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Plant Profile

Gierisch's Globemallow (Sphaeralcea gierischii)

Photo Credit: Jonathan Barth

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Malvaceae
State: AZ, UT
Nature Serve ID: 777927
Lifeform: Forb/herb, Subshrub
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

This endangered perennial forb can grow up to 100 centimeters tall, producing bright orange flowers along woody, dark reddish purple stems. It was listed as a federal protected species in 2013 (Welsh et al. 2003, USFWS 2013).

Where is Gierisch's Globemallow (Sphaeralcea gierischii) located in the wild?

Habitat:

S. gierischii grows on low terraces, abundant with gypsiferous biological soil crust substrate around 1,090 meters in elevation (Franklin 2005, Atwood and Welsh 2002).

Distribution:

This endemic taxon is found in the outcrops of the Harrisburg Member of the Kaibab Formation in northern Mohave County, Arizona (near Black Rock), as well as in the closely adjacent Washington County, Utah (Tilley et al. 2011).

States & Provinces:

Gierisch's Globemallow can be found in Arizona, Utah

Which CPC Partners conserve Gierisch's Globemallow (Sphaeralcea gierischii)?

Red Butte Garden and Arboretum

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

National Laboratory for Genetic Resource Preservation (USDA-ARS)

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 01/16/24

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

Red Butte Garden has sent at least 5,400 wild-collected seeds of Sphaeralcea gierischii to the USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation for long term storage.

Tina Stanley

01/16/2024

Between 2011 and 2014, Red Butte Garden staff made 4 wild seed collections representing more than 107,000 seeds from at least 81 individuals of Sphaeralcea gierischii. Over 88,000 of these seeds are held in long term storage at Red Butte Garden. In addition to these seed collections, 10 individuals are held as living specimens at Red Butte Garden.

10/08/2020

""Overview of Sphaeralcea (Malvaceae) in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona, U.S.A."" By Welsh and Atwood, 2002. Plant information compiled by the Utah Natural Heritage Program by the Utah Division of Wildlife resources, 2005.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Endemic to a small area straddling the Utah-Arizona state line, in northwestern Mohave County, AZ and closely adjacent Washington County, UT; closely associated with gypsum outcrops of the Harrisburg Member of the Kaibab Formation. Five occurrences are known, four in Arizona and one in Utah. The two largest occurrences in Arizona represent over 90% of the total population; both of these occurrences are threatened by active gypsum mining operations, which can completely destroy the plant's habitat. The Utah occurrence is threatened by increasing OHV use, illegal dumping, and impacts associated with target shooting. All but one occurrence are also within grazing allotments; cattle herbivory of flower stalks has been observed on numerous occasions, particularly in dry years.

Rita Dodge and Heidi Simper

01/01/2010

7,000-12,000 in Arizona and over 200 individuals in Utah.

Rita Dodge and Heidi Simper

01/01/2010

Rita Dodge and Heidi Simper

01/01/2010

Ex-situ seed conservation Propagation protocol development Habitat protection Reintroduction research Continued monitoring

Rita Dodge and Heidi Simper

01/01/2010

Seed conservation Propagation protocol development Reintroduction research

Rita Dodge and Heidi Simper

01/01/2010

In Arizona Gypsum mining Cattle grazing In Utah OHVs Illegal dumping Target shooting Cattle grazing