Search / Plant Profile / Aliciella caespitosa

Plant Profile

Wonderland Alice-flower (Aliciella caespitosa)

View of plant in native habitat. Note the tight rounded growing habit. Photo Credit: Carol Dawson

Global Rank: G3 - Vulnerable
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Polemoniaceae
State: UT
Nature Serve ID: 156590
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 04/04/1991

Description:

Gilia caespitosa is a perennial forb in the phlox family. Flowers bloom in July and vary fro in color from a bright scarlet to a bluish-blue purple. The leaves that form a dense base are entire or few-lobed and sticky. Seed is set in late July or August. (Atwood 1991). Because of its inherent rarity, Rabbit Valley Gilia may be particularly vulnerable to over-collection in the wild. Fortunately, intensive surveying has found additional populations and increased the known distribution and number of individuals.

Where is Wonderland Alice-flower (Aliciella caespitosa) located in the wild?

Habitat:

G. caespitosa is known from the Pinyon-juinper community on unstable and faulting soils of Carmel and Navajo formations. It is mostly confined to protected areas on the north aspects in dry, rocky slopes of white talus at elevations between 5,200 and 8,515 feet (Atwood 1991).

Distribution:

Endemic to Wayne County, Utah. (Atwood 1991)

States & Provinces:

Wonderland Alice-flower can be found in Utah

Which CPC Partners conserve Wonderland Alice-flower (Aliciella caespitosa)?

Denver Botanic Gardens

Conservation Actions

08/26/2020

Additional seed collection and banking.

08/26/2020

Additional seed collection and banking.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Narrow endemic of Wayne County, Utah. Occurs at about 40 scattered locations in six population areas, with sites have from one to a few thousand individuals. Some locations have only a limited amount of suitable habitat and therefore little potential for populations to increase. Collecting for rock-garden use remains a broad but low-level threat.

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

Threats include mining for limestone and gypsum is slated for the habitat of the gilia, collection for propagation and trade.

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

Fewer than 5000 known plants at 13 locations (Atwood 1991).

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

Since the early 1990's the Denver Botanic Gardens has monitored five populations of Gilia caespitosa.

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

The National Park Service oversees several populations within Capitol Reef National Park.

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

Population monitoring and surveys for new populations would be useful. Research needs include understanding this species general reproductive biology and ecology as well as seedling establishment and recruitment, and population dynamics.

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

Additional seed collection and banking. Study of taxon's use/desire in horticultural areas.