Erigeron maguirei
Encyclopedia
Erigeron maguirei is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common names Maguire daisy and Maguire's fleabane. It is endemic to Utah
in the United States. It is a perennial herb growing up to 28 centimetres (11 in) tall. It grows from a taproot
and a branching caudex
. The stems are densely hairy. The inflorescence
holds one to five flower heads
each with several hairy, glandular phyllaries
. The head has up to 20 white, pink-tinged, or pink ray florets 0.6 to 0.8 centimeters long, and many yellow disc florets at the center.
This plant can be found in the San Rafael Swell
and Capitol Reef National Park
in Utah. It grows in cracks and crevices in the Navajo Sandstone
in canyon
s, mesa
s, and washes
. It springs up in cool, shady areas where enough organic material accumulates in cracks that it can take hold. The habitat is shrubland and pine and juniper woodland.
This species was previously divided into two varieties. The rare var. maguirei was federally listed as an endangered species
in 1985 because there were only five to seven individual plants known, all growing in an area with active uranium
mining claims. By 1996, studies indicated that the differences between the two varieties were not controlled by the genes of the plants, so that the division of the species into varieties was not warranted. The two varieties were combined, so both would be considered together under the Endangered Species Act
as one species. This automatically made the endangered taxon more abundant than before, and it was downlisted to threatened status. Recent counts suggest there are ten populations containing over 160,000 individuals. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service
's target for recovery was set at around 10,000 individuals, so the Service considers the plant to have recovered. In 2011 it was removed from the Endangered Species List.
About 85% of the plant's range is on federal land, giving it some protection. Uranium mining takes place nearby, but not in areas where the plant naturally occurs.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common names Maguire daisy and Maguire's fleabane. It is endemic to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in the United States. It is a perennial herb growing up to 28 centimetres (11 in) tall. It grows from a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
and a branching caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
. The stems are densely hairy. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
holds one to five flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
each with several hairy, glandular phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
. The head has up to 20 white, pink-tinged, or pink ray florets 0.6 to 0.8 centimeters long, and many yellow disc florets at the center.
This plant can be found in the San Rafael Swell
San Rafael Swell
The San Rafael Swell is a large geologic feature located in south-central Utah, USA about 30 miles west of Green River, Utah. The San Rafael Swell, approximately by , consists of a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide...
and Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. It is 100 miles long but fairly narrow. The park, established in 1971, preserves 378 mi² and is open all year, although May through September are the most popular months.Called "Wayne Wonderland" in the 1920s...
in Utah. It grows in cracks and crevices in the Navajo Sandstone
Navajo Sandstone
Navajo Sandstone is a geologic formation in the Glen Canyon Group that is spread across the U.S. states of northern Arizona, northwest Colorado, and Utah; as part of the Colorado Plateau province of the United States...
in canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
s, mesa
Mesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
s, and washes
Arroyo (creek)
An arroyo , a Spanish word translated as brook, and also called a wash is usually a dry creek or stream bed—gulch that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Wadi is a similar term in Africa. In Spain, a rambla has a similar meaning to arroyo.-Types and processes:Arroyos...
. It springs up in cool, shady areas where enough organic material accumulates in cracks that it can take hold. The habitat is shrubland and pine and juniper woodland.
This species was previously divided into two varieties. The rare var. maguirei was federally listed as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
in 1985 because there were only five to seven individual plants known, all growing in an area with active uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
mining claims. By 1996, studies indicated that the differences between the two varieties were not controlled by the genes of the plants, so that the division of the species into varieties was not warranted. The two varieties were combined, so both would be considered together under the Endangered Species Act
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
as one species. This automatically made the endangered taxon more abundant than before, and it was downlisted to threatened status. Recent counts suggest there are ten populations containing over 160,000 individuals. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
's target for recovery was set at around 10,000 individuals, so the Service considers the plant to have recovered. In 2011 it was removed from the Endangered Species List.
About 85% of the plant's range is on federal land, giving it some protection. Uranium mining takes place nearby, but not in areas where the plant naturally occurs.