Helenium virginicum | |
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Species: | H. virginicum |
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Helenium virginicum | |
Helenium virginicum is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name Virginia sneezeweed. It occurs in the United States, where it has a disjunct distribution; it is known only from Virginia and Missouri. [1] It is limited to a specific type of habitat and it is threatened by modification of this habitat. [2] [3] It was federally listed as a threatened species of the United States in 1998. [2]
At the time the plant received federal protection it was known from 28 populations in two Virginia counties. [2] Soon after, a population of similar plants was found in Missouri and by genetic analysis were confirmed to be of the same species. [4] [5] Searches turned up a total of 44 occurrences in six counties in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri. [4] This disjunct distribution was probably caused by the cleaving of the species' geographical range during Pleistocene glaciation, leaving two relict ranges. [6]
Helenium virginicumis similar to and often mistaken for Helenium autumnale , the common sneezeweed. [2] It is a perennial herb generally growing to a maximum height between 70 centimeters and 1.1 meters (28-44 inches), but it is known to reach 1.7 meters (68 inches or 5 2/3 feet) at times. [4] There is a basal rosette of leaves and an erect, winged stem lined with lance-shaped leaves that become smaller toward the top of the stem. The inflorescence has several flower heads, each with a spherical disc covered with disc florets and lined with yellow ray florets just over a centimeter (0.4 inches) long. [4] [6] Blooming occurs in July through October. [4] The plant is self-incompatible. [7]
Helenium virginicum only grows near sinkhole ponds in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri and the western margin of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. [4] [8] These ponds are lined with clay or bedrock and are filled with water from about January to June or July each year. They may take the form of actual holes or they may be more like very wet meadows. The ponds are often actively grazed by cattle and can tolerate disturbance. [4] The hydrology of the sinkholes varies seasonally and year to year, causing a similar fluctuation in the population and recruitment of the sneezeweed. [9]
The greatest threat to this species is habitat modification. [2] [9] Destruction of the sinkhole habitat could lead to the extinction of the species. [5]
Helenium autumnale is a North American species of flowering plants in the sunflower family. Common names include common sneezeweed and large-flowered sneezeweed.
Helenium bigelovii is a North American perennial plant in the Sunflower Family, commonly known as Bigelow's sneezeweed. It grows in moist areas such as meadows, marshes, or streamsides. It is found at moderate and higher elevations (3000-10,000 ft) in the foothills and mountains of California and Oregon: Cascades, Coast Ranges, Klamath Mountains, Sierra Nevada, etc. Cultivars of the species are used in gardening as ornamentals.
Helenium amarum is a species of annual herb in the daisy family known by the common names yellowdicks, yellow sneezeweed, fiveleaf sneezeweed, and bitter sneezeweed. It is native to much of the south-central United States and northern Mexico, and it is present elsewhere in North America, Australia, and the West Indies as an introduced species.
Helenium bolanderi is a North American species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name coastal sneezeweed. It is native to southern Oregon and northern California as far south as Mendocino County, primarily along the seacoast.
Helenium puberulum is a North American species of flowering plants in the daisy family known by the common name rosilla. It is native to California and Baja California, where it can be found in moist habitats such as riverbanks and meadows. It has also been found in Oregon, although these might possibly be naturalized populations.
Deep Run Ponds Natural Area Preserve is a 706-acre (2.86 km2) Natural Area Preserve in Rockingham County, Virginia. The preserve contains one of the largest remaining systems of Shenandoah Valley sinkhole ponds in Virginia. Such ponds are found in Rockingham and Augusta counties; their water levels fluctuate throughout the year. The preserve's eight sinkhole ponds support a variety of rare plant and animal life; two ponds support the rare Virginia sneezeweed, while others contain black-fruited spikerush, northern St. John's-wort, Buxbaum's sedge, and northern bog clubmoss.
Calycadenia oppositifolia is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name Butte County western rosinweed. It is native primarily to Butte County, California, although a few populations have been found in other parts of the state. It grows in the foothills of the high mountain ranges.
Hymenoxys hoopesii is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names owl's claws, orange sneezeweed, and yerba del lobo. It is native to the western United States, where it grows in habitats of moderate elevation, such as mountain meadows in the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, southern Cascades, and other ranges. It has been found from Arizona, New Mexico, and central California north as far as Montana and Oregon.
Hymenoxys texana is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common names prairie dawn, Texas prairie dawn-flower, and Texas bitterweed. It is endemic to Texas, where it is known only from the general vicinity of Houston. It is threatened by the loss of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Physaria filiformis is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common names Missouri bladderpod and limestone glade bladderpod. It is native to Missouri and Arkansas in the United States. It was federally listed as an endangered species in 1987 and it was downlisted to threatened status in 2003.
Scirpus ancistrochaetus is a rare species of flowering plant in the sedge family known by the common names barbedbristle bulrush and northeastern bulrush. It is native to the northeastern United States from New Hampshire south to Virginia. It used to be found in Quebec but it is now thought to be extirpated there. It was also believed extirpated from the state of New York, but at least one population has been rediscovered in Steuben County in 2010. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its wetland habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species.
Solidago houghtonii is a rare North American species of flowering plant in the aster family known as Houghton's goldenrod. It is native to southern Ontario, Canada and the northern United States. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States and it is designated a species of special concern by Canada's Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.
Helenium flexuosum is a North American plant species in the daisy family known by the common name purple sneezeweed. It is widespread across much of eastern and central United States and Canada, from Nova Scotia west to Ontario, Minnesota, and Kansas, south to Florida, Louisiana, and eastern Texas.
Gaillardia aestivalis is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name lanceleaf blanketflower. It is native to the south-central and southern United States from Texas east to Florida and north to the Carolinas, Arkansas, and Kansas. There are also reports of historical populations in Missouri and introduced populations in Nebraska. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Doellingeria infirma, the cornel-leaf whitetop or cornel-leaved aster, is a perennial forb native to the eastern United States, that produces white composite flowers in late summer.
Helenium arizonicum is a North American perennial plant in the Sunflower Family, commonly known as Arizona sneezeweed. It is native only to Arizona in the southwestern United States, having been found only in four counties in that state: Apache, Navajo, Gila, and Coconino.
Helenium brevifolium is a North American perennial plant in the Sunflower Family, commonly known as Shortleaf sneezeweed. It is native to the southeastern United States, from Virginia to eastern Louisiana and inland as far as Tennessee.
Helenium campestre is a North American perennial plant in the Sunflower Family, commonly known as Oldfield sneezeweed. It is native to the southeastern United States, in Arkansas and northwestern Louisiana.
Helenium drummondii is a North American perennial plant in the Sunflower Family, commonly known as fringed sneezeweed. It is native to the south- central United States, in eastern Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Helenium elegans is a North American perennial plant in the sunflower family, commonly known as pretty sneezeweed. It is native to the south-central United States and to northeastern Mexico.