Cushion Bladderpod (Physaria pulvinata)

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Brassicaceae
State: CO
Nature Serve ID: 768522
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

It forms symmetrical mounds of narrow, spotted leaves and in early summer blooms profusely.

Where is Cushion Bladderpod (Physaria pulvinata) located in the wild?

Habitat:

This species is confined to a shale outcrop that is widely used for road gravel. It is found on scattered outcrops of grayish, argillaceous shale.

Distribution:

Endemic to Colorado; known from San Miguel and Dolores counties. Estimated range is 55 square kilometers (21 square miles).

States & Provinces:

Cushion Bladderpod can be found in Colorado

Which CPC Partners conserve Cushion Bladderpod (Physaria pulvinata)?

Denver Botanic 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

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

This species is endemic to Colorado. This species is confined to a shale outcrop that is widely used for road gravel. This species is also on federal land, inlcuding BLM and Forest Service lands. Currently, it is known from only San Miguel and Dolores counties, and it is suspected that it won't be found much further than those counties, it is however, expected to be found at more sites within this range. Physaria pulvinata is threatened by over-grazing on Forest Service lands, ORV activities on BLM lands and removal of shale for road work (pers. comm. Jill Handwerk, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, O'Kane and Reveal 2006).