A rare New Mexico flower gets federal protection, but no protected habitat

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has declared the swale paintbrush, a rare flowering plant, an endangered species. This means it is now illegal to harm the plant or its parts, but the land it grows on will not be specifically protected.

Listing a species as endangered usually comes with a designation of "critical habitat," which protects the land where the species lives. By not designating critical habitat, the Service avoids imposing new restrictions on land use for property owners in New Mexico and Mexico. This decision limits the practical impact of the endangered listing, focusing protection only on the plant itself, not its environment.