BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Hornungia procumbens
ovalpurse
| Scientific Name: | Hornungia procumbens |
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| Scientific Name Synonyms: |
Hutchinsia procumbens
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| English Name: | ovalpurse |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S4 |
| Date Status Assigned: | April 30, 2019 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | April 30, 2019 |
| Reasons: | Hutchinsia procumbens is known from at least 23 locations in BC, but the species is small and inconspicuous and additional populations are almost certain to occur. This is a widespread species from Saltspring Island on the coast to Lac du Bois and Osoyoos Lake and the Rocky Mountain Trench. The estimated range extent is 53,473 square km and the area of occupancy is at least 92 square km. There is insufficient information available to determine short-term or long-term population or habitat trends. This species is probably not intrinsically vulnerable. Loss of wetlands and hydrologic changes are the main threats, but the species appears to tolerate livestock grazing. |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | F = 20,000-200,000 square km |
| Range Extent Comments: | The range extent for this species is 53,473 square km. From Lac du Bois near Kamloops in the north, south to Osoyoos Lake, just north of the U.S.A. border. Additional populations have been reported from Saltspring Island on the coast and the Rocky Mountain Trench. |
| Area of Occupancy (km2): | DE = 6-125 |
| Area of Occupancy Comments: | The estimated area of occupancy is 92 square kilometres, as calculated using a 2km x 2km grid. |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | C = 21 - 80 |
| Comments: | There are at least 23 reported occurrences and more populations are almost certain to occur as this is a small, inconspicuous, early-blooming member of the mustard family that may be difficult to identify and has likely been overlooked. |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | The condition of most sites has not been assessed but plants are abundant at several sites (e.g. thousands of plants at Alces Lake and many hundreds at Hat Creek Valley Road) and there are probably more populations with good viability. |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | A = None |
| Comments: | One occurrence is located within Lac du Bois Grasslands Provincial Park. |
| Population Size: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Comments: | This is an annual species so abundance will fluctuate between years. |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | CD = Medium - low |
| Comments: | Loss of wetlands and hydrologic changes are the main threats, but Horningia procumbens appears to be resilient to livestock grazing. |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | There is insufficient information available to determine short-term population and habitat trends. |
| Long-Term Trend: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | There is insufficient information available to determine long-term population trends. |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | C=Not intrinsically vulnerable |
| Comments: | Seeds of Hutchinsia procumbens are very small (0.5 mm) and are probably easily distributed. Wind may be an important factor for seed dispersal in open habitats but the action of rain wash and flooding along streamsides are also likely to be important. During two growing seasons, seedlings raised in a greenhouse were very weak and suffered high mortality once they were transplanted into a native plant nursery, but the weak nature of the seedlings could be attributed to propagation methods used rather than to any inherent characteristics (California State University, 2010). |
| Environmental Specificity: | C=Moderate. Generalist or community with some key requirements scarce. |
| Comments: | Environmental specificity is presumably moderate. This species occurs in vernally moist, alkaline soil in conglomerate, volcanic rock outcrop seeps and around ponds, lakeshores and dried stream edges. These types of habitats are fairly widespread in the Thompson-Nicola region and the Okanagan Valley. |
| Other Rank Considerations: | |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | |
| Inventory Needs: | Examine other alkaline lakes in area. |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | |
| Management: | |
| Version | |
| Author: | Donovan, M. |
| Date: | March 31, 2018 |
| References | |
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British Columbia Conservation Data Centre. Botany Program. 2000. Database containing records of rare plant collections and observations in the province of British Columbia.
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2018. Conservation Status Report: Hornungia procumbens. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 10, 2026).