New Nevada endemic plant!

“A new species of Ranunculus from Elko County, Nevada, R. legerae, is described and illustrated. It is related to R. triternatus, R. glaberimmus, and R. adoneus. The earliest known collection was made in 1937. Poor label information prevented rediscovery, which did not happen until 2017. The second author discovered a large population in 2022 which led to this study and article.”

“This plant is named in honor of Elizabeth Anne (Beth) Leger (b. 1974), a dynamic intellect, excellent mentor, extraordinary professor, and plant lover. Beth received a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in 2004. After a postdoctoral position at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York she arrived at the University of Nevada, Reno in 2006 where she is now a Foundation Professor in the Biology Department. She has injected vitality into all the studies, projects, colleagues, and students she has been associated with. Among her lineage of students is the Nevada state botanist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the director of the Nevada Division of Natural Heritage. Beth is a cofounder and director of the MuSejm of Natural History at the University of Nevada, Reno. The museum includes the herbarium, vertebrate collection, and entomology collection. It is a joint endeavor between the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources (herbarium) and the College of Science (vertebrate and entomology collections). This two-college support system has provided the collec-tions with a strong backing system that should preserve them for posterity.”

The paper, by Arnold Tiehm and Jacqueline Lucero, can be found here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382139170_A_new_Ranunculus_Ranunculaceae_from_Nevada_USA

Photo of Ranunculus legerae in early and mature fruit by Jan Nachlinger. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.