Kingdom Plantae Family Asteraceae Genus Yermo
Dorn Higher classification Yermo | Order Asterales Tribe Senecioneae Scientific name Yermo xanthocephalus Rank Species | |
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Yermo xanthocephalus commonly known as the desert yellowhead is an American perennial, endemic to southern Wyoming. It is the only member of the genus Yermo, and was first described in 1991.
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Distribution
Yermo xanthocephalus, the desert yellowhead, is currently known to exist only two populations on less than 50 acres (200,000 m2) of Bureau of Land Management land in southern Fremont County, Wyoming. One population contains an estimated 12,000 plants, the other about 400 plants.
Description
The Yermo xanthocephalus plant has leafy steams about 12 inches (30 cm) high, and has leathery, lance-shaped to oval leaves that may be from an inch and a half (3.7 cm) to 10 inches (25 cm) long.
There are many flower heads (25-80) crowded at the top of the stem, and each head contains four to six yellow disk shaped flowers.
Conservation
The plant has been a listed Threatened species in the United States since 2002, however it is not as yet listed by the IUCN.
The desert yellowhead is threatened by human activities, including potential oil and gas field development on two leases that encompass the plant’s habitat. The plant may also be threatened by the search for and extraction of uranium and zeolites – minerals with properties useful in water softening, pollution control and removal of radioactive products from radioactive waste. Other threats include recreational off-road vehicle use in the area and non-native species.
Because of the desert yellowhead’s small population and limited geographic range, even small-scale habitat degradation could make it vulnerable to extinction. However, recent surveys indicate that the desert yellowhead population appears stable and current conditions appear favorable to the species and its habitat.