Cirsium vinaceum

Cirsium vinaceum
Conservation status
Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Cirsium
Species:	C. vinaceum
Binomial name
Cirsium vinaceum ( Standl.
Synonyms[2]
Carduus vinaceus Wooton & Standl.

Cirsium vinaceum is a rare species of thistle known by the common name Sacramento Mountains thistle. It is endemic to Otero County, New Mexico, in the United States, where it is known only from the Sacramento Mountains.^[3][4] The plant can be found in six canyon systems in a southern section of this mountain range spanning about 32 kilometers.^[5][6] It is rare because it is limited to a specific type of mountain wetland which is both naturally uncommon and threatened by a number of forces.^[5] The plant was federally listed as threatened in 1987.^[7]

Description

This thistle is a

The thistle depends on streams and seeps for its survival. This habitat is threatened with destruction via the diversion of water.[4]^[7] The wetland habitat can be damaged by logging, road maintenance, and recreational activity.^[7] Livestock range over much of the area and can drastically alter the land by trampling it.^[7] The plant once occurred in a wider range of mountain wetland habitat in this area, but now it is mainly limited to steep rocky canyons that are inaccessible to livestock.^[3] The effect of livestock on the habitat became clear when animals were excluded from a sensitive area and the thistle proliferated in their absence.^[7] Introduced plant species in the area, such as musk thistle and Fuller's teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris), outcompete the native plant.^[7][9] The teasel is perhaps the worst offender; it has been seen sprouting up in the middle of stands of the thistle.^[4]

Competition

A 2010 update suggests that direct plant-plant competition is not a severe problem at this time, but that climate change could encourage it.^[5] A number of insects have been noted to feed on the plant, especially favoring the developing fruits in the seed heads.^[5] Noted insects include the gall fly Paracantha gentilis, the artichoke plume moth Platyptilia carduidactyla, the bumble flower beetle Euphoria inda, and the stem borer weevil Lixus pervestitus.^[5] Large sections of several thistle populations have been damaged by one or more of these insects.^[5] The non-native flower head weevil Rhinocyllus conicus has the potential to damage the thistle; it was purposely introduced to North America in an attempt to control various species of invasive thistles which are noxious weeds, including musk thistle.^[10] The weevil was never released in New Mexico because of its potential to attack the native thistle; unfortunately, it has moved into the area on its own.^[10] So far its distribution is limited but it is expected to spread.^[10] The extent of the expected damage to the species is not known.^[10]

Extent

At the time the plant was added to the

When the thistle's federal protection status was reviewed in 2010, it was determined that there were fewer sites occupied by the plant, fewer populations, and usually fewer stems or individuals at known survey sites. Most of the same threats occur now that occurred at the time of listing. The Fish and Wildlife Service does not recommend a change to the plant's protection status.^[5]

References