RARE WETLAND PLANT SPECIES of COLORADO


The following is a checklist of the rare wetland plant species of Colorado. Plants are listed alphabetically by genus. The status and habitat of each species is included along with the scientific name, common name, and family as well as a list of the counties in Colorado where the plant has been reported.

Habitat: includes elevation, wetland type and whether the species falls into the catergory of obligate (always found in wetlands) or facultative (found in wetlands but may be found in non-wetlands).
Status: This is based on a state ranking of rare. Extremely rare species in Colorado (less than five occurances) are noted as "very rare". Many species are rare in the state of Colorado but are secure in other regions of their range. Those species that are rare globally (throughout their entire range) are noted as "globally rare". Status is based on government ratings as reported in the Colorado Rare Plant Field Guide.





Scientific Name:Adiantum capillus-veneris L.
Common Name: Southern Maiden-Hair Fern
Family: Adiantaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Cliff seeps, 4800-7800 ft., facultative
Location: Baca, Las Animas, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma and Montrose


Scientific Name: Aquilegia chrysantha var. rydbergii Munz
Common Name: Golden Columbine
Family: Helleboraceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Springs and streamsides, 5500-6000 ft., facultative
Location: El Paso, Fremont


Scientific Name: Botrypus virginianus ssp. europaeus Holub
Common Name: Rattlesnake Fern
Family: Ophioglossaceae
Status: Very rare in Colorado
Habitat: Springs, 6000-9500 ft., facultative
Location: Boulder, El Paso


Scientific Name: Carex leptalea Walhenb.
Common Name: Bristle-Stalk Sedge
Family: Cyperaceae
Status: Very rare in state
Habitat: Fens and mineral-rich wetlands, 9000-10,000 ft., obligate
Location: Clear Creek, Grand, El Paso and Park


Scientific Name: Carex viridula Michx.
Common Name: Green Sedge
Family: Cyperaceae
Status: Very rare in Colorado
Habitat: Fens, 8700 - 9200 ft., obligate
Location: Gunnison, Jackson, LaPlata, Park and Summit


Scientific Name: Drosera rotundifolia L.
Common Name: Roundleaf Sundew
Family: Droseraceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Acidic ponds and fens, 9100 - 9800 ft., obligate
Location: Gunnison and Jackson


Scientific Name: Epipactis gigantea Dougl. ex Hook
Common Name: Giant Helleborine
Family: Orchidaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Cliff seeps and springs, 4800 - 8000 ft., obligate
Location: Archuleta, Chafee, Delta, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose and Saguache


Scientific Name: Eriophorum gracile W.D.J. Kock
Common Name: Slender Cotton Grass
Family: Cyperaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Ponds, wet meadows and fens, 8100 - 12,000 ft., obligate
Location: Jackson, Las Animas and Park


Scientific Name: Eustoma grandiflorum Shinners (Rafinesque)
Common Name: Showy Prairie Gentian
Family: Gentianaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Wet meadows, streams and lake shores, 3500 - 6000 ft., facultative
Location: Adams, Arapaho, Boulder, Denver, Fremont, Jefferson, Kiowa, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Prowers, Pueblo, Sedgwick, Weld and Yuma


Scientific Name: Eutrema edwardsii ssp. penlandii W.A. Weber
Synonyms: Eutrema penlandii
Common Name: Penland Alpine Fen Mustard
Family: Brassicaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Alpine fens, 12,300 - 13,100 ft., obligate
Location: Park and Summit


Scientific Name: Gaura neomexicana ssp. Coloradensis
Common Name: Colorado Butterfly Plant
Family: Onagraceae
Status: Very rare in Colorado
Habitat: Drainage bottoms, 5800 - 6200 ft., obligate
Location: Boulder, Douglas, Larimer and Weld


Scientific Name: Lilium philadelphicum L.
Common Name: Wood Lily
Family: Liliaceae
Status: Vulnerable in Colorado
Habitat: Wet meadows, 6800 - 9800 ft., facultative
Location: Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Custer, Douglas, El Paso, Gilpin, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jefferson, La Plata, Larimer, Las Animas and Mineral Park


Scientific Name: Malaxi monophyllos ss. brachypoda Love and Love
Common Name: White Adder's-Mouth
Family: Orchidaceae
Status: Very rare in Colorado
Habitat: Shaded streamsides and mossy wet areas, 7200 - 8000 ft., facultative
Location: Boulder, El Paso and Jefferson


Scientific Name: Mimulus eastwoodiae Ryhb.
Common Name: Eastwood Monkey-Flower
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Cave seeps and canyon walls, 4700 - 5800 ft., obligate
Location: Delta, Mesa, Montrose and San Miguel


Scientific Name: Onoclea sensibilis L.
Common Name: Sensitive Fern
Family: Onocleaceae
Status: Very rare in Colorado
Habitat: Marshy meadows (shade), 700 ft., facultative
Location: Douglas
*Has not been reported since 1948


Scientific Name: Parnassia kotzebuei Chamisso and Schlechtendal
Common Name: Kotzebue Grass-of-Parnassus
Family: Parnassiaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Subalpine wet ledges and streamlets, 10,000 - 12,000 ft., obligate
Location: Boulder, Clear Creek, Grand, Larimer, Park, San Juan and Summit


Scientific Name: Phippsia algida R.BR.
Common Name: Snow Grass
Family: Poaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Snowmelt streamlets and alpine lkae inlets, 11,700 - 14,000 ft., obligate
Location: Boulder, Clear Creek, Park and Summit


Scientific Name: Primula egaliksensis Wormsk.
Common Name: Greenland Primrose
Family: Primulaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Wet meadows and fens, 9000 - 9800 ft., facultative
Location: Park


Scientific Name: Rorippa coloradensis R. Stuckey
Common Name: Colorado Watercress
Family: Brassicaceae
Status: Presumed extinct
Habitat: Margins on rivers and lakes, 7500 ft., obligate
Location: San Luis Valley


Scientific Name: Salix candida Fluegge
Common Name: Silver Willow
Family: Salicaceae
Status: Rare in Colorado
Habitat: Fens, pond borders, 8800 - 10,600 ft., obligate
Location: Gunnison, Hinsdale, La Plata, Larimer and Park


Scientific Name: Salix myrtillifolia Anders.
Common Name: Low Blueberry Willow
Family: Salicaceae
Status: Very rare in Colorado
Habitat: Calcareous fens, 9300 ft., facultative
Location: Park


Scientific Name: Salix serissima (Baily)Fern.
Common Name: Autumn Willow
Family: Salicaceae
Status: Very rare in Colorado
Habitat: Marshes, fens, 7800 - 9300 ft., obligate
Location: Larimer, Park and Routt


Additional information:
Colorado Natural Heritage Program
1996 National List of Plants That Occur in Wetlands
Colorado State University Herbarium
Plants National Database


References:

1996 National List of Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands. http://www.nwi.fws.gov/ecology.htm.

Donovan, S., and Helen B. Correll. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of the Southwestern United States. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA. 1975.

Johnston, Barry C. et. al. Proposed and recommended threatened and endangered plant species of the forest service, Rocky Mountain Region. USDA Forest Service Region 2. Lakewood, CO. 1979.

Weber, William A. Rocky Mountain Flora. Colorado Associated University Press. Boulder, CO. 1976

Spackman, S., et. al. Colorado Rare Plant Field Guide. Prepared for the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. 1997.


Botrypus, Drosera and Onoclea photos from Plants National Database http://plants.usda.gov/plantproj/plants/index.html
Eustoma and Lilium photos from Weber