Ostler's Peppergrass (Lepidium ostleri)
Taxonomy:
Listing Status:
General Information
Lepidium ostleri (Ostler’s peppergrass) is a long-lived perennial herb in the mustard family (Brassicaceae). For the purposes of this document, we will refer to Lepidium ostleri as “Ostler’s peppergrass.” It grows in dense cushion-like tufts up to 2 inches (in.) (5 centimeters (cm)) tall (Welsh et al. 2008, p. 328). The grayish-green hairy leaves are 0.16 to 0.59 in. (4 to 15 millimeters (mm)) long, generally linear, and entire or with lobed basal leaves (Welsh et al. 2008). Flowering stalks are approximately 0.39 in. (1 cm) long with 5 to 35 flowers that are white or have a purple tint (Welsh et al. 2008).
- States/US Territories in which the Ostler's Peppergrass, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: Utah
- US Counties in which the Ostler's Peppergrass, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: View All
- Countries in which the the Ostler's Peppergrass, Wherever found is known to occur: United States
| Status | Date Listed | Lead Region | Where Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) | Wherever found |
» Candidate Information
» Federal Register Documents
» Conservation Plans
No conservation plans have been created for Ostler's Peppergrass.
» Petitions
» Life History
Habitat Requirements
Lepidium ostleri is a narrow endemic restricted to soils derived from Ordovician limestone outcrops (Evenden 1998). There are approximately 845 acres (ac) (342 hectares (ha)) of Ordovician limestone outcrops in the San Francisco Mountains (Miller 2010g). In addition, there are 719 ac (291 ha) of Cambrian dolomite substrates in the San Francisco Mountains; there is the potential for small “islands” of Ordovician limestone outcrops to occur within these substrates (Miller 2010g). We do not know if there are other limiting factors associated with the limestone formations that restrict the habitat use and distribution of Ostler’s peppergrass within this suitable habitat substrate, but Ostler’s peppergrass occupies only a fraction of the available habitat. Ordovician limestone is rare within a 50-mile (mi) (80-kilometer (km)) radius of the San Francisco Mountains (Miller 2010g). Cambrian dolomite substrates are present in the Wah Wah Mountains to the west of the San Francisco Mountains (Miller 2010g). However, there is no indication that additional populations of the species occur in these areas. Lepidium ostleri is associated with pinion-juniper and sagebrush communities between 6,200 and 7,228 ft (1,890 and 2,203 m) in elevation. Plants are typically found on sparsely vegetated exposed slopes with Ephedra spp. (Mormon tea), Gutierrezia sarothrae (snakeweed), Cercocarpus intricatus (dwarf mountain-mahogany), and Petradoria pumila (rock goldenrod). Associated rare species include Eriogonum soredium (Frisco buckwheat) and Trifolium friscanum (Frisco clover).
Movement / Home Range
The total range of this species is less than 5 square miles (sq mi) (13 square kilometers (sq km)) and each of the four populations occupy relatively small areas ranging between 5 ac (2 ha) to 29 ac (12 ha) with localized high densities of plants (Evenden 1989; Miller 2010g). The total area occupied by Ostler’s peppergrass is only 52 ac (21 ha), or just 6 percent, of the available Ordovician limestone outcrops. All four populations are on private lands in the southern San Francisco Mountains in Beaver County, Utah (Miller 2010g; Roth 2010). We are not aware of any additional populations. Surveys were conducted on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands adjacent to the known populations in 2010, and no plants or habitat were found (Miller 2010g; Roth 2010); however these adjacent areas do not contain Ordovician Limestone, the substrate that supports Ostler’s peppergrass (Miller 2010g). Similarly, no additional populations of this species was found during surveys of the San Francisco Mountains and surrounding ranges (including the Wah Wah Mountains, Crystal Peak, the Confusion Range, and the Mountain Home Range) (Kass 1992; Evenden 1998; Miller 2010c; Roth 2010).
Reproductive Strategy
Flowering generally occurs from June to early July, followed by fruit set from July to August (Welsh et al. 2008).
» Other Resources
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