With little previous research on Astragalus peckii (Fabaceae), a state-listed
Threatened species in Oregon, I investigated three facets of its biology which are
integral to the conservation and management of the species. First, a four-year
demographic study of two large populations revealed increasing population growth at
one site (Chiloquin) and...
Populations of an unknown species of Mimulus, herein
described as Mimulus hymenophyllus Meinke, were located
and studied near Horse Creek, a tributary of the Snake
River in eastern Wallowa County, Oregon. The new species
is differentiated from its apparent closest relative,
Mimulus jungermannioides Suksd., by an annual habit, long
petioles,...
The Mimulus washingtonensis complex is a group of morphologically similar
species centered in the Pacific Northwest. All are rare, and most are under
consideration for listing as endangered. Morphometric and pollination data were
used in developing a revised taxonomy for the group. Five species and two varieties
are recognized. Mimulus...
Astragalus oniciformis Barneby is a xerophyte of the sagebrush deserts of central Idaho. It is a narrow endemic of the upper Snake River Plains where it inhabits stabilized, aeolian sand deposits over Quaternary basalt flows. The objective of this study was to determine the levels and distribution of genetic differentiation...
An experimental reintroduction was performed to determine the best method to create new populations of the tuberous species Perideridia erythrorhiza, a rare vascular plant endemic to southern Oregon. Only a handful of sites are currently present, and many of these are subject to other land uses such as urban development...
Rare plant reintroductions that result in additional or more viable wild populations are important conservation tools for maintaining biodiverse ecosystems. Ideally, such projects are best designed as experiments, to improve biological and ecological knowledge of the selected species and monitoring long-term results. Northern wormwood (Artemisia campestris var. wormskioldii: Asteraceae), a...
Pleuropogon oregonus Chase is a rare wetland grass endemic to eastern Oregon. The species is composed of two widely separated populations, one in Lake County and one in Union County. In order to reduce the risk of extinction, the Oregon Department of Agriculture Native Plant Conservation Program initiated several reintroduction...
Rare plant reintroductions are a critical conservation tool for the augmentation of diminishing populations, or re-establishment of extirpated populations. Analysis of reintroduction failures suggests that a sophisticated understanding of species biology, ecology, and habitat is essential for producing self-sustaining rare plant populations. This study sought to generate that background knowledge...
The role of unusual geologies in plant distribution and form is well-known. Serpentine (ultramafic) soils exert a particularly strong influence on plants, as evidenced by a high level of endemism and the morphological and physiological traits displayed in adaptation to the extraordinary chemistry of these substrates. Adaptation may lead to...
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RobertJ. Meinke
The role of unusual geologies in plant distribution and form is
Limnanthes floccosa ssp. floccosa and L. floccosa ssp. grandiflora are two of five subspecies of Limnanthes floccosa endemic to vernal pools in southern Oregon and northern California. Three seasons of monitoring natural populations have quantified that L. floccosa ssp. grandiflora is always found growing sympatrically with L. floccosa ssp. floccosa...