Susan Panjabi

Grand Mesa penstemon (Penstemon mensarum) is a tall, dark-blue-flowered plant in the Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family) that is known only from the vicinity of Grand Mesa in Gunnison, Delta, Mesa, and Pitkin counties, Colorado. This distinctive species is not known from anywhere else in the world, and is considered to be imperiled at a global and state level. One of the biggest conservation issues for this imperiled plant species is the lack of awareness...

Located in Mesa County, Colorado, the Gateway Action Area includes high quality occurrences of Dolores skeleton plant (Lygodesmia doloresensis, G1G2), Horseshoe milkvetch (Astragalus equisolensis, G2), Fisher Towers milkvetch (Astragalus piscator, G2), and Osterhout cat's-eye, (Oreocarya osterhoutii, G3), the primary targets of this action plan.

Located in San Miguel County, the Big Gypsum Valley and Dry Creek Basin Action Areas include high quality occurrences of Gypsum Valley cat's-eye (Cryptantha gypsophila). Several other significant elements of biodiversity add conservation value to this area including the Gunnison Sage Grouse, Sage Sparrow, White-tailed Prairie dog, Little penstemon, Nealley's dropseed and a unique community of globally and state-rare lichens.

Piceance bladderpod is a low, rosette-forming, yellow-flowered plant in the Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) that is found chiefly on outcrops of the Green River Shale Formation in the Piceance Basin. It grows on ledges and slopes of canyons in open area of pinon juniper communities.

Pagosa bladderpod (Physaria pruinosa=Lesquerella pruinosa) is a small, rosette-forming, yellow-flowered plant in the Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) that is known only from two counties in southern Colorado and one county in northern New Mexico. Avoiding or minimizing impacts to this species during road maintenance activities will effectively help to conserve its habitat and is unlikely to confer substantial impacts on road maintenance goals and projects....

Colorado supports habitat for approximately 120 globally imperiled plant species. These plants are in need of conservation attention to prevent unnecessary extirpations and extinctions. Numerous populations of these globally imperiled plants are known from roadside locations in Colorado. One of the biggest conservation issues for this imperiled plant species is the lack of awareness of its existence and status. Avoiding or minimizing impacts to this...