Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis

Colorado Beeblossom

FWS Focus

Overview

The Colorado butterfly plant is a member of the evening primrose family and is a short-lived perennial herb with one to several reddish, pubescent stems that are 50–80 centimeters (cm) (2–3 feet) tall. The lower leaves are lance-shaped with smooth or wavy-toothed margins and average 5–15 cm (2–6 inches) long, while those on the stem are smaller and reduced in number. Flowers are arranged in a branched, elongate pattern above the leaves. Only a few flowers are open at any one time and these are located below the rounded buds and above the mature fruits. Individual flowers are 5–14 millimeters (1/4 - 1/2 inches) long with four reddish sepals (modified leaves surrounding the flower) and four white petals that turn pink or red with age. The hard, nutlike fruits are 4-angled and have no stalk. Nonflowering plants consist of a stemless, basal rosette of oblong, hairless leaves 3–18 cm (1–7 inches) long. It is a regional endemic restricted to Laramie and Platte counties in Wyoming, and Larimer, Jefferson, and Weld counties in Colorado. The Colorado butterfly plant is likely extirpated in Nebraska; no plants have been found during surveys of historic known populations in the last few years. Of the known populations of the Colorado butterfly plant, the vast majority occur on private lands managed primarily for agriculture and livestock.

Scientific Name

Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis
Common Name
Colorado beeblossom
Colorado butterfly plant
FWS Category
Flowering Plants
Kingdom

Location in Taxonomic Tree

Identification Numbers

TSN:

Geography

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Timeline

Explore the information available for this taxon's timeline. You can select an event on the timeline to view more information, or cycle through the content available in the carousel below.

20 Items

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Notice

Listing

Listing

Critical Habitat

NEPA - EA

Notice

Critical Habitat

Five Year Review

Delisting

Delisting

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Listing

Jul 1, 1975

Jul 1, 1975 Listing
Review of Status of Vascular Plants
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 1

Listing

Dec 15, 1980

Dec 15, 1980 Listing
Review of Plant Taxa for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 2

Listing

Nov 28, 1983

Nov 28, 1983 Listing
Supplement to Review of Plant Taxa for Listing as End. or Thr. Species; 48 FR 53640-53670
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 3

Listing

Sep 27, 1985

Sep 27, 1985 Listing
Review of Plant Taxa for Listing as End. or Thr. Species; Notice of Review; 50 FR 39526-39584
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 4

Listing

Feb 21, 1990

Feb 21, 1990 Listing
ETWP; Review of Plant Taxa for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species; Notice of Review; 55 FR…
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 5

Listing

Sep 30, 1993

Sep 30, 1993 Listing
ETWP; Review of Plant Taxa for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 6

Listing

Feb 28, 1996

Feb 28, 1996 Listing
ETWP; Review of Plant and Animal Taxa That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened S…
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 7

Listing

Sep 19, 1997

Sep 19, 1997 Listing
Review of Plant and Animal Taxa
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 8

Listing

Mar 24, 1998

Mar 24, 1998 Listing (Threatened)
ETWP; Proposed Threatened Status for the Plant Gaura Neomexicana ssp. Coloradensis
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 9

Listing

Oct 25, 1999

Oct 25, 1999 Listing
Review of Plant and Animal Taxa That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threate…
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 10

Notice

May 17, 2000

May 17, 2000 Notice
Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Threatened Status for the Plant Gaura neomexicana ssp. color…
  • Publication type: Comment Period Reopening
  • Population:
Item 11

Listing

Oct 18, 2000

Oct 18, 2000 Listing (Threatened)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Threatened Status for the Colorado Butterfly Plant (G…
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 12

Listing

Oct 30, 2001

Oct 30, 2001 Listing
ETWP; Review of Plant and Animal Species That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered o…
  • Publication type: CNOR
  • Population:
Item 13

Critical Habitat

Aug 6, 2004

Aug 6, 2004 Critical Habitat
endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; designation of critical habitat for the colorado butt…
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 14

NEPA - EA

Sep 24, 2004

Sep 24, 2004 NEPA - EA
Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; designation of critical habitat for gaura neomexicana…
  • Publication type: Draft
  • Population:
Item 15

Notice

Sep 24, 2004

Sep 24, 2004 Notice
Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; designation of critical habitat for gaura neomexicana…
  • Publication type: Comment Period Extension
  • Population:
Item 16

Critical Habitat

Jan 11, 2005

Jan 11, 2005 Critical Habitat
Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; designation of critical habitat for the colorado butt…
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 17

Five Year Review

Jun 20, 2011

Jun 20, 2011 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
5-Year Status Reviews of 12 Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region
  • Publication type: Notice
  • Population:
Item 18

Delisting

Jun 8, 2018

Jun 8, 2018 Delisting
ETWP; Removing Oenothera coloradensis (Colorado Butterfly Plant) From the Federal List of Endangered…
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 19

Delisting

Nov 5, 2019

Nov 5, 2019 Delisting
Removing Oenothera coloradensis (Colorado Butterfly Plant) From the Federal List of Endangered and…
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 20