Marshallia mohrii

Last updated

Marshallia mohrii
Marshallia mohrii.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Marshallia
Species:
M. mohrii
Binomial name
Marshallia mohrii

Marshallia mohrii, or Mohr's Barbara's buttons, is a perennial herb species, endemic to the Southeastern United States, in several locations in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. [1] The first recorded discovery of the species was in 1882 by Dr. Charles Mohr, hence the botanical species name and common name.

Contents

Mohr's Barbara's buttons is currently listed as threatened on the Endangered Species List, and has been since 1988.

Description

Marshallia mohrii grows to around 1–2.5 ft in height, with 2.5 cm wide tubular-shaped flowers found in 2-6 flower masses. The flowers can range in color from white, to pale pink or lavender. The leaves of the plant are lanceolate to ovate in shape, ranging from 6–10 cm long and 2 cm wide, with three parallel veins. The leaves are larger and more numerous near the base of the stem. (Patrick, Krakow, 1995)

The plant typically flowers from mid-May through June, with fruit being produced in July and August. (Tsao, Van Lonkhuyzen, 2000) The fruit is a 5-angled, 10-ribbed achene, about 4 mm long, with a hairy, resin-dotted surface. The fruit is topped by a crown (pappus) of five, narrowly triangular, sharply pointed scales, which are 1–3 mm long. The fruits are found among the sharply pointed bracts (chaff), which persist on the flower head. (Patrick, Krakow, 1995)

Habitat

The Mohr's Barbara's buttons, Marshallia mohrii, requires wet, sandy clay soils, with alkaline pH, and high organic matter. Most currently known populations occur on soils of the Conasauga-Firestone Association. (Alabama Power Company, 2007) This is typically found along shale-bedded streams, especially in seasonally moist forest gaps, and in low swales extending onto roadside rights-of-way. Mohr's Barbara Button can survive in full sun or partial shade, often in association with grass-sedge communities. Two other endangered species have the same habitat requirements as the Mohr's Barbara Button: The Alabama Leather-Flower (Clematis socialis) and the Green Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia oreophila) are both listed as endangered, and occupy the same limited habitat. (Alabama Power Company, 2007)

Conservation

Threats

Mohr's Barbara's buttons suffers primarily from habitat loss due to residential development, wildfires, road maintenance and enlargement, trash disposal, and to a small extent, agricultural development. Because the environments in which Mohr's Barbara's buttons exists are typically alkaline, sandy soils, crop production is not typically favorable in these environments.

Although direct human destruction of habitat can be blamed for population declines, too much human influence in protecting it can be problematic as well. Fire suppression in the pine and oak forests of the southeast United States has also taken its toll on the Mohr's Barbara's buttons. Although the species requires mature pine and oak forests to survive, without occasional fires, the glades and openings required by the species become overgrown with forest vegetation. Therefore, the trees and habitat needed by the Mohr's Barbara's buttons, and protected through fire suppression can become a major problem as well for the species. (Matthews, 1994)

Another risk many species face, especially plant species, is habitat fragmentation. As habitat gets destroyed, it is common that individual populations get isolated from each other. As populations get isolated from each other, and members of differing populations cannot interact, the genetic variation within populations starts to decrease. If populations are not able to interact for many generations, a loss of genetic diversity with populations, and the species as a whole become a very real problem. Luckily, habitat fragmentation and a lack of genetic variation is not a problem for Mohr's Barbara Button, as the species has more variation than most others in its environment. Also, the genetic variation within populations is greater than amongst populations. (Jolls)

Protection methods

There are many stakeholders involved in protecting the Mohr's Barbara's buttons. The calcareous glades necessary for the survival of Mohr's Barbara's buttons used to be fairly common and widespread. Currently, the remaining areas predominantly exist on private land, with none on federally protected land. Therefore, landowners are one of the most important stakeholders involved. But, government and private organizations in charge of protecting plant species need to educate and work with private landowners to ensure the protection and survival of the habitat required for Mohr's Barbara's buttons.

Government organizations are also necessary to protect habitat, as road construction and urban development is a major cause of habitat destruction. Therefore, an adequate examination of the land should occur prior to zoning, construction and/or development. Also, even if the land is safe from construction or development, it has to be protected from the effects of human population. Garbage and waste disposal can pollute and destroy critical habitat, as well as over-use by grazing livestock.

Presently, the Nature Conservancy has purchased several areas with calcareous glades and marly prairies, to ensure the survival of the Mohr's Barbara's buttons and those endangered species that occupy the same habitat. They are also working with landowners to protect those areas that are found on private land. (Schotz, 2001) Through habitat protection by private and public sectors, the Mohr's Barbara's buttons and other endangered species can survive and flourish for future generations.

Because some populations have become established in road right-of-ways and ditches, it is important to check road ditches before mowing or construction. This ensures no populations that have established in road right-of-ways are destroyed. Simply not mowing an area of roadside will not detract from the aesthetics of an area, and will protect valuable individuals/populations.

Reasons to protect

The Mohr's Barbara's buttons is a wildflower endemic to the United States. Protecting habitat does not require setting aside large tracts of valuable land. The land its habitat primarily occupies is low in value, and not highly desired for agricultural production.

Since the Mohr's Barbara's buttons is a plant, it cannot migrate to another area that is more suitable, or safer. For this reason, Mohr's Barbara's buttons, as with most plants, is susceptible to major population loss due to habitat degradation or destruction. Therefore, humans need to protect the environments these plants require to survive. Since Mohr's Barbara's buttons has a very distinct and limited habitat, it is vital to protect these habitats as a whole, as they are important to several other threatened and endangered species as well.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brisbane Water National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Brisbane Water National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 11,506-hectare (28,430-acre) national park is situated 47 kilometres (29 mi) north of Sydney, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of Woy Woy, and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southwest of Gosford.

Wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting plants from their natural, or 'wild' habitat, primarily for food or medicinal purposes. It applies to uncultivated plants wherever they may be found, and is not necessarily limited to wilderness areas. Ethical considerations are often involved, such as protecting endangered species, potential for depletion of commonly held resources, and in the context of private property, preventing theft of valuable plants, for example, ginseng.

<i>Echinacea tennesseensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Echinacea tennesseensis, also known as the Tennessee coneflower or Tennessee purple coneflower, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, endemic to the cedar glades of the central portion of the U.S. state of Tennessee.

<i>Marshallia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Marshallia is a genus of plants in the tribe Helenieae within the family Asteraceae. Marshallia is native to the southeastern and south-central United States. A common name applied to most species in the genus is Barbara's buttons.

<i>Iris lacustris</i> Species of flowering plant

Iris lacustris, the dwarf lake iris, is a plant species in the genus Iris, subgenus Limniris and in the section Lophiris. It is a rhizomatous, beardless perennial plant, native to the Great Lakes region of eastern North America. It has lavender blue or violet-blue flowers, a very short stem and long fan-like green leaves. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. It is closely related to Iris cristata.

<i>Lasthenia conjugens</i> Species of flowering plant

Lasthenia conjugens, commonly known as Contra Costa goldfields, is an endangered species of wildflower endemic to a limited range within the San Francisco Bay Area of the state of California, USA. Specifically this rare species occurs in Napa, Santa Barbara, Solano, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Monterey and Alameda Counties. This annual herb typically flowers from March through June, and its colonies grow in vernal pool habitats at elevations not exceeding 100 meters above sea level. The Jepson Manual notes that the present distribution is limited to the deltaic Sacramento Valley, principally Napa and Solano Counties, but the historic range of L. conjugens is known to be significantly wider. In any case, historically the range has included parts of the North Coast, Sacramento Valley, and San Francisco Bay Area as well as the South Coast. Alternatively and less frequently this taxon has been referred to as Baeria fremontii var. conjugens.

<i>Banara vanderbiltii</i> Species of flowering plant

Banara vanderbiltii is a rare species of plant in the willow family known by the common name Palo de Ramón. It is originates from Puerto Rico in the hills of Rio Lajas, and the east peak of "Tetas de Cayey" mountains in Salinas, where there are fewer than 20 known individuals left in the wild. At the time it was listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1987, there were only six plants remaining.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loch Lomond Vernal Pool Ecological Reserve</span> Natural reserve in California

The Loch Lomond Vernal Pool Ecological Reserve is a nature reserve of 8.22 acres (33,300 m2) in the community of Loch Lomond in Lake County, California. It is one of 119 ecological reserves managed by the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). The ecological reserve system was authorized by the state legislature in 1968 for the purpose of conservation and protection of rare plants, animals and habitats.

<i>Arctomecon californica</i> Species of flowering plant

Arctomecon californica is a species of poppy known by several common names, including California bearpoppy, Las Vegas bearpoppy, golden bearpoppy, and yellow-flowered desert poppy. It is a perennial herb that is native to the eastern Mojave Desert.

<i>Dalea foliosa</i> Species of plant

Dalea foliosa, commonly called leafy prairie clover, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family (Fabaceae). It is an endangered species in the United States, where it occurs in three states: Illinois, Tennessee, and Alabama.

<i>Marshallia grandiflora</i> Extinct species of flowering plant

Marshallia grandiflora, the Appalachian Barbara's buttons, is an extinct species of flowering plant in the genus Marshallia within the sunflower family. It was endemic to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in the Eastern United States, in Henderson and Polk counties. It was found primarily along gravelly and sandy bars along high-gradient rivers, and was presumably wiped out due to changes in this restricted habitat. It was last sighted in 1919.

<i>Clematis morefieldii</i> Species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae

Clematis morefieldii is a rare species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common names Morefield's leather flower and Huntsville vasevine.

<i>Clematis socialis</i> Species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae

Clematis socialis is a rare species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Alabama leather flower. It is native to the US states of Alabama and Georgia, where it is known from only five populations. The species is seriously threatened by habitat destruction. It is a federally listed endangered species.

<i>Harperocallis flava</i> Species of flowering plant

Harperocallis flava, known by the common name Harper's beauty, is a species endemic to parts of Florida in the United States, where it is known mainly from the Apalachicola National Forest in the Panhandle. It is seriously endangered and has been on the United States' endangered species list since 1979.

<i>Physaria filiformis</i> Species of plant

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. P. filiformis remains listed as an endangered species at the state level in Missouri.

<i>Spigelia gentianoides</i> Species of plant

Spigelia gentianoides is a rare species of flowering plant in the Loganiaceae known by the common names purpleflower pinkroot and gentian pinkroot. It is native to Alabama and Florida in the United States, where a few small populations remain. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat, and is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

Leavenworthia crassa is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family, Brassicaceae, known commonly as the fleshy-fruit gladecress. It is endemic to Alabama in the United States, where it occurs in only two counties. It is "likely one of the most imperiled plant species in the Southeast," and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule listing it as an endangered species in 2014.

<i>Silphium mohrii</i> Species of flowering plant

Silphium mohrii, known by the common names Mohr's rosinweed and shaggy rosinweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the Southeastern United States, where it is native only to northern Alabama, southern Tennessee, and extreme northwest Georgia. It is native to prairie remnants and rocky limestone openings. Because of its restricted range and severely declined habitat, it is considered a vulnerable species.

<i>Marshallia graminifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Marshallia graminifolia is a perennial herb species, endemic to the coastal plains of the Southern United States, where it often grows in bogs and in sunny locations. Like all species in the genus Marshallia, it has the common name Barbara's buttons, and is specifically known as grassleaf Barbara's buttons.

<i>Croton alabamensis <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> texensis</i> Variety of flowering plant

Croton alabamensis var. texensis is a variety of Croton alabamensis that is endemic to the state of Texas in the United States. It is commonly known as the Texabama croton.

References

  1. USDA . accessed 12.1.2011