C. Biology:
Plants arise from underground vegetative parts. Reproduction is asexual or vegetative. The seeds are sterile. This feature was confirmed in 1998 from germination studies completed by The Arboretum at Flagstaff on seeds from three different locations (Lee Hughes, pers. com.).
At Fishtail Mesa, about 50 stems in a 100 m2 area were observed in 1996. At Twin Point, about 1,000 to 2,000 stems in 10,000 m2 in 1979. Bostick (1988) reported that the Twin Point population occupies five acres, with 16 stems in a 5 m2 subplot. Bostick estimated that there were about 16,000 stems per hectare, or a total population of 32,000 stems. BLM personnel in 1986 reported the loss of all plants in two localities at T38N, R3W, Section 29 and 30, without stating the cause (Phillips 1992). Lee Hughes, Bureau of Land Management, monitored a trend plot (100 x 18 x 30 feet) located at T38N, R3W, Section 29/30 annually between the years 1987 to 1997. Due to small changes in the trend plot in ten years, monitoring was stopped and replaced with site checks and searching for new locations of the species.
On June 23, 2001 at least 60 plants were located on Dutton Point on Powell Plateau in a 20m by 20m area. Seven (7) plants were in bloom although all the blossoms were old. The plants looked very healthy and ranged in height from 10cm to 36cm (M. Koopman, pers. obs.).
On July 3, 2001 Havasupai Point was searched. Five groups comprising of an approximate total of 130 plants were found on the eastern edge of the point. The groups had between 20 and 40 plants in each and ranged in height from 10 to 48cm. The clumps were on average of 4m apart and the largest group covered an area of 2m by 2m. All plants were just past bloom and the fruit and sepals were red in color. Two (2) other clumps were located on the northwest-facing slope of the point. The first clump contained 10 to 15 relatively large individuals while the second group had 7 smaller plants. These plants were very hard to observe as they grew on ledges of the abyss (M. Koopman, pers. obs.)
On October 13, 2001 a survey of the area to the south of the corral at the end of road to Tuckup pack and trailhead, just above 150 Mile Canyon and Buckhorn Spring was conducted. Within an area of 12.5 by 2 meters on the northeast-facing slope descending into the canyon about 145 plants were found. No plants were in flower or in bud, one old flower was noted. The plants ranged in height from 8cm to 40 cm. The stems were red in color, the prickles white and remaining leaves were yellow and dry. Parts of many plants appeared dead because the stems were gray in color (M. Koopman, pers.obs.)
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