Kearney's Slimpod (Amsonia kearneyana)

Potential sites for reintroduction were surveyed (Howell 1987) and Kearney's blue star was planted in the fall of 1988. Approximately 200 plants were transplanted during the fall of 1988 and spring of 1989. Plants were hand watered every one to two weeks during the first summer after planting. After a spring flood scoured out the drainage where the natural population is located, as well the reintroduced site, only 33 plants remained in both sites (Reichenbacher 1991). In 1992, these 33 plants were supplemented with additional plants.

A seedbank of wild-collected seeds has been established. In addition, seeds produced on plants grown from wild-collected seed are produced and stored for research purposes. Plans are in effect to expand display areas to accommodate increased conservation-oriented plantings, and to continue to produce seeds in cultivation.

A seedbank of wild-collected seeds has been established. In addition, seeds produced on plants grown from wild-collected seed are produced and stored for research purposes. Plans are in effect to expand display areas to accommodate increased conservation-oriented plantings, and to continue to produce seeds in cultivation.

Native populations are known only from an isolated area on the western slope of the Baboquivari Mountains of Arizona and from a small area nearby in northern Sonora, Mexico. The very small population in Arizona is threatened with damage or destruction from major flash floods, wildfires, and overuse of the habitat by livestock. The plants are not reproducing successfully due to insect predation on the embryos. Introduced (about 1989) to an apparently appropriate habitat on the east side of the Baboquivari Mountains in a conservation management effort toward saving the species from extinction.

Limited distribution, declining habitat, and poor reproduction are reasons why this species was listed as endangered (USFWS 1993). Additional factors include trampling and other effects from grazing. Plant

11 populations (J. Donovan 1998). Kearney's Blue Star was formerly known from only a single extant population in Pima County, Arizona. In 1986, a brief check of the population reported only eight plants. A historic population of Kearney's Blue Star was documented by a herbaruim specimen collected by Goodding on May 14, 1941, but a 1992 search was unsuccessful in locating any plants (USFWS 1993). The location of this species was forgotten between 1928 and the mid 1970's, McLaughlin found the plants in South Canyon (8 individuals). In 1987, Howell surveyed for additional locations, but none were found, partly due to the fact that she did not search the sides of canyons--she looked along canyon bottoms. From 1987 to 1989, The USFWS contracted with Southwestern Field Biologists to transplant Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum seeds from South Canyon to establish a new population. An introduced population in Brown Canyon (east side of Baboquivari Mountains) declined from approximately 130 to 35 plants (2/3 of the population) following a flood in 1990. (At the Bureau of Land Management, Safford District, Rare plants Workshop, Frank Reichenbacher stated that the flood occurred in July 1991. However, his report of 1991 gives the year as 1990). In the spring of 1988, about 90 plants were planted in Brown Canyon, which is now part of the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge. The one native US population was thought to consist of approximately 10-15 individuals as of the late 1980's. The native population in 1986 and 1987 was 8-12 individuals. Flooding occured in 1988, 1989, and 1992. By November 1993, 65 of the introduced plants in Brown Canyon survived. Low recruitment was due partially to seed collection on two consecutive years, because insects were predating the seeds. No young plants were found in South Canyon at all. The status of the Sycamore Canyon population is unknown.

Plants are continually monitored, and the population has been augmented three times.

Potential sites for reintroduction were surveyed (Howell 1987) and Kearney's blue star was planted in the fall of 1988. Approximately 200 plants were transplanted during the fall of 1988 and spring of 1989. Plants were hand watered every one to two weeks during the first summer after planting. After a spring flood scoured out the drainage where the natural population is located, as well the reintroduced site, only 33 plants remained in both sites (Reichenbacher 1991). In 1992, these 33 plants were supplemented with additional plants.

Objectives set forth by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS 1993) are: (1) to establish and maintain 10 self-sustaining populations of at least 200 reproducing individuals each (2) protect populations from human threats (3) develop guidelines and techniques for supplementing natural populations and (4) continued demographic monitoring. Research that can aid in recovery efforts include understanding general biology and reproductive ecology, dispersal mechanism (s) and seedling recruitment.

A seedbank of wild-collected seeds has been established. In addition, seeds produced on plants grown from wild-collected seed are produced and stored for research purposes. Plans are in effect to expand display areas to accommodate increased conservation-oriented plantings, and to continue to produce seeds in cultivation.