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Plant Profile

Desert Yellowhead (Yermo xanthocephalus)

The yellow flowers of the desert yellowhead are crowded together in terminal inflorescences atop stalks that grow up to 30 cm tall. Photo Credit: Bonnie Heidel

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Threatened
Family: Asteraceae
State: WY
Nature Serve ID: 150568
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

The Wind River Basin of central Wyoming is home to a remarkable number of rare plants, but none as rare as the desert yellowhead, a wildflower that was only discovered in 1990, and whose entire global distribution is limited to about 6 acres of cold desert habitat here. The genus name, Yermo, is a Spanish word meaning uninhabited land, an apt description of the remote badland setting where this plant occurs. This species is the only species in the Yermo genus. With clusters of bright yellow flowers and thick, leathery leaves, desert yellowhead is an oddly showy plant for such a harsh, barren landscape.

Where is Desert Yellowhead (Yermo xanthocephalus) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Low slopes, rim margins, colluvial fans, and bottoms of deflation hollows, on poorly-developed soils derived from sandstones and clays of the Miocene-age Split Rock Formation. Occurs in cushion plant communities within more densely vegetated cold desert shrubland dominated by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata). Elevation 6700 ft.

Distribution:

Known only from a single occurrence in the Wind River Basin of central Wyoming (Fremont County). Surveys from 1990-1997 failed to document additional sites.

States & Provinces:

Desert Yellowhead can be found in Wyoming

Which CPC Partners conserve Desert Yellowhead (Yermo xanthocephalus)?

Lauritzen Gardens

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

10/02/2020

Scott and Hoster (2000) have shown that seeds have a higher germination rate when given a warm treatment rather than a cold treatment, suggesting that seeds may germinate the same season they are produced.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Recently described monotypic genus known only from a single site in central Wyoming. A Wyoming Natural Diversity Database survey in 1994 found only 1500 plants occupying an area of less than 2.5 ha. The species is either recently evolved (although quite disjunct from its nearest relatives) or is relatively ancient and in its last refugium.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Extremely vulnerable to extinction due to its restricted range and small population size. Construction associated with oil and gas development. Off-road vehicle damage. Livestock trampling.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

The entire global distribution is limited to about 6 acres of suitable habitat in the Beaver Rim area (Wind River Basin) of southeastern Fremont County, Wyoming. Population approximately 11,600 individuals (Fertig 2000).

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Protection of habitat.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Long term monitoring of population trends.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Additional seed banking.