Pityopsis ruthii | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Pityopsis |
Species: | P. ruthii |
Binomial name | |
Pityopsis ruthii Small | |
Synonyms | |
Chrysopsis ruthii |
Pityopsis ruthii is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Ruth's golden aster. It is endemic to the US state of Tennessee, where it is known only from Polk County. It is threatened by the modification of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species.
This is a perennial herb growing 10 to 30 centimeters tall from a rhizome several centimeters in length. There are one to several erect, slender stems covered in silvery hairs. The basal leaves are lance-shaped and 3 or 4 centimeters long. Leaves on the stem are longer, overlapping, and silver-haired. The inflorescence is an array of several flower heads on hairy, glandular branches. Each head has nine to eighteen yellow ray florets. [2]
This plant grows in soil that has accumulated in the cracks of riverbank boulders on two Tennessee rivers, the Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers. [1] The rocks are subjected to periodic flooding when the river levels rise, submerging the plants and scouring the substrates they grow on. [3] The plants grow in nearly full sunlight and cannot tolerate much shade. [3] The flooding and scouring action of the river water prevents the growth of other plants that might shade it out. [1] [3] The plant is associated with Liatris microcephala (smallhead blazing star), which tolerates the same kind of habitat. [3] Other plants located near the aster include Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem), Agalinis tenuifolia (slenderleaf false foxglove), Symphyotrichum dumosum (button aster), and Symphyotrichum undulatum (wavyleaf aster). [4]
This river plant is threatened by a number of processes that affect its environment. The stretches of river where it occurs are downstream from dams. The Apalachia Dam has eliminated the natural water regime in the Hiwassee River habitat. Water is now piped out of the river to a powerhouse and most of the flow comes from tributaries and runoff from surrounding hills. [5] This stoppage of the normal river flow has allowed plants to move into the small patches of soil occupied by the aster, leading to competition and excessive shade. Troublesome competing plant species include Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy), Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper), Vitis rotundifolia (wild grape), Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper), Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle), Lespedeza cuneata (lespedeza), and Microstegium vimineum (Nepal grass). [4] Water is occasionally released from the dam when toxic pollution builds up and needs to be flushed out of the river. [5] When the aster was placed on the endangered species list, its Hiwassee River population had declined 50% in eight years. [5] Since then it has declined another 40% and all subpopulations are likely to become extinct within 50 years. [1] The other population on the Ocoee River was composed of about 500 plants growing in a habitat affected by nearby mining operations, [5] as well as power production. [6] It is also located in an area that is subjected to trampling associated with whitewater rafting recreation on the river. [1] Despite these threats, the Ocoee population, recently counted at 593 plants, [3] is considered to be secure for the time being. [1]
Conservation activities include propagation of the plant in greenhouses. This is made difficult by the infestation of the greenhouse plants by the powdery mildew Erysiphe cichoracearum . The mildew is not present in the wild populations. [7] Competing vegetation has been increasing yearly, and this is likely causing a negative impact. The Cherokee National Forest implemented a plan to remove poison ivy from aster sites, and though this was effective it was not feasible. Mechanical and chemical means are used to remove the vegetation. [4]
The Toccoa River and Ocoee River are the names in use for a single 93-mile-long (150 km) river that flows northwestward through the southern Appalachian Mountains of the southeastern United States. It is a tributary of the Hiwassee River, which it joins in Polk County, Tennessee, near the town of Benton. Three power generating dams are operated along it.
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae is a species of flowering plant in the aster family (Asteraceae) native to central and eastern North America. Commonly known as New England aster, hairy Michaelmas-daisy, or Michaelmas daisy, it is a perennial, herbaceous plant usually between 30 and 120 centimeters tall and 60 to 90 cm wide.
Apalachia Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Hiwassee River in Cherokee County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The dam is the lowermost of three dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1940s to provide emergency power for aluminum production during World War II. While the dam is in North Carolina, an 8.3-mile (13.4 km) underground conduit carries water from the dam's reservoir to the powerhouse located 12 miles (19 km) downstream across the state line in Polk County, Tennessee. The dam and associated infrastructure were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum is a species of flowering plant in the aster family (Asteraceae). Commonly known as calico aster, starved aster, and white woodland aster, it is native to eastern and central North America. It is a perennial and herbaceous plant that may reach heights up to 120 centimeters and widths up to 30 centimeters.
Symphyotrichum ascendens is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names western aster, long-leaved aster, and Rocky Mountain aster. Blooming July–September, it is native to western North America and can be found at elevations of 500–3,200 m (1,600–10,500 ft) in several habitats.
Symphyotrichum defoliatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name San Bernardino aster. It is endemic to Southern California where it grows in grasslands and meadows, and it is of conservation concern.
Chrysopsis floridana is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, known by its common name, Florida golden aster. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where it is known from Hillsborough, Hardee, Manatee, and Pinellas Counties. It is considered an endemic of the west-central coast of the state in the general vicinity of Tampa Bay. There are 17 to 20 occurrences, many of which have few individuals, but one of which has over one million plants. In 1986 the plant was added to the US endangered species list because it was becoming increasingly rare, it was growing only on private property, and its habitat was unprotected and being destroyed and degraded by a number of forces. It is found at Bell Creek Nature Preserve in Riverview, Florida.
Lespedeza leptostachya is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names prairie lespedeza and prairie bush-clover. It occurs in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The flowers are creamy-white to purplish and arranged into a narrow terminal spikes.
Lysimachia asperulifolia is a rare species of flowering plant in the Primulaceae known by the common name rough-leaved loosestrife and roughleaf yellow loosestrife. It is endemic to the Atlantic coastal plain in North Carolina and northern South Carolina in the United States, where there are 64 known populations. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Dalea purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known as purple prairie clover. Native to central North America, purple prairie clover is a relatively common member of the Great Plains and prairie ecosystems. It blooms in the summer with dense spikes of bright purple flowers that attract many species of insects.
Pityopsis graminifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names grass-leaved golden-aster and narrowleaf silkgrass. It is native to the southeastern United States, occurring as far north as Ohio and Maryland.
Symphyotrichum georgianum is a rare species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae, the aster family. Its common name is Georgia aster. It is native to the southeastern United States where it is known from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. As of 2013, it may be extirpated from the state of Florida.
Solidago plumosa is a rare species of goldenrod known by the common names Yadkin River goldenrod, plumed goldenrod, and plumose goldenrod. It is endemic to North Carolina in the United States, where it grows only on the banks of the Yadkin River. There is only one known population. It is a candidate for federal protection.
Delphinium exaltatum, known by the common name tall larkspur, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Delphinium, part of the buttercup family. Other Delphinium species are also commonly known as tall larkspur, such as Delphinium barbeyi. D. exaltatum is native to the central and eastern United States, where it can be found in Kentucky, Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri.
Symphyotrichum oolentangiense, commonly known as skyblue aster and azure aster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to eastern North America.
Lathyrus belinensis, also known as the Belin pea is a flowering plant species in the genus Lathyrus under the family Fabaceae. The species was discovered in Turkey by botanists Nigel Maxted and David John Goyder in 1987. The species is a highly localized endemic found only in the Turkish province of Antalya. L. belinensis was listed among the top one hundred most endangered species of the world by the IUCN in 2012.
Symphyotrichum shortii, commonly called Short's aster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it is primarily found in interior areas east of the Mississippi River. Its natural habitat is in thin rocky soils of woodlands and thickets often around limestone bluffs. It is common throughout much of its range, although it is generally restricted to intact natural communities.
Symphyotrichum boreale is a species of flowering plant of the aster family (Asteraceae) native to North America. Commonly known as rush aster, northern bog aster, and slender white aster, it is a perennial, herbaceous plant that may reach heights of 85 centimetres.
Symphyotrichum estesii is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, endemic to Coffee County, Tennessee. Commonly called May Prairie aster and Estes's aster, it is a perennial, herbaceous plant that may reach 30 to 85 centimeters in height. Its flowers have white ray florets and yellow disk florets. It is named in honor of botanist Dwayne Estes who discovered it in 2008.
Telekia speciosa, also known as the heart-leaved oxeye or yellow oxeye, is a species of flowering plant within the family Asteraceae.