Glaucocarpum
Encyclopedia
Glaucocarpum is a monotypic plant genus containing the single species Glaucocarpum suffrutescens (syn.
Hesperidanthus suffrutescens, Schoenocrambe suffrutescens), a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common names Uinta Basin waxfruit, toad-flax cress, and shrubby reed-mustard. It is endemic to Utah
in the United States, where it is known only from Duchesne
and Uintah Counties
. It is threatened by habitat degradation and destruction. It is federally listed as an endangered species
of the United States.
This is a perennial herb with multiple erect stems growing 10 to 35 centimeters tall from a woody base. The leaves are lance-shaped or somewhat oval in shape with smooth or slightly toothed edges, the blades measuring up to 2.5 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
is a raceme
of mustardlike flowers. Each flower has yellow-green sepal
s and four yellow petals each measuring about a centimeter long. The fruit is a curved silique
1 or 2 centimeters long. The plant is pollinated
by several species of bee
s, likely including Dialictus perdifficilis, D. sedi, Evylaeus pulveris, Andrena walleye, A. prunorum and Halictus rubicundus
.
This mustard grows in the Uinta Basin on the Green River Formation
, a geologic formation, in an area around the border between Duchesne and Uintah Counties in Utah. The substrate is a shallow layer of dry, fine clay
and white calcareous
shale
. The area is a desert shrub or pinyon-juniper woodland plant community. The area is sparsely vegetated, but other plants in the habitat may include Barneby's catseye (Cryptantha barnebyi).
There are seven populations of the plant located in three main areas. Five of the seven populations contain 250 or fewer plants.
This plant is threatened by hydrocarbon exploration and the mining of oil shale
and tar sands
. All the populations of the plant are located on land which has been leased for oil and gas exploration. Its habitat is located over a large deposit of oil shale which may be a target for extraction. When the plant was added to the Endangered Species List, parts of populations had been destroyed during energy development activities. The populations are already somewhat isolated due to habitat fragmentation
, which is increased by roads running through the area. Dust
from the roads and from energy activity may negatively affect the plant in several ways. Some of the processes that affect the habitat and the plant also affect the plant's pollinators, such as bees. Other threats include off-road vehicle
use, grazing
, and the mining of surface rock for use as building stone.
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
Hesperidanthus suffrutescens, Schoenocrambe suffrutescens), a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
known by the common names Uinta Basin waxfruit, toad-flax cress, and shrubby reed-mustard. 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, where it is known only from Duchesne
Duchesne County, Utah
Duchesne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 18,607, a 29.5% increase over the 2000 figure of 14,371. Its county seat is Duchesne and the largest city is Roosevelt.-Geography:...
and Uintah Counties
Uintah County, Utah
This page deals with the Utah County. For the Wyoming County, see Uinta County, Wyoming.Uintah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 25,224 and by 2009 was estimated at 31,536. It was named for the Ute Indians, the tribe that lives in the basin. Its...
. It is threatened by habitat degradation and destruction. It is 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...
of the United States.
This is a perennial herb with multiple erect stems growing 10 to 35 centimeters tall from a woody base. The leaves are lance-shaped or somewhat oval in shape with smooth or slightly toothed edges, the blades measuring up to 2.5 centimeters in length. 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...
is a raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
of mustardlike flowers. Each flower has yellow-green sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s and four yellow petals each measuring about a centimeter long. The fruit is a curved silique
Silique
A silique or siliqua is a fruit of 2 fused carpels with the length being more than three times the width. The outer walls of the ovary usually separate when ripe, leaving a persistent partition...
1 or 2 centimeters long. The plant is pollinated
Pollination
Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred in plants, thereby enabling fertilisation and sexual reproduction. Pollen grains transport the male gametes to where the female gamete are contained within the carpel; in gymnosperms the pollen is directly applied to the ovule itself...
by several species of bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s, likely including Dialictus perdifficilis, D. sedi, Evylaeus pulveris, Andrena walleye, A. prunorum and Halictus rubicundus
Halictus rubicundus
Halictus rubicundus is a species of sweat bee found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is small , dark brown, with fine white bands across the apices of the abdominal segments. The legs are often somewhat reddish...
.
This mustard grows in the Uinta Basin on the Green River Formation
Green River Formation
The Green River Formation is an Eocene geologic formation that records the sedimentation in a group of intermountain lakes. The sediments are deposited in very fine layers, a dark layer during the growing season and a light-hue inorganic layer in winter. Each pair of layers is called a varve and...
, a geologic formation, in an area around the border between Duchesne and Uintah Counties in Utah. The substrate is a shallow layer of dry, fine clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
and white calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
. The area is a desert shrub or pinyon-juniper woodland plant community. The area is sparsely vegetated, but other plants in the habitat may include Barneby's catseye (Cryptantha barnebyi).
There are seven populations of the plant located in three main areas. Five of the seven populations contain 250 or fewer plants.
This plant is threatened by hydrocarbon exploration and the mining of oil shale
Oil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
and tar sands
Tar sands
Bituminous sands, colloquially known as oil sands or tar sands, are a type of unconventional petroleum deposit. The sands contain naturally occurring mixtures of sand, clay, water, and a dense and extremely viscous form of petroleum technically referred to as bitumen...
. All the populations of the plant are located on land which has been leased for oil and gas exploration. Its habitat is located over a large deposit of oil shale which may be a target for extraction. When the plant was added to the Endangered Species List, parts of populations had been destroyed during energy development activities. The populations are already somewhat isolated due to habitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation...
, which is increased by roads running through the area. Dust
Dust
Dust consists of particles in the atmosphere that arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind , volcanic eruptions, and pollution...
from the roads and from energy activity may negatively affect the plant in several ways. Some of the processes that affect the habitat and the plant also affect the plant's pollinators, such as bees. Other threats include off-road vehicle
Off-road vehicle
An off-road vehicle is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with deep, open treads, a flexible suspension, or even caterpillar tracks...
use, grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
, and the mining of surface rock for use as building stone.