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Plant Profile

Piceance Twinpod (Physaria obcordata)

Closeup of yellow flowers and lanceolate upper leaves. Photo Credit: Carol Dawson

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Threatened
Family: Brassicaceae
State: CO
Nature Serve ID: 145962
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/10/1987

Description:

Piceance twinpod, a small herbaceous perennial that is a member of the Mustard Family was first documented in 1982 by two members of the Colorado Natural Heritage Inventory, and eventually named by Reed Rollins (Al-shehbaz 1998). It was named for its distinctive heart-shaped fruits (cordate) that attach to stalked at the pointed end. (Naumann 1988) The leaves, stems and even fruits of this species are all covered with small, specialized branched hairs that resemble a splatter caused by a rock dropped in mud. In May and June the plant produces small, yellow flowers. (CNPS 1989) P. obcordata was first listed as federally endangered on February 6, 1990. (USFWS)

Where is Piceance Twinpod (Physaria obcordata) located in the wild?

Habitat:

This species is found in shale outcrops in the multimineral oil shale zone on barren white outcrops exposed through erosion from downcutting of streams. (USFWS 1993)P. obcordata is associated with Aquilegia barnebyi, and Astragalus lutosus (USFWS 1993).

Distribution:

Piceance twinpod is a narrow endemic of oil shale barrens in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado. (USFWS 1993)

States & Provinces:

Piceance Twinpod can be found in Colorado

Which CPC Partners conserve Piceance Twinpod (Physaria obcordata)?

Denver Botanic Gardens

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

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

Alexandra Seglias

09/22/2022

As part of the IMLS seed longevity project, Physaria obcordata was targeted for seed collection in 2022. The original accession was collected in 1987 from Yellow Creek in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The same population was scouted in late June 2022 as flowers were senescing and fruits were starting to form. Fruits were collected on a second trip in July 2022. 200 seeds from 52 plants were sent to NLGRP for longevity testing. The remainder of the seeds will be stored at -20 degrees C at Denver Botanic Gardens for long-term conservation.

Center for Plant Conservation

08/19/2021

In 2021, CPC contracted Denver Botanic Gardens to recollect seed from a population currently held in long term orthodox seed storage as part of an IMLS-funded seed longevity experiment. The National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation will evaluate how germination tested viability and RNA Integrity of seed lots decline over time in storage.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

A narrow endemic of oil shale barrens in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado. Very locally abundant, with 10 documented occurrences, primarily along 2 adjacent drainages. If the oil shale or associated mineral deposits are mined, the survival of this species would be severely threatened.

Michelle DePrenger-Levin

01/01/2010

Threats include mining/surface disturbance and potential development (USFWS 1989, 1990, 1993).

Michelle DePrenger-Levin

01/01/2010

There are approximately 10,000 individuals growing together at the junction of Piceance Creek and Ryan Gulch, two miles north of Dudley Bluffs. This species is locally abundant with 12 known occurrences, primarily along the two adjacent drainages (USFWS 1993).

Michelle DePrenger-Levin

01/01/2010

None known.

Michelle DePrenger-Levin

01/01/2010

A recovery plan has been drafted for this species, but no centralized management plan has been implemented.

Michelle DePrenger-Levin

01/01/2010

Research needs include understanding all aspects of this species ecology.

Michelle DePrenger-Levin

01/01/2010

Seed collection and storage.

Piceance Twinpod (Physaria obcordata) Characteristics

Nomenclature

Taxon	Physaria obcordata
Authority	Rollins
Family	Brassicaceae
CPC Number	3447
ITIS	195788
USDA	PHOB
Duration	Perennial
Common Names	piceance bladderpod \| piceance twinpod \| Dudley Bluffs twinpod
Associated Scientific Names	Physaria obcordata
Distribution	Piceance twinpod is a narrow endemic of oil shale barrens in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado. (USFWS 1993)

State Rank

State	State Rank
Colorado	S1S2

Ecological Relationships

Photos

Closeup of yellow flowers and lanceolate upper leaves. Photo Credit: Carol Dawson