Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly known as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides technical assistance to farmers and other private landowners and managers.
A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon, scarce, or infrequently encountered. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and is distinct from the term endangered or threatened. Designation of a rare species may be made by an official body, such as a national government, state, or province. The term more commonly appears without reference to specific criteria. The International Union for Conservation of Nature does not normally make such designations, but may use the term in scientific discussion.
Pterocarpus erinaceus is an endangered species of tree that is native to the Sahelian region of West Africa. It is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is used for fuel wood, for medicinal purposes, as a woodworking material, and is useful as a nitrogen-fixing plant to improve nutrient-depleted farming land. It has several common names, including kosso, barwood, African kino tree, muninga, and vène; mukwa is used for this species as well as other Pterocarpus. Groves of the tree can be found on the savannahs of West Africa, but it is becoming increasingly rare and is sometimes cultivated. The tree also grows in forests of Comoé National Park in Côte d'Ivoire, a region geographically close to the Sahel but with a higher moisture regime due to its location between two large rivers. Also, the tree grows in abundance in Kurmi Local Govt. of Taraba State in Nigeria. The tree grows to about 11 meters in height on average, and bears dark, scaly bark and yellow flowers. The fruits are winged pods. P. erinaceus grows well on sunny, hot African plains with long dry seasons and frequent fires.
Argyroxiphium sandwicense, the Hawaiʻi silversword, or hinahina is a species of silversword. It is endemic to Hawaii. The two subspecies are separated by geography. Both subspecies are rare, threatened and federally protected.
Sabatia, the rose gentians, is a genus of about 20 species of flowering plants in the family Gentianaceae, native to eastern and central North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Graptopetalum (leatherpetal) is a plant genus of the family Crassulaceae. They are perennial succulent plants and native to Mexico and Arizona. They grow usually in a rosette. There are around 19 species in this genus.
Graptopetalum amethystinum, also called jewel-leaf plant, is a plant belonging to the succulent genus Graptopetalum. It is native to Mexico.
Echinocereus triglochidiatus is a species of hedgehog cactus known by several common names, including kingcup cactus, claretcup, and Mojave mound cactus. This cactus is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is a resident of varied habitats from low desert to rocky slopes, scrub, and mountain woodland. It is most abundant in shady areas.
Arctostaphylos imbricata is a species of manzanita known by the common name San Bruno Mountain manzanita.
Arctostaphylos luciana is a species of manzanita known by the common name Santa Lucia manzanita, is endemic to California.
Arctostaphylos obispoensis is a species of manzanita, known by the common names bishop manzanita and serpentine manzanita, endemic to California.
Arctostaphylos silvicola is a species of manzanita known by the common names Bonny Doon or silverleaf manzanita. It is endemic to the sandhills of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains in California's Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties.
Potentilla robbinsiana, the dwarf mountain cinquefoil or Robbins' cinquefoil, is a small, yellow-flowered, perennial found exclusively above the tree line in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The plant is nearly stemless and measures two to four centimeters in diameter.
Spiranthes parksii, the Navasota ladies' tresses, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Texas, United States. The flower was first discovered in 1945 and was first described by Donovan Stewart Correll in his 1950 book, Native Orchids of North America North of Mexico.
Trillium reliquum, the relict trillium, Confederate wakerobin, or Confederate trillium, is a monocotyledon species of the genus Trillium, a perennial, flowering, herbaceous plant of the family Liliaceae. It is found only in the southeastern region of the United States: southwest, central and east central Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. As a relict species, there are a few remaining groups but it was once more abundant when conditions were different. Significant habitat loss has occurred through clearing of forests for agricultural and pine farm uses.
Tauschia howellii is a rare species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common names Howell's umbrellawort and Howell's tauschia. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains of far southern Oregon and far northern California, where it is limited to nine occurrences in the Siskiyou Mountains. It grows in mountain forests on gravelly granite soils, often among stands of Shasta red fir. Despite its rarity it is stable and not considered very endangered. It is a perennial herb growing 30 to 80 centimeters tall. It is hairless in texture. The thick leaves have blades which are divided into leaflets large, sharp teeth and edges curved up, and borne on long petioles. The short inflorescence is a compound umbel of yellow flowers on a few short rays. The fruit is oblong, ribbed, and just a few millimeters long.
Tetracoccus ilicifolius is a rare species of flowering shrub in the family Picrodendraceae known by the common names hollybush and holly-leaved tetracoccus.
Trichostema ruygtii, with the common name Napa bluecurls, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family. It was first described to science in 2006.
Silene perlmanii is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name cliff-face catchfly. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the southern Waianae Mountains of Oahu. Today there are no plants left in the wild. The species is in cultivation at the National Tropical Botanical Garden. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Patagonia National Park is a National Park in the Aysén Region of Chile, once a private nature reserve operated as a public-access park, it was donated to the government of Chile by Tompkins Conservation in 2018.
