Schoenocrambe barnebyi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Schoenocrambe barnebyi |
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| Conservation status | |
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Schoenocrambe
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| Species: |
S. barnebyi
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| Schoenocrambe barnebyi (S.L.Welsh & N.D.Atwood) Rollins
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Hesperidanthus argillaceus |
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Schoenocrambe barnebyi is a very rare flowering plant in the mustard family. It is also known as Barneby reed-mustard or Barneby thelypody. This plant is found only in Utah in the United States. It grows in Emery and Wayne Counties.
This special mustard plant is in danger. Its home is being damaged or destroyed. Because of this, the United States government lists it as an endangered species. This means it is protected by law.
What it Looks Like
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It has several straight stems that grow from 10 to 38 centimeters tall. These stems grow from a thick base called a caudex.
The leaves are shaped like long ovals. They can be up to 5 centimeters long. Their edges are usually smooth, but sometimes they have small teeth.
The flowers grow in a cluster called a raceme. They look like other mustard flowers. Each flower has green or purple sepals. These are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. There are also four white or light purple petals. These petals have purple lines and are about one centimeter long.
After the flowers bloom, they make fruit. The fruit is a curved pod called a silique. It is about 2 to 5 centimeters long.
Where it Lives
This rare mustard plant grows in dry places. One group of these plants lives in the San Rafael Swell. This area is in Emery County, Utah. It is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Another group of these plants lives in Capitol Reef National Park. This park is in Wayne County. The places where this mustard grows are very dry. They have very little other plant life.
The ground where it grows is a fine, red clay. This clay breaks apart easily. It also has a lot of selenium and gypsum. This area is a desert shrub plant community. Other plants that grow here include sweet sand verbena and shadscale.
Why it's in Danger
There are only about 2,000 to 3,000 of these plants left. There might be more in nearby rocky areas that are hard to reach.
One big threat to this mustard is uranium mining. This happens in the San Rafael Swell area. Most of the mines are not active anymore. But they are still kept up. There is even a road that goes right through where the plants grow.
The other group of plants in Capitol Reef National Park faces a different problem. Hikers sometimes walk on them by accident. This can damage the plants.
Images for kids
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A Barneby reed-mustard plant in its natural habitat.
