Erigeron acomanus

 

Family:

ASTERACEAE

Scientific Name with Author:

Erigeron acomanus Spellenberg and Knight

Synonyms:

NONE

Common Name: 

Acoma fleabane 

Description:

Taprooted perennial, mat-forming, 10-70 cm in diameter; leaves mostly basal, spreading or ascending, 8-30 in rosettes at ends of caudex branches, oblanceolate to narrowly obovate or spatulate, 8-23 mm long, 2-7 mm wide, round or obtuse at the tip, moderately puberulent on both surfaces; flowering stems erect, 4.5-15 cm tall, bearing 4-10 reduced leaves; heads solitary, pendulous in bud, erect in flower and fruit; involucre 5 mm high; phyllaries 25-38, lanceolatate, 2.5-4 mm long, purplish on the margins; ray flowers 16-30, white, 4.5-9 mm long; disk corollas 2.5-3 mm long, yellowish; achenes somewhat flattened, lightly hirsute; pappus of fine barbellate bristles. Flowers in July.

Why this planet called as Endangered Species:

A very narrow endemic, but current land uses do not significantly threaten its habitats. May occasionally be impacted by mining operations.

Aliciella formosa (Aztec gilia, beautiful gilia)

 

Family: POLEMONIACEAE

Scientific Name with Author:

Aliciella formosa (Greene ex A. Brand) J.M. Porter

Synonyms:

GILIA FORMOSA GREENE

Description:

Perennial, 7-30 cm tall, older plants woody at the base, glandular; stems numerous, branched; leaves entire, 25 mm long, sharp-pointed; flowers pinkish-purple, trumpet-shaped, about 22 mm long. Flowers April and May.

Why This Plant is called as Endangered Species:

The primary threat to this species is habitat destruction and fragmentation from oil and gas drilling in the San Juan Basin. The Nacimiento formation rests above reservoirs for oil that have been under production since the early days of oil extraction.