Ipomopsis sancti-spiritus
Encyclopedia
Ipomopsis sancti-spiritus is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family
known by the common name Holy Ghost ipomopsis. It is endemic to New Mexico
in the United States, where it is known from only one canyon in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
. It is a federally listed endangered species
.
This plant was first described in 1988, when specimens were found to differ slightly from the description of the very similar Ipomopsis aggregata. The species is known only from a two-mile (3-km) stretch of Holy Ghost Canyon
in San Miguel County
, northern New Mexico. Though estimates of the population are difficult to make because of the plant's similarity to I. aggregata, some estimates have ranged from 372 to 2047 individuals. Research suggests the plant is at high risk for extinction
.
Holy Ghost ipomopsis is a perennial herb growing 30 centimetre tall. The leaves are mostly located around the base of the plant and wither as the plant flowers. Leaves on the stem become smaller toward the top. The inflorescence
is a number of clusters of flowers, one at the tip of the stem and a few along the sides of the upper stem. The flower is bright pink with a thin tubular throat up to 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in) long opening into five pointed lobes each nearly 1 centimetre (0.393700787401575 in) in length. Blooming occurs in July through September.
The plant most often grows on steep, west-facing limestone
slopes next to a road in one canyon in the Santa Fe National Forest
. Other plants in the area include ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Douglas-fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii), quaking aspen
(Populus tremuloides), Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), mountain mahogany
(Cercocarpus montanus), Woods' rose
(Rosa woodsii), poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii), Indian hemp
(Apocynum cannabinum), western yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and white ragweed (Hymenopappus newberryi).
The plant grows on bare soils, and probably requires periodic disturbance to keep its habitat clear of competing vegetation. It does not tolerate shade or an accumulation of leaf litter. This buildup of tinder increase the likelihood of a large wildfire
, which could conceivably destroy the whole population; conservation efforts include clearing overgrown brush and flammable material.
This species has low fecundity
, rarely reproducing successfully, with fewer than 10% of flowers producing fruits and the fruits containing few viable seeds. With relatively few individuals in the breeding pool it likely suffers from inbreeding depression
. Forecasts indicate that the plant is likely to reach extinction within 50 years.
Polemoniaceae
Polemoniaceae are a family of about 25 genera with 270-400 species of annual and perennial plants, native to the Northern Hemisphere and South America, with the center of diversity in western North America, especially in California.Only one genus is found in Europe, and two in Asia, where they...
known by the common name Holy Ghost ipomopsis. It is endemic to New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
in the United States, where it is known from only one canyon in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Sangre de Cristo Mountains
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. They are located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in the United States...
. It is a federally listed 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...
.
This plant was first described in 1988, when specimens were found to differ slightly from the description of the very similar Ipomopsis aggregata. The species is known only from a two-mile (3-km) stretch of Holy Ghost 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...
in San Miguel County
San Miguel County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*66.6% White*1.4% Black*1.7% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.9% Two or more races*25.5% Other races*76.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, northern New Mexico. Though estimates of the population are difficult to make because of the plant's similarity to I. aggregata, some estimates have ranged from 372 to 2047 individuals. Research suggests the plant is at high risk for extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
.
Holy Ghost ipomopsis is a perennial herb growing 30 centimetre tall. The leaves are mostly located around the base of the plant and wither as the plant flowers. Leaves on the stem become smaller toward the top. 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 number of clusters of flowers, one at the tip of the stem and a few along the sides of the upper stem. The flower is bright pink with a thin tubular throat up to 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in) long opening into five pointed lobes each nearly 1 centimetre (0.393700787401575 in) in length. Blooming occurs in July through September.
The plant most often grows on steep, west-facing limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
slopes next to a road in one canyon in the Santa Fe National Forest
Santa Fe National Forest
The Santa Fe National Forest is a protected national forest in northern New Mexico in the Southwestern United States. It was established in 1915 and covers 1,567,181 acres . Elevations range from 5,300 feet to 13,103 feet at the summit of Truchas Peak, located within the Pecos Wilderness...
. Other plants in the area include ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
(Pseudotsuga menziesii), quaking aspen
Populus tremuloides
Populus tremuloides is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, commonly called quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, and Quakies,. The trees have tall trunks, up to 25 metres, with smooth pale bark, scarred with black. The glossy green leaves, dull beneath, become golden...
(Populus tremuloides), Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), mountain mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus
Cercocarpus montanus is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rosaceae. It is known by various common names, such as mountain mahogany, true mountain-mahogany, alder-leaf mountain-mahogany, and alder-leaf cercocarpus...
(Cercocarpus montanus), Woods' rose
Rosa woodsii
Rosa woodsii is a species of rose known by the common name Woods' rose. It is native to North America including much of Canada and Alaska and the western and central United States. It grows in a variety of habitat types, including disturbed areas....
(Rosa woodsii), poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii), Indian hemp
Apocynum cannabinum
Apocynum cannabinum is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows throughout much of North America - in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States. It is a poisonous plant: Apocynum means "poisonous to dogs"...
(Apocynum cannabinum), western yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and white ragweed (Hymenopappus newberryi).
The plant grows on bare soils, and probably requires periodic disturbance to keep its habitat clear of competing vegetation. It does not tolerate shade or an accumulation of leaf litter. This buildup of tinder increase the likelihood of a large wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
, which could conceivably destroy the whole population; conservation efforts include clearing overgrown brush and flammable material.
This species has low fecundity
Fecundity
Fecundity, derived from the word fecund, generally refers to the ability to reproduce. In demography, fecundity is the potential reproductive capacity of an individual or population. In biology, the definition is more equivalent to fertility, or the actual reproductive rate of an organism or...
, rarely reproducing successfully, with fewer than 10% of flowers producing fruits and the fruits containing few viable seeds. With relatively few individuals in the breeding pool it likely suffers from inbreeding depression
Inbreeding depression
Inbreeding depression is the reduced fitness in a given population as a result of breeding of related individuals. It is often the result of a population bottleneck...
. Forecasts indicate that the plant is likely to reach extinction within 50 years.