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Plant Profile

Cedar Rim Thistle (Cirsium pulcherrimum var. aridum)

This rare thistle can be found at the base of bluffs, like this one in Fremont Co., Wyoming. Photo Credit: Charmaine Refsdal

Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Asteraceae
State: WY
Nature Serve ID: 154329
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

Thistles are more often thought of as weeds than plants in need of conservation, but the Cedar Rim thistle is one of a handful with very limited distributions. Known only known from the cold desert country of central Wyoming, Cedar Rim thistle grows on barren hills and slopes where its silvery, woolly foliage protects it from intense heat, wind and solar radiation. Many of its associates are themselves rare plants.

Where is Cedar Rim Thistle (Cirsium pulcherrimum var. aridum) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Barren, chalky hills, gravelly slopes, and fine textured, sandy-shaly draws. Occurs in cushion plant communities within more densely vegetated cold desert shrubland dominated by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata). Elevation 6700-7200 ft. (Fertig 1994)

Distribution:

Limited to the Wind River and Green River basins of central Wyoming (Carbon, Fremont and Sublette counties).

States & Provinces:

Cedar Rim Thistle can be found in Wyoming

Which CPC Partners conserve Cedar Rim Thistle (Cirsium pulcherrimum var. aridum)?

Lauritzen 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

A recently described species, currently known from only 11 occurrences in central and westcentral Wyoming. Potential habitat may occur in northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Construction associated with oil and gas development. Off-road vehicle damage. Livestock trampling.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Clarification of taxonomic status. Population monitoring. Exact habitat characterization. Additional survey work.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Seed germination studies. Additional seed banking.