North Park phacelia (Phacelia formosula)
Taxonomy:
Listing Status:
Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND
General Information
North park phacelia is a non-woody (herbaceous) plant species in the borage family. It grows on average 6 to 12 inches tall and its bright purple flowers are arranged in coils at the ends of stems. Leaves are dark green, deeply lobed, and covered with short, coarse stiff hairs. You can find North Park phacelia blooming in July and August. However, the species is a biennial surviving for one year as a rosette of leaves before flowering and dying the following year. North Park phacelia was first collected in 1918 by George Osterhout, a famed botanist from Colorado. North park phacelia is found only in North Park of northern Colorado’s Jackson County. The species is limited to eroded soil outcrops composed of barren exposures of the Coalmont Formation, a coal-bearing substrate. The species is found at about 8,000 to 8,300 feet in elevation. Roughly 16,000 individuals are known from six separate populations and the entire species is known only to an area measuring roughly 10 miles in either direction (north to south, east to west). The primary threats to North Park phacelia are concentrated livestock use (trampling), off-highway vehicle recreation, land use changes including energy development, commercial and residential development, and range improvements. Because of its extremely limited distribution, the species is vulnerable to habitat modification and changes in the environment. North Park phacelia also relies on insect pollinators to maintain genetic diversity. The loss of pollinators and pollinator habitat is considered a threat to the species.
- States/US Territories in which the North Park phacelia, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: Colorado
- US Counties in which the North Park phacelia, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: View All
- USFWS Refuges in which the North Park phacelia, Wherever found is known to occur:
Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
- Additional species information
| Status | Date Listed | Lead Region | Where Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-09-01 | Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) | Wherever found |
» Federal Register Documents
| Date | Citation Page | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1980-09-02 00:00:00.0 | 45 FR 58168 58171 | ETWP; Proposed Rule to Determine That Phacella formosula is Endangered |
| 1982-09-01 00:00:00.0 | 47 FR 38540 38543 | Determination that Phacelia formosula is an Endangered Species |
| 2008-10-06 00:00:00.0 | 73 FR 58261 58262 | 5-Year Reviews of Three Wildlife Species and Eight Plant Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region |
» Recovery
| Date | Title | Plan Action Status | Plan Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-03-21 | North Park Phacelia | View Implementation Progress | Final |
| Date | Citation Page | Title | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-10-06 | 73 FR 58261 58262 | 5-Year Reviews of Three Wildlife Species and Eight Plant Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region |
|
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 2012-02-12 | Phacelia formosula (North Park Phacelia) 5-Year Review |
» Critical Habitat
No critical habitat rules have been published for the North Park phacelia.
» Conservation Plans
No conservation plans have been created for North Park phacelia.
» Petitions
» Life History
No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.
