Eastern Mojave Vegetation Tom Schweich
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Eastern Mojave Vegetation | Two occurrences of Desert Elkweed Swertia albomarginata (S. Watson) Kuntze Gentianaceae in the Mid Hills, Eastern Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County, California (Continued) |
| Tom Schweich |
 Topics in this Article: Introduction Literature Review Field Work and Methods Results Taxonomy Distribution Growth Habits Relationships to Soils and Other Plants Life History Discussion Summary Literature Cited Appendix A -- Field Data Communications Received. |
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| DistributionDistribution
|  Distribution of Swertia albomarginata.
Published literature, herbarium
specimens, and personal communications show that Swertia albomarginata has been found in the southeastern California, Nevada, southern Utah, northern Arizona and extreme southwestern Colorado. Specimen records that included geographic coordinates, or enough information to estimate geographic coordinates, are plotted on the Distribution Map for Swertia albomarginata.
| | Literature Cited: The published literature I used was
primarily Post's (1956) dissertation on Swertia of the western United States, and Kartesz' (1988) flora of Nevada.
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The herbarium specimens I have examined are all at the University of California, in the herbaria UC and JEPS. I also reviewed all collection data available from the Consortium of California Herbaria. However, data is available only for collections made in California. Therefore, a physical visit to additional California herbaria beyond UC and JEPS might find some additional collections.
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I was pleasantly surprised to find that collection data for Arizona is available online theough the Southwest Environmental Information Network. Availability of this data online provided information for approximately 25 collections of Swertia albomarginata allowing me to virtually visit numerous herbaria in Arizona.
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The online availability of collections data from the New York Botanical Garden helped to fill many "blank spots" in my distribution map.
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In addition to the map above and summaries below, the source data used to prepare the map and summaries is available at "Distribution of Swertia albomarginata."
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: North Johnson Road: at Johnson near Johnson Locations: Benson. Johnson. Little Dragoon Mountains. | Southeastern ArizonaKearney and Peebles (1960) Flora of Arizona states that Swertia albomarginata occurs near Johnson, at elevations of 4,500 to 7,000 ft. There is a small cluster of three collections from the vicinity of Johnson, in Cochise County, southeastern Arizona. All three of the collections are accessible online at ARIZ.Two of the three collections appear to have been made close-by to each other, at locations described as "near Johnson," and "in the foothills of the Little Dragoon Mountains." Both of these locations are on the southeast side of the Little Dragoon Mountains. R. A. Darrow collected Swertia albomarginata (#3451, 3 May 1946) 3 miles north of Johnson, on alluvial soil from limestone ridge, with associated mesquite and Flourensia, a tarwort. Post (1956) saw this collection at a time when it was the only collection from this area. R. K. Van Devender and W. D. Peachey collected (#93-618, 5 May 1993) in the foothills of Little Dragoon Mountains, about 3.2 mi from pavement at Johnson Road exit of I-10, beyond Arimetco mine pit, where it was described as abundant along disturbed roadside in overgrazed grassland. | Other Articles: Three Links Road: at Tres Alamos Wash near Tres Alamos Wash N Muleshoe Ranch Road: Hookers Hot Springs Locations: Hookers Hot Springs. Tres Alamos Wash. The third location is described by
the collectors as locally common in desert scrub about 7 miles southwest Hookers Hot Springs. However, the geographic coordinates and the Public Land Survey System descriptions given for this location are about 10 miles south-southeast of Hookers Hot Springs. There are few named landmarks in this area, except for Tres Alamos Wash which drains this area. That is why I have used Tres Alamos Wash as the nearest location. Depending upon where this collection was really made, it location is somewhere between 10 and 20 miles northwest of the other two collections made near Johnson.
| | Locations: Petrified Forest National Park. Regardless of the proximity of the
three collections, the group is separated by quite a distance from any other collections of Swertia albomarginata. The nearest other collections were made about 220 miles (335 km) north at Petrified Forest National Park.
| | Other Articles: US Highway 180: at Pet. For. Rd U. S. Interstate 40: at Petrified Forest Natl Park | Petrified Forest National ParkThere are three collections of Swertia albomarginata from Petrified Forest National Park. The exact location of two of them is given only as being from the park. They were made by G. E. Osterhout (#6746, n.d.) and Basset Maguire (#12200, n.d.), and have no additional information.The third collection, by R. H. Peebles and E. Q. Smith (#13965, 15 Jun 1938) was made at the south entrance of the park. |
| Oak Creek Canyon |
There are three collections of Swertia albomarginata from the Oak Creek Canyon area of Arizona.
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A collection in 1883 by Henry Rusby, for which there is a voucher at UC and three vouchers at NY, does not have location information any more specific than Oak Creek Canyon. The label on the UC voucher suggests that Rusby collected in New Mexico and Arizona Territory for Parke, Davis and Company.
| | Literature Cited: Locations: Oak Creek Canyon. Post (1956) refers to
a collection by Deaver that is at NA, which will require a visit to determine if there is better location information.
| | Other Articles: Arizona Highway Alternate-89: in Oak Ck Cyn The third collection by Goddard
gives a location 8 miles south of Oak Creek Lodge, which would be in the Wilson Canyon or Casner Canyon area, about 2 miles north of Sedona. At this location, Swertia albomarginata was growing on exposed slopes and abundant.
| | Other Articles: Utah Highway 262: on McCracken Mesa Locations: McCracken Mesa. | Four Corners |
In the Four Corners area, there are collections of Swertia albomarginata from Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. There are no collections from the Four Corners area of Arizona.
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Literature Cited: Other Articles: US Highway 160: Mesa Verde National Park Locations: Mesa Verde. Mesa Verde National Park.
The Colorado collections are primarily from Mesa Verde, where the taxon was collected by Alice Eastwood and Townsend Brandegee.
| | Literature Cited: Locations: Soda Canyon Tip-off Trail. One
collection is from a location described as the Soda Canyon Tip-Off Trail, which I believe is at the south end of Mesa Verde.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: US Highway 491: at Pleasant View Locations: Pleasant View.
A fourth collection is described as being in a Pinyon-Juniper association that was eight miles west of the no longer extant town of Ackmen. I believe this location is now called Pleasant View. Pleasant View looks to be on a plateau and is surrounded by plowed farm land. However, about eight miles to the west, the plateau drops off into Cross Canyon, the slopes of which appear in aerial photographs to be wooded. Perhaps this is where the collection was made.
| | Literature Cited: … San Miguel
headwaters ... meadows, forests, in montane, subalpine areas … |
| Literature Cited: Other Articles: US Highway 191: Bluff US Highway 64: at Beclabito Locations: Beclabito.
Martin and Hutchins (1980) state that Swertia albomarginata is expected but not found in New Mexico. Since that time there was at least one collection of the taxon. The San Juan College herbarium has a collection made by Arnold Clifford, made in 1993 near Beclabito in the Navajo Nation. The collection was made in a Pinyon-Juniper community on silty-clay soils on Dakota Sandstone.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: US Highway 191: at White Mesa Locations: Bluff. White Mesa.
Two of the three collections of Swertia albomarginata in the Four Corners area of Utah were made 11 miles north of Bluff, which would be at the south edge of White Mesa. Presumably these are roadside collections. The third collection merely states "vicinity" of Bluff.
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Distribution of Swertia albomarginata near the Grand Canyon.
| Grand Canyon
|  El
Tovar Hotel at Grand Canyon Other Articles: Field Notes: 20080530115 The oldest
collection of Swertia albomarginata from the Grand Canyon that I have found was made by Alice Eastwood in 1913. This collection was made "... near El Tovar …" a large hotel, at the south rim.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Arizona Highway 64: Grand Canyon US Highway 180: Grand Canyon Locations: Grand Canyon.
There are nine collections described simply as Grand Canyon. Among them are collections by Henry H. Rusby in 1915, and Marcus E. Jones, who collected the species at the Grand Canyon twice: in 1920 and 1929.
| | Other Articles: Arizona Highway 64: near picnic area Locations: Rowes Well. About two miles
south of the south rim and west of the highway is Rowes Well, from where there is one collection of the species growing on limestone under Ponderosa pines was made in 1939.
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Also, there are two collections that were made south of the park entrance, at two different locations in 1946.
| K. F. Parker, E. McClintock, and G. T. Robbins collected four miles south of south entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, finding Swertia albomarginata common in yellow pine openings (#6181, 14 August 1946, UC737082 , ARIZ). A little further south, ten miles south of South entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, K. F. Parker also found the species to be common along roadside in yellow pine forest (#6023, 15 Jul 1946, ARIZ). | 
Distribution of Swertia albomarginata in the Escalante area, Utah
Other Articles: Utah Highway 12: 49000
| EscalanteIn the Escalante area, there are four collections of Swertia albomarginata that can be approximately located. | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Utah Highway 24: at Capitol Reef Nat'l Pk Locations: Capitol Reef National Park. Post (1956) states
there is one collection by McVaugh (#14450, RM) made near Capitol Reef National Monument. A plant list for the park attributed to Dr. Susan E. Meyer ( http://www.nps.gov/archive/care/plantchk.htm ) also lists the species.
| | Other Articles: Squaw Rock Road: at Squaw and Papoose Rock Locations: Squaw and Papoose Rock. There is a single
collection from the Canyon Rims Recreation Area between the Colorado River and the Manti - La Sal National Forest. This collection by W. C. Hodgson with Ron Hill (#9235, 18 Jun 1995, NY188580) was made at the Sundance Trailhead into Dark Canyon Wilderness, end of Road 208A (37°50'49'N, 110°12'48"W), which I believe to be near Squaw and Papoose Rock, the nearest landmark with an accepted name in GNIS. Swertia albomarginata was found with Ephedra, Atriplex canescens, A. confertifolia, Cowania, Yucca angustissima, Gilia gunnisonii, Sclerocactus parviflora, Hymenoxys argentea, Pinus edulis, Juniperis, Bromus rubens, Calochortus, Coleogyne ramosissima, etc.
| | Other Articles: Collet Canyon Road: in Collet Canyon Locations: Left Hand Collet Canyon. On the northwest border of the Kaiparowits Plateau, there is one collection by N. H. Holmgren with James L. Reveal and Charles LaFrance (#2063, 27 Jun 1965, NY188647) where Left Hand Collet Canyon pierces the Straight Cliffs, where Swertia albomarginata is common in pinyon-juniper woodland in sandy soil.
| | Other Articles: Utah Highway 12: at Escalante Locations: Escalante.
Closer to Escalante, Arthur H. Holmgren and M. L. Nielsen (#7723, 2 Jun 1948, UC943237 , WS, UTC) five miles east of the town, where the species was frequent in rocky places in juniper-pinyon.
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Distribution of Swertia albomarginata in central Utah
| Central UtahThere are four collections of Swertia albomarginata from widely scattered locations in Central Utah. | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Miller Canyon Road: in Miller Canyon Locations: Miller Canyon. Two of the
collections were made by Marcus Jones. One of them was made in Miller Canyon, near present-day Scofield Reservoir (POM).
| | Other Articles: Mounds Road: at Mounds Locations: Mounds. The other Marcus E.
Jones' collection was made near the former location of Mounds, Utah, on the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in the Lower Temperate Life Zone (9 Jun 1910, NY188556 , PH, UC372786 , GH, POM).
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: U. S. Highway 6: near Beckwith Plateau Locations: Beckwith Plateau. There
is a single collection from on or near Beckwith Plateau, along US Highway 6, north of Green River, Utah. S. L. Welsh with K. Taylor (#15226, 29 Jun 1977, NY188642) collected 3 miles north-northwest from Green River, Beckwith Plateau, lightly grazed, Mesa Verde Group Formation, pinyon-juniper community, sandy soil. The collection was made on top of the plateau, accessed by an oil exploration road. The undulating top of the plateau was clothed with a low, scattered forest of pinyon and juniper. The notation "CC" on the voucher indicates that the collection was made as part of a study of the central coal region of Utah (S. L. Welsh, pers. comm.). The notation of "Summerville" indicates the collection was made on the Summerville geologic formation.
| | Other Articles: Interstate 70: Ghost Rock Rest Stop Locations: Ghost Rock. There is only one
collection from the entire San Rafael Swell. It was made on the western portion of the swell, at the Ghost Rock Rest Stop along US Interstate 70.
| B. Albee (#5084, 11 Jun 1981, NY188641) states Swertia albomarginata occurs in Pinyon-Juniper area disturbed by man, and gives the location as the rest stop along I-70 in San Rafael Swell at approximately Page (sic) Flat. The described location of Page Flat I assumed to be Paige Flat. The rest stop nearest to Paige Flat on US I-70 is the Ghost Rock Rest Stop. Therefore, the geographic coordinates used for this collection are those of the Ghost Rock Rest Stop. |
| Western ArizonaThere are very few collections of Swertia albomarginata from western Arizona, that portion of the state west of the Grand Canyon and south of the Colorado River. | Locations: Music Mountains.
There is one collection made by F. W. Reichenbacher (#1642) on 7/24/1984 in the Music Mountains of the Hualapai Indian Reservation. The collection data reported by ARIZ has what I believe are incorrect geographic coordinates, but I have estimated the location based upon the written location description.
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Literature Cited: Other Articles: U. S. Interstate 40: in the Sacramento Valley east of Kingman Locations: Hualapai Mountains.
There is one collection of the species from the east base of the Hualapai Mountains. This is F. Shreve's #6311. It is interesting to me that the only Mohave County, Arizona, collection of Swertia radiata is also made from the Hualapai Mountains.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Arizona Highway 95: at Buckskin Mountain State Park Locations: Bucksin Mountain.
Finally, Post (1956) reports a collection of Swertia albomarginata by Marcus E. Jones from "Bucksin Mountain, near Parker." Bucksin Mountain is listed as a synonym for Buckskin Mountain that is northwest of Parker. However, the elevation of Buckskin Mountain, and the vegetation that I can see in aerial and satellite photographs does not appear conducive to the presence of S. albomarginata. There are, however, two other locations in Arizona known as Buckskin Mountain. I think it's possible that Jones collected this specimen at one of the other Buckskin Mountains in Arizona.
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| Arizona Strip and Utah's Dixie
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One of Edward Palmer's collections of
Swertia albomarginata is described as "near Saint
George" with no further location information.
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I have found four collections of the species
from the Beaverdam Mountains to the southwest of Saint
George. One of them I made on the road to Hell Hole
Pass on the northwest side of Old US Highway 91.
| | Other Articles: Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road: at Curly Hollow Wash Mine Valley Locations: Curly Hollow Wash. Mine Valley.
Barbara Ertter collected the species near the
Apex Mine on the Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Scenic
Backway. If my understanding of her location is correct
she was on Curly Hollow Wash. I have also seen the
plant near the Apex Mine, growing in red sandy washes
that appear to also contain a lot of carbonates because
the sand in the wash would "crunch" under my boots.
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There is also a Frank W. Pennell collection of
Swertia albomarginata from an undifferentiated
location of "Beaver Dam Mountains."
| | Other Articles: Interstate 15: at Grapevine Wash Leeds Locations: Silver Reef.
There are three collections from the
southeastern slopes of the Pine Valley Mountains along
US Interstate 15 north of Saint George. One of them is
a Marcus A. Jones collection near the mining town of
Silver Reef.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Oak Grove Road: Oak Grove Campground Locations: Italian Spring. Oak Grove Campground. Douglas Post
collected the species in the Oak
Grove Campground under the summit of the Pine Valley
Mountains, and there is another collection from Italian
Spring, intermediate between Silver Reef and the
campground.
| | Other Articles: Smith Mesa Road: Smith Mesa Locations: Zion National Park. There
are two collections from the mesas north of the Virgin River. One was made on Smith Mesa
(Hurricane Mesa) just outside Zion National Park, and the other on Kolob Mesa inside the park.
| | Other Articles: Utah Highway 9: Zion National Park at Bridge Rd Coalpits Wash Locations: Coalpits Wash. Wire Mesa.
Along the Virgin River and the south border of
Zion National Park, Coalpits Wash is popular collecting
locality for Swertia albomarginata where the
intrepid collector can capture the species sneaking
through the fence at the park border.
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There is also a Holmgren collection from Wire
Mesa on the south side of the Virgin River, not far from
Coalpits Wash.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Hwy 89: in Kanab Locations: Kanab.
In the vicinity of Kanab, Utah, there are three
collections whose location data is no more specific.
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A collection of Swertia albomarginata
was made 6 miles east of Kanab in dry sand and Juniper.
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An additional collection was made near Kanab,
although the location information conflicts with itself,
and the collection may have been made in either Red
Canyon, about 10 miles north, or Tom's Canyon, about 2
miles northeast.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Arizona Highway 389: at Short Ck at Vermillion Cliffs U. S. Hwy 89: east of Kanab Utah Highway 59: near Canaan Mtn Locations: Kaibab Paiute Reservation. Pipe Spring. Vermillion Cliffs. Canaan Mountain.
Along Arizona Highway 389 and the Vermillion
Cliffs, collections have been made at Pipe Spring, the
Kaibab Piute Reservation, and Canaan Mountain.
| | Locations: Short Creek.
An additional collection made 5-6 miles
southeast of Short Creek is given. However, since Short
Creek runs east-west for about 15 miles, the location of
this collection is difficult to estimate.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Mohave County Road 101: at BLM Rte 1004 Locations: Cane Springs. Cottonwood Spring. Maple Canyon. Virgin Mountains.
The Virgin Mountains south of Saint George have
been good places to scout for Swertia
albomarginata with seven collections in a relatively
small area.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Black Rock Mountain Road: 30000 Mount Trumbull Loop: at Quail Hill Locations: Mokaac Pass. Mokiak Pass.
The area around Quail Hill, which I believe to
be the current name for Mokiak Pass or Mokaac Pass,
including Seegmiller Mountain (with its variant
spellings) is a common area for collections, including
an early Edward Palmer collection.
| | Other Articles: BLM Route 1007: Cane Springs Mohave County Road 101: 35000 There are also
several more collections deeper
into the Virgin Mountains southwest of Wolf Hole at
places like Cottonwood Spring, and Cane Springs.
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Other Articles: Mount Trumbull Loop: near Wolf Hole in Potato Valley Locations: Mount Trumbull. Potato Valley. Uinkaret Plateau.
Further south, near Mount Trumbull, collections
have been made on Mount Trumbull itself, in the adjacent
Potato Valley and on the Uinkaret Plateau on the north
side of Mount Trumbull.
| | Other Articles: BLM Route 1046: on road to Andrus Cyn and Grassy Mtn Mohave County Route 103: at McDonald Flat Locations: Agway Valley.
At the extreme southern end of the Arizona
Strip, there are two collections in the vicinity of the
Shivwitz, one that I believe to be in McDonald Flat on
top of the plateau, and another that I believe to be
near Andrus Canyon on the northeast edge.
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| East-Central Nevada / Central Great Basin
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| Fish Creek RangeThe Fish Creek Range is centered near Eureka, Nevada, and includes an extension of the Diamond Mountains to the north. | Literature Cited: Other Articles: U. S. Highway 50: at Bateman St Locations: Adams Hill.
In the immediate vicinity of Eureka, there is a Percy Train collection of Swertia albomarginata from Adams Hill about 2 miles west of town.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: U. S. Highway 50: at Pinto Summit in Pinto Canyon Locations: Pinto Canyon. Pinto Summit. There is an Alice
Eastwood collection of the species from Pinto Summit on US Highway 50 south of Eureka. In addition, Kartesz (1988) notes that the species occurs in Pinto Canyon, south of the summit.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Windfall Mine Road: Secret Canyon Locations: Secret Canyon. Secret Canyon is the
next canyon to the west of Pinto Canyon, and connects via Windfall Canyon, back to US Highway 50. There is one collection of Swertia albomarginata from Secret Canyon, in addition to Kartesz' (1988) observation that the species occurs there.
| | Other Articles: NV Hwy 892: at Pinto Ck Rch Rd Locations: Pinto Creek Ranch. Around
the east side of the Fish Creek Range, near the mouth of Pinto Creek, there is one 1994 collection of Swertia albomarginata by A. P. Pinzl.
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| White Pine Range | Literature Cited: Locations: White Pine Range. While the White Pine Range measures about 55 miles from north to south, collections of Swertia albomarginata have been made in only a few miles of the northern end, around US Highway 50, and a few miles in the southern end, around US Highway 6. I would assume that the species is found throughout the range, but further exploration is required to confirm or deny that presumption.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 50: at road north Locations: Antelope Mountain. Antelope Spring. The Holmgren's
made a collection at Antelope Mountain, at the extreme north end of the White Pine Range.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 50: at Little Antelope Summit Locations: Little Antelope Summit. H. D. Ripley made a collection at Little Antelope Summit, presumably along US Highway 50.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 50: at Belmont Mill On the west side
of the White Pine Range, just south of US Highway 50, Jerry Tiehm collected Swertia albomarginata along the road to the Belmont Mill.
| | Other Articles: Forest Road 400: 15000 Locations: Moorman Ridge.
Jerry Tiehm also collected the species on the east side of the White Pine Range, just south of Illipah Creek reservoir.
| | Other Articles: Wells Station Road: at 2.85 mi se U. S. Highway 6: at Currant Summit at Currant Locations: Currant.
In the southern part of the range, there are several collections giving Currant as the nearest location, including one collection about 3 miles southeast on the road to Wells Summit Station.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 6: near White River Near the
headwaters of the White River, where crossed by US Highway 6, Jerry Tiehm collected the species on barren-looking white clay hills.
| | Locations: Butte Mountains.
| Butte MountainsNorth of US Highway 50, the Butte Mountains are inserted between the White Pine Range and the Egan Range. |
Other Articles: Nevada State Route 44: 16000
There are two Holmgren collections of Swertia albomarginata from the Butte Mountains. One was made in Long Valley Canyon, an east-west canyon separating the Butte Mountains from the White Pine Range.
| | Other Articles: Route 17: 49000 Long Valley Canyon Road: 35000 Locations: Long Valley Canyon. Middle Canyon.
The other collection was made at the mouth of Middle Canyon on the east side of the Butte Mountains.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Long Valley Road: Long Valley Locations: Long Valley.
Kartesz (1988) notes that the species occurs in Long Valley, on the west side of the Butte Mountains, but the location is not further differentiated.
| | Locations: Egan Range.
| Egan RangeThe Egan Range of east-central Nevada is 116 miles from North to South and about 14 miles from West to East. The range is mostly in White Pine County, but extends into Lincoln and Nye Counties in the south. |
I have found no collections of Swertia albomarginata from the Egan Range north of Ely or US Highway 50.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 50: at US Hwy 6 W U. S. Highway 6: in Ely U. S. Highway 93: Ely Locations: Ely.
There is one collection from the "vicinity of Ely" with no further location details.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 50: at Nev SR 44 Locations: Keystone.
There are two collections of the species from near Keystone in the Robinson Mining District.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 6: at Murray Summit at Lion Spr Wash Locations: Lion Spring Wash. Murray Summit. Southwest of Ely, US Highway 6
crosses Murray Summit enroute to Tonopah. There is a collection of the species from Murray Summit and from Lion Spring Wash just below the summit.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 6: near Ward Mtn Locations: Ward Mountain.
There is an Edmund Jaeger collection of Swertia albomarginata from Ward Mountain, the highest peak in the Egan Range. However, there is no more definitive location data available for this collection.
| | Other Articles: Nevada Highway 318: near Emigrant Sprs. at Sunnyside Locations: Sunnyside. White River (historical location). At the southwestern end of the Egan
Range is the oft-collected location of Sunnyside where Swertia gypsicola is found in addition to S. albomarginata.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Cave Valley Road: in Cave Vy Locations: Cave Valley. Cave Valley is between the Egan
Range and the Schell Creek Range. Kartesz (1986) states that the species is found in Cave Valley. The valley stretches 42 miles from north to south, and from 6000 ft to 7200 ft in elevation. Probably, though, the species is found in the pinyon-juniper forests in the northern part of Cave Valley.
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| Schell Creek Range
| Other Articles: U. S. Highway 93: near Steptoe Locations: Steptoe. There are two
collections from the vicinity of Steptoe, behind and above the smelter at McGill.
| | Other Articles: Nevada State Route 486: on upper Steptoe Ck Locations: Steptoe Creek. Nevada Highway
496, also known as Success Summit Drive, loops around from a point north of McGill, south through Duck Creek Valley, over Success Summit, and then down Steptoe Creek, past Cave Lake State Park.
| There are two collections of Swertia albomarginata along this road. Reading the location descriptions, I believe these collections were made along upper Steptoe Creek, between Cave Lake State Park and Success Summit. | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 50: at Connors Pass Locations: Connors Pass. There is one collection just east of Connors Pass along US Highway 50.
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Kartesz (1988) states that Swertia albomarginata occurs in Cave Valley. This valley fills a long and narrow space between the Schell Creek Range and the Egan Range. I suspect that Kartesz was thinking of the northern end of Cave Valley as a plant location, and not the lower elevation valley floor to the south.
| | Locations: Grant Range. Quinn Canyon Range.
| Quinn Canyon and Grant RangesThe Grant Range and Quinn Canyon Range are southern extensions of the White Pine Range. |
Other Articles: Nevada Highway 375: near Quinn Cyn Range Forest Road 410: at Burnt Cyn Cherry Creek Summit Locations: Burnt Canyon. Quinn Canyon Range.
There is one collection of Swertia albomarginata from this area made by Basset Maguire and Noel Holmgren in 1945. Post (1956) referred to this collection and listed the location as Burut Creek, which I believe to be a transcription error. I found the collection online at NY. There, the location is listed as Burnt Creek.
| There does not seem to be a Burnt Creek in either the Quinn Canyon Range or the Grant Range. However, there is a Burnt Canyon, and a Burnt Canyon Spring, just north of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Road 410, on the west side of the ranges. Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Road 410 forms the boundary between the Quinn Canyon Range and the Grant Range. Since Burnt Canyon and the Grant Range are north of the road, this collection of Swertia albomarginata was collected in the Grant Range rather than the Quinn Canyon range as listed by the collectors. |  Distribution of Swertia albomarginata in Lincoln County, Nevada
| Bristol Range and Lake ValleyThere are eight collections of Swertia albomarginata in eastern Lincoln County, Nevada, spread from the Bristol Range, through Lake Valley near Pioche, to Beaverdam Wash near the Utah border. | Other Articles: Bristol Mine Road: at Bristol Pass U. S. Highway 93: near Bristol Pass Locations: Bristol Pass. There is one collection by Jean Langenheim (#3782, 7/1/1954) in Bristol Pass at the north end of the Bristol Range. The plants were found on a hillslope north of the summit, scattered in well-developed soil, and in close association with Artemisia tridentata.
| | Other Articles: U. S. Highway 93: near Atlanta Locations: Atlanta. Barbara Ertter
collected the species at the railroad siding of Atlanta, about 2 miles northwest of Pioche. (This is a different location than the mining town of Atlanta in the Wilson Creek Range to the northeast.) Here, Swertia albomarginata was found in a wash with Peraphyllum and Purshia in an area of Pinyon-Juniper.
| | Other Articles: Mono Basin Flora: Miss Maud Minthorn U. S. Highway 93: Pioche Locations: Pioche.
In the vicinity of Pioche, there is a Marcus E. Jones collection from 1913. This was preceeded by a 1909 collection of Swertia albomarginata by Miss Maud Minthorn. Miss Minthorn was also a major collector in the Mono Basin.
| | Other Articles: Nevada State Route 322: at 3.5 mi SE Locations: Lake Valley. There is one
collection from the south end of Lake Valley. I estimate this collection was made on a bluff overlooking Hamlight Canyon. Swertia albomarginata was found with scattered Juniper, Artemisia, Caulanthus, Chaenactis, Ipomopsis, and Stephanomeria.
| | Other Articles: Nevada State Route 319: at Panaca U. S. Highway 93: Panaca Locations: Panaca.
There are two collections from the vicinity of Panaca. Here the ecotype is described as high desert, with Artemisia sage, and Juniper.
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Other Articles: Beaver Dam Road: at Acoma Locations: Acoma.
Where the road to Beaverdam State Park crosses Clover Creek, there is one collection of Swertia albomarginata made in sagebrush (Artemisia) and Juniper near the Acoma siding on the Union Pacific Railroad.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Crestline Road: near Pine Mtn Locations: Pine Mountain. Finally, just over
the state line into Utah, in the extreme northwestern corner of Washington County, C. C. Parry made a collection of Swertia albomarginata at Pine Mountain.
| |  Distribution of Swertia albomarginata in the Mt. Irish, Pahranagat, and Groom Ranges, Lincoln County, Nevada
| Mount Irish Range, Groom Range, and Pahranagat RangeIn western Lincoln County, Nevada, there are two collections of Swertia albomarginata from the Groom Range, and one collection each from the Mount Irish and Pahranagat Ranges. | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Nevada Highway 375: near Groom Range Groom Mine Road: above Cattle Spring at saddle Locations: Groom Range. The collections of
Swertia
albomarginata in the Groom Range were both made portions of range that are inside the Nellis Air Force Range and therefore not accessible to the public. Both collections appear to have been made in the same general area on the west side of the range among Pinyon, Juniper and Artemisia. Kartesz (1988) also notes that the species occurs in the Groom Range, without further differentiating the location.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Mono Basin Flora: Miss Maud Minthorn U. S. Highway 93: near Pahranagat Range Locations: Pahranagat Range.
The collection in the Pahranagat Range was made by Searls and is deposited at F and GH as noted by
Post (1956). Beyond that, I have no other information specific to this collection. | "Searls" is probably Fanny Searls (1851-1939). She graduated Laureate of Science in 1870 from Northwest Female College and studied for a year at Northwestern University, the first year women were admitted. In 1871 she travelled with her father, a lawyer, to the Pahranagat mines in Nevada. While there she collected 215 plant specimens, as well as minerals and fossils, which she gave to Professor Oliver Marcy at Northwestern University. In 1877 she received her M.D. from University of Michigan but couldn't get an internship. So she worked as a student nurse in New york until 1881 when she married a Chicago ophthalmologist: Henry Gradle. After her husband's death in 1911, she moved to Santa Barbara, California, where she lived until her death. Dalea searlsiae (A. Gray) Barneby is named for her. | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Logan Canyon Road: at Logan Pass Locations: Mount Irish. Edmund Jaeger made
the collection of Swertia albomarginata in the Mount Irish Range.
This voucher is at POM and I have not seen it. The Mount Irish Range should be fairly easy to access via Logan Canyon Road from Nevada State Route 318 near Hiko.
| | Locations: Snake Range.
| Snake RangeThe Snake Range is the easternmost range in the Great Basin of Nevada. Bisected in the middle where crossed by US Highway 50 and US Highway 6 at Sacramento Pass, the southern portion of the Snake Range is mostly occupied by Great Basin National Park. | Other Articles: Swallow Canyon Road: 70000 Locations: Swallow Canyon. There is one collection of Swertia albomarginata at the herbaria that I have visited (JEPS, UC, ARIZ, and NY). This collection was made by Holmgren and Reveal in the foothills at the mouth of Swallow Canyon, on the southwest side of the range. The collection was made on a gravelly hillside with scattered Pinyon and Juniper.
| |
Locations: Great Basin National Park.
I would strongly suspect that Swertia albomarginata has been found or collected inside Great Basin National Park. I just have not yet found the collection. At my last visit to the park, I asked if they had a plant list, and was told that one was under development, but not yet ready to distribute.
| | Other Articles: Utah Highway 21: 33500 Locations: Mountain Home Range.
There are no collections from the Mountain Home Range south of Utah Highway 21.
| | Other Articles: Utah Highway 21: near Warm Cove Ridge Locations: Warm Cove Ridge. Basset Maguire
(#20886, 6/19/1941) collected Swertia albomarginata in stony soil on "Warm Point Ridge," which I believe to be Warm Cove Ridge, 5 miles west of Headquarters of Desert Range Experiment Station.
| |
There are no collections from the Indian Peak Range, even though the species might be expected there.
| | Other Articles: Wah Wah Mines Road: above Revenue Basin Utah Highway 21: just west of Wah Wah Summit near Wah Wah Sprs Crystal Peak Road: Crystal Peak Locations: Wah Wah Mountains.
| Wah Wah MountainsIn the Wah Wah Mountains and surrounding areas there have been five collections of Swertia albomarginata. | Literature Cited: Locations: Crystal Peak. In
the extreme north end of the Wah Wah Mountains at Crystal Peak, S. L. Welsh with K. Taylor and K. Thorne (#13589, 6/24/1976) collected Swertia albomarginata on what they described as a gray ignimbrite outcrop. However, the rock unit comprising Crystal Peak, the Tunnel Spring Tuff, is a crudely stratified, non-welded rhyolite ash-flow tuff with clasts of Palaeozoic dolomite, limestone and quartzite making up 10 per cent of the tuff (McBride and Picard, 2000). It's not unusual to find Swertia albomarginata on volcanic or plutonic rocks, when they contain a substantial portion of carbonates like the Tunnel Spring Tuff.
| Tunnel Spring, by the way is on the west side of the Tunnel Spring Mountains, about 10 miles west southwest of Crystal Peak. |
Along Utah Highway 21, just west of Wah Wah Pass, Holmgren (#13816, 6/4/2000) collected the species in a Pinyon-Juniper woodland
| | Locations: Wah Wah Springs.
H. D. Ripley and R. C. Barneby (#9258, n.d.) collected Swertia albomarginata at Wah Wah Springs, on the east flank of the mountains just south of Utah Highway 21.
| |
About 11 miles further south, the Holmgrens (3713,7/13/1969) collected the species in gravelly alluvial soil in Pinyon-Juniper woodland. I believe this would be on the Wah Wah Mines Road, just above Revenue Basin.
| | Other Articles: Jockey Road: 51000 Locations: Red Hill.
Near the south end of the Wah Wah Mountains, and close to the Iron County line, S. L. Welsh with K. Taylor and D. Atwood (#13985,7/27/1976) collected Swertia albomarginata in pinyon-juniper community on red-purple clay, probably adjacent to Jockey Road.
| | Other Articles: Nevada State Route 753: Currant Creek Locations: Currant Creek. Current Creek Mountains. Snake Mountains.
| Elko CountyPost (1956) states that there is a Marcus E. Jones collection of Swertia albomarginata made October 8, 1924 from the "Currant Creek Mountains" of Elko County. Vouchers are at POM and NY.The New York Botanical Garden online records (http://nybg.org) report three collections by Marcus E. Jones from Nevada with names including "Currant." On 31 July 1923, Jones collected Eriogonum microthecum Nutt. var. lapidicola Reveal at the Currant Creek Mountains (NY282222). On the same day, he also collected Ivesia sabulosa (M. E. Jones) D. D. Keck at Currant Creek (NY834049). There are no other collections in this location until 8 October 1924 when Jones collected Frasera albomarginata S. Watson at the Currant Creek Mountains (NY188578). Currant Creek drains the Snake Mountains to the east. It's possible that Jones thought the name for those mountains was "Currant Creek Mountains." I also noticed that Jones' collections occasionally mix county names. For example, Palisade is sometimes listed in Elko County and sometimes in Eureka County. The same for Ruby Hill, although, place names containing "ruby" are fairly common throughout Nevada. The collection of Swertia albomarginata in the Currant Creek Mountains is such as odd collection, it must remain suspect until more evidence can be obtained of Jones' collection localities in October of 1924. |
Literature Cited: Other Articles: Racetrack Valley Road: near Dry Mountain Locations: Dry Mountain. Last Chance Mountain. Last Chance Range.
| Death Valley RegionIn the Death Valley Region, Mary DeDecker (1984) states that Swertia albomarginata is found in the Last Chance Range, and in particular on Dry Mountain. |
I have found only one collection. There may be others, however, in the Death Valley herbarium, and in regional herbaria such as UNLV.
| |  Rosette on Last Chance Mountain 
Area on Last Chance Mountain where Swertia albomarginata was found.
Other Articles: Death Valley Road: Crater Locations: Last Chance Mountain. My own collection
(#266, 10/7/2000) was made on the top of the ridge about 1 1/2 miles southeast of Last Chance Mountain. Here the species was found in open places on stony limestone-derived soil among pinyons and small shrubs.
| | 
Distribution of | Southern NevadaThe area that I have called "southern Nevada" includes the Sheep Range, and the Spring Mountains with their southern extension of Potosi Mountains. I have found twenty collections of Swertia albomarginata in this area. | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Hidden Forest Road: in Deadman Cyn at the Deadman Sprs Locations: Deadman Canyon. Deadman Spring. In the Sheep
Range, Post (1956) notes presence of the
species, perhaps on the basis of a single collection
made by Annie M. Alexander and Louise Kellogg (1641, 1
Jun 1940) at Deadman Spring in Hidden Forest.
| | Other Articles: Wheeler Pass Road: near Wheeler Well at Clark Cyn Locations: Clark Canyon. Wheeler Well.
There are three vouchers made by I. W. Clokey in 1936 that may or may not represent the same collection (#7241a, 7241b, and 7241d) in the vicinity of Wheeler Well in Clark Canyon. These are described as found in a wooded wash, or a gravelly shrubby wash, in the Juniper belt.
| | Other Articles: NV State Route 156: in Lee Canyon Locations: Lee Canyon. There are four
collections from Lee Canyon area, three
of which were made by I. W. Clokey in 1936 in the
Juniper belt. The other was made by A. A. Heller in
1913.
| | Other Articles: Nevada State Route 158: 15500 Locations: Deer Creek.
In the Deer Creek area, between Lee Canyon and Kyle
Canyon, there is a collection by I. W. Clokey (#7239,
6 Jun 1936) on a hillside with Pinus monophylla,
and one by Robert T. Clausen and Harold Trapido (#5117,
20 Aug 1940) in open woods of Pseudotsuga on dry
slope.
| | Other Articles: Nevada State Route 157: at Deer Ck Hwy Locations: Kyle Canyon. In Kyle Canyon,
there is a collection by I. W. Clokey
(#7623, 30 Jun 1946) in the Yellow Pine Belt, and a
collection by me (#257, 7 Jun 2000) on an old gravel
road, near the intersection of NV Hwy 157 (Kyle Canyon
Road) and NV Hwy 158 (Deer Creek Road), 42 km west of
Las Vegas, Nevada.
| | Literature Cited: Locations: Spring Mountains. There are three collections that cannot be located more
specifically than just "Spring Mountains." Two of them
are 1898 collections by Carl A. Purpus (#6083), that
are the types for his Frasera induta.
| |
The other is a collection by Philip A. Munz (#16736) at
a location called "Yank Pit Canyon." I have been unable
to find this location.
| | Other Articles: Harris Springs Road: above Harris Springs Locations: Harris Springs. In
the vicinity of Harris Springs, south of Kyle Canyon,
there are two collections by I. W. Clokey (#7622, and
the ubquitious collection #7241, 25 Jun 1937) and one by
me (#258, 7 Jun 2000), described as being made on
gravelly hills or gravelly ground in the Pinyon belt.
| |
The Spring Mountains, and the Toiyabe National Forest,
are generally considered to extend south past Mountain
Springs to Potosi Mountain.
| | Other Articles: Potosi Mountain Road: near Potosi Pass Locations: Potosi Mountain. Frank Pitelka (#120, 14 Jun 1940) collected Swertia
albomarginata on the north side of Potosi Mountain
on a dry south-facing slope, in coarse gravelly soil,
associated with Pinyon, Juniper, and Manzanita.
| |
My collection (#260, 7 Jun 2000) was made on Potosi
Mountain Road, just past the private campgrounds, about
3 km west of Nevada State Route 160 on loose limestone
soil on moderate slopes.
| |
| Eastern Mojave Desert | 
Distribution of In
the eastern Mojave Desert of California,
Swertia albomarginata has been collected on Clark
Mountain, and on the New York to Providence Mountain
Ranges.
| |
North of Clark Mountain is the Kingston Range.
I've been told the species occurs there but, to date, I
have not found a collection.
| | Locations: Clark Mountain.
On Clark Mountain, Swertia
albomarginata has been collected by Annie M.
Alexander and Louise Kellogg (#841, 26 Jun 1939) on the
north slope. I have also seen the species there, but
did not collect because it was not in flower.
| |
To the south, across the Ivanpah Valley, are
the Providence Mountains and the New York Mountains,
that are joined by the Mid Hills.
| | Literature Cited: Other Articles: Ivanpah Road: at Keystone Canyon Locations: Keystone Canyon.
In the northern part of the New York
Mountains, at Keystone Canyon, there are two collections
by C. B. Wolf and P. C. Everett (#9027, 30 Jul 1937)
describing the vegetation as Upper Sonoran Zone, and one
by J. Roos (s.n., 20 Jun 1949). | Keystone Canyon is adjacent to Barnwell, a stop on the Searchlight Branch of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. Several well-known California botanists collected here, including the Brandegees and Willis Linn Jepson. Jepson made 25 collections at Barnwell on 9-10 May 1913, but not one of Swertia albomarginata. | Other Articles: Sagamore Canyon Road: above Sagamore Mine Sagamore Mine Sagamore Canyon is the next canyon south of Keystone Canyon. R. F. Thorne (#44166, 21 Jun 1973)
collected Swertia albomarginata in a narrow canyon above Sagamore Mine on rocky slopes in pinyon-juniper woodland with Pinus monophylla,
Leucelene ericoides, Asclepias asperula,
Cryptantha tumulosa, Mirabilis pumila,
Tragia stylaris, Galium munzii,
Petalostemon searlsiae, Forsellesia
nevadensis, etc. The names of these associates ne to be updated.
| |
Locations: Caruthers Canyon. Giant Ledge Mine.
Annie M. Alexander and Louise Kellogg camped in Caruthers Canyon in May, 1940, making more that 300 collections of plants they found there. One of those collections (#1461, 14 May 1940) was of Swertia albomarginata. I have also collected (#186, 25 May 1998) the species in Caruthers Canyon in the tailings of the Giant Ledge Mine.
| | Locations: Pinto Mountain.
I have collected Swertia albomarginata
(#186, 1 May 1996) on the south slopes of Pinto Mountain
at the location of one of my experimental plots. The
species is found on broken limestones slopes of a
lacustrine limestone informally called the Winkler
Formation.
| | Locations: Cedar Canyon.
Roxanna S.Ferris collected (#9862, 26 Jun
1940) in sagebrush-juniper association in a location
east of Cedar Canyon on Cima-Lanfair Valley Road. I
believe this collection was made in the vicinity of
Pinto Mountain, north of what is now called Cedar Canyon
Road.
| |  Experimental plot in Swertia albomarginata, north slope of Wild Horse Mesa.
North slope of Wild Horse Mesa. Other Articles: Wild Horse Canyon Road: North Slope of Wild Horse Mesa Locations: Wild Horse Mesa. The
Winkler formation also crops out on the north face of Wild Horse Mesa, in the Mid Hills between
the New York and the Providence Mountains. One of my experimental plots is here. I have made several collections here (#183, 29 May 1999, and #288, 26 May 2001) on broken limestone slopes with little soil development among Pinyons and Junipers.
| | Literature Cited: Locations: Providence Mountains. There is a T. S. Brandegee collection (s.n., 6 Jun 1902) of Swertia albomarginata from the Providence Mountains, as well as a listing of the species in his 1903 article "Flora of the Providence Mountains."
| |
I am a little surprised that I have not found a collection of Swertia albomarginata by Mary Beal, or by Willis Linn Jepson, who visited Mary Beal at the Providence Mountains. JEPS has 567 collections made by Mary Beal at the Providence Mountains, and 188 collections made by Willis Linn Jepson there, but none of them are Swertia albomarginata.
| |
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| | Date and time this article was prepared: 8/24/2008 9:41:40 AM |
