Maguire's Primrose / Center For Plant Conservation
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Plant Profile

Maguire's Primrose (Primula maguirei)

This shot shows pink flowers topping long, graceful stalks on this plant, growing out of the rock. Photo Credit: ©R. Delmatier
  • Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
  • Legal Status: Federally Threatened
  • Family: Primulaceae
  • State: UT
  • Nature Serve ID: 143121
  • Lifeform: Forb/herb
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 04/04/1991
Description:

The Maguire primrose is a perennial herbaceous plant with bright-green, spatula-shaped leaves. From mid-April to mid-May, this beauty produces showy, reddish lavender flowers approximately 1 inch across that are borne on graceful stems up to 6 inches high. Unfortunately, this species is very rare and found only in one canyon system in Utah. It was listed as a Federally Endangered plant in 1985)

Where is Maguire's Primrose (Primula maguirei) located in the wild?

Habitat:

This species is restricted to cool, moss-covered dolomite cliffs and boulders in the lower elevations of Logan Canyon. The species may be dependent on the calcium and magnesium carbonates of its soil substrate. (USFWS 1990)

Distribution:

This species is only found in Logan Canyon, northern Utah. (USFWS 1985)

States & Provinces:

Maguire's Primrose can be found in Utah

Which CPC Partners conserve Maguire's Primrose (Primula maguirei)?

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

Tina Stanley
  • 01/16/2024
  • Orthodox Seed Banking

Red Butte Garden has sent at least 900 wild-collected seeds of Primula maguirei to the USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation for long term storage.

Tina Stanley
  • 01/16/2024
  • Seed Collection Orthodox Seed Banking

Between 1992 and 2008, Red Butte Garden staff made 17 wild seed collections representing more than 1,600 seeds from at least 4 individuals of Primula maguirei. Over 700 of these seeds are held in long term storage at Red Butte Garden.

Nature Serve Biotics
  • 05/02/2017

A narrow endemic of Logan Canyon in Cache County, Utah. Using historical botanical species, no evidence of declines in numbers of populations or in the range of the species was found. Primula maguirei is most limited by the availability of suitable habitat (dolomitic cliffs and boulders with cool, moist microclimate). Threats include rock climbing activities, collecting, and potential highway improvements.

Sylvia Torti
  • 01/01/2010

Road construction Water development Recreational rock climbing Amateur horticultural collecting (State of Utah Natural Resources 2002)

Sylvia Torti
  • 01/01/2010

The estimated population size is 3000 individuals in 6 known locations. (USFWS 1990)

Sylvia Torti
  • 01/01/2010

None known.

Sylvia Torti
  • 01/01/2010

This species occurs on federal lands managed b y the Logan Ranger District of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

Sylvia Torti
  • 01/01/2010

Seed germination or tissue culture propagation protocols must be established. Environmental factors that govern the distribution of this species are not well understood, nor are the long-term population dynamics.

Sylvia Torti
  • 01/01/2010

Successful propagation of this species is critical.

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Nomenclature
Taxon Primula maguirei
Authority (L.O. Williams) N.H. Holmgren & S. Kelso
Family Primulaceae
CPC Number 3620
ITIS 836304
USDA PRCUM
Duration Perennial
Common Names Maguire primrose | Maguire's primrose
Associated Scientific Names Primula maguirei | Primula cusickiana var. maguirei | Primula cusickiana subsp. maguirei
Distribution This species is only found in Logan Canyon, northern Utah. (USFWS 1985)
State Rank
State State Rank
Utah S1
Ecological Relationships

Photos

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