Occurrence

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State Range

Oregon

Habitat

Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis grows in low elevation (3,000 to 3,300 ft (1,000-1,100 m)) river valleys and moist (often alkaline) plains in the Baker-Powder River valley region of northeastern Oregon. In this area, winters are cold and summers are hot and dry. The annual precipitation averages 10.6 in (27 cm), most of which falls as snow. Associated species include Sarcobatus vermiculatus (greasewood), Elymus cinereus (giant wild rye), Spartina gracilis (alkali cordgrass), Poa juncifolia (alkali bluegrass) and Chenopodium spp.

Distribution

OR: Baker-Powder River valley region (Baker Co., Union Co.)

Number Left

As of 1999: Fewer than 11 small sites comprising 5 populations. The total number of individuals varies greatly in response to environmental conditions (temperature, rainfall, etc). Recent surveys have revealed individual populations as small as 10 individuals to as many as 16,000. As of the last surveys, the total population appears to be around 30,000 (USFWS 1999).

Protection

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Global Rank:	G2T1	7/9/2007	Guide to Global Ranks
Federal Status:	LT	5/26/1999	Guide to Federal Status
Recovery Plan:	No

State/Area Protection

	State/Area	Rank	Status	Date
	Oregon	S1	LE	10/27/1989

Conservation, Ecology & Research

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Ecological Relationships

Grazing greatly threatens Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis, but the plants can recover once cattle impact is reduced or removed. In an area that has not been grazed for at least five years, plants have expanded into areas that were previously unoccupied (USFWS 1999). This taxon may be dependent on occasional flooding. It has been observed rapidly colonizing areas adjacent to streams that have recently flooded. It does not compete well with invading weedy vegetation (USFWS 1999).

Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis is a short-lived perennial that flowers once and then dies. Seeds geminate in the spring and grow to form a small, low growing rosette. In the spring of their second or later year, they "bolt," produce flowers, set seed, and then die. Because of its life history, it is especially dependent on frequent seed set to maintain populations. In the absence of adequate moisture, population numbers remain low. Several especially dry years may be particularly detrimental to the populations.

Threats

Threats, as stated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS 1999) and Meinke (1982) include:
� Habitat loss due to agricultural conversion.
� Habitat degradation due to grazing, agricultural conversion, and hydrological modifications.
� Plant destruction due to livestock grazing, trampling, and field mowing during active growing season.
� Invasion of non-native plants.
� Urban development.
� Habitat modification such as stream channeling.
� Herbicide spraying.
� Habitat fragmentation leading to reduced outcrossing.

Current Research Summary

� Research on seed production, inbreeding depression, seed germination, and cultivation requirements of Thelypodium howellii spp. spectabilis (Gisler, pers. comm.).
� Experimental re-introduction project using both seeds and transplants from the greenhouse (Gisler, pers. comm.).
� Germination trials conducted at The Berry Botanic Garden. Seeds were subjected to either 8 weeks of cold stratification or no cold stratification followed by either constant 68�F (20�C) or alternating 50�/68�F (10�/20�C). In one trial no seeds germinated. In another trial, 40% of seeds subjected to cold stratification followed by constant 68�F temperatures germinated. No other treatment resulted in any germination. The seed had been stored for at least ten years. Trials are now being conducted with recently collected seed (BBG File).

Current Management Summary

� Only two populations have ever been actively managed for the protection of Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis. At the largest known site (not the greatest number of individuals) there was a conservation agreement between one landowner and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). At another site, an agreement between the landowner and The Nature Conservancy recently expired (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1999).
� Listed Threatened by the Federal Government and listed Endangered by the State of Oregon.
� Portions of a few small sites occur on Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) right-of-ways. The department takes this rare plant into consideration when planning construction or mowing along the roads (USFWS 1999).
� Voluntary agreements between landowners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to limit grazing between April and July (USFWS 1999).
� A draft recovery plan is being developed (as of 2001).
� Seeds collected and stored in the Seed Bank at The Berry Botanic Garden.

Research Management Needs

� Study life history, growth requirements, and general ecology (USFWS 1999).
� Limit livestock grazing when plants are actively growing.
� Limit mowing when plants are actively growing.

Ex Situ Needs

� Collect and store seeds from across the range.
� Determine germination requirements.
� Determine propagation and reintroduction protocols.

References

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Books (Single Authors)

Meinke, R.J. 1982. Threatened and Endangered Vascular Plants of Oregon: An Illustrated Guide. Portland, Oregon: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Region 1. 326p.

Munz, P.A.; Keck, D.D. 1959. A California flora. Berkeley, CA: Univ. California Press. 1681p.

ONHP. 2001. Rare, Threatened and Endangered Plants and Animals of Oregon.

Electronic Sources

(2002). Endangered Species Network (ESIN). Pacific Biodiversity Institute, Winthrop, WA. http://www.pacificbio.org/ESIN/ESIN.html. Accessed: 2002.

ONHDB. (2000). Oregon Natural Heritage Program Database. Portland, Oregon.

Journal Articles

Al-Shebaz, I.A. 1973. The biosystematics of the genus Thelypodium. Contributions to the Gray Herbarium. 204, 93: 115-117.

Schwartz, A. Banking on Seeds to Avert Extinction.

USFWS. 1998. Proposed Threatened Status for the Plant Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis (Howell�s spectacular thelypody). Federal Register. 63, 8: 1948-1954.

USFWS. 1999. Threatened Status for the Plant Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis (Howell�s spectacular thelypody). Federal Register. 64, 101: 28393-28403.

USFWS. 2001. Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Howell's Spectacular Thelypody (Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis) for Review and Comment. Federal Register. 66, 81: 21008-21009.

Magazine Articles

Rey-Vizgirdas, E.; Laxalt, M. 1999. Service lists rare Eastern Oregon Plant as threatened under Endangered Species Act. US Fish and Wildlife Service News:

Personal Communications

Gisler, S. 2001. Personal Communication. Steve Gisler, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Plant Conservation Department, Corvallis, Oregon.

Reports

Kagan, J.S. 1986. Status report for Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis. Portland, Oregon: Oregon Natural Heritage Program.

Larkin, G.; Salzer, D. 1992. A plant demography study of Delphinium leucocephalum, Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis, Astragalus applegatei, and Lilium occidentale: preliminary report 1990�1991. Portland, Oregon: The Nature Conservancy, Oregon Field Office.

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This profile was updated on 7/8/2010