Acaena exigua NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S.<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-surface-slicks-create-superhighway-for-fish/"> Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Acaena exigua is an extinct species of flowering plant in the rose family known by the common name liliwai. It was endemic to Hawaii, where it was known from Kauaʻi and west Maui. It had not been seen or collected since 1957 and was feared extinct until 1997, when one plant was discovered in a remote montane bog on <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=maui&amp;cvid=11f593b142284a109c4b71b63cd85874&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Maui</a>. The plant died in 2000, and the species is now considered extinct.Acaena exigua A. Gray var. subtusstrigulosa Bitter: Classification. Click on a scientific name below to expand it in the PLANTS Classification Report. Rank Scientific Name and Common Name; Kingdom: Plantae – Plants Subkingdom: Tracheobionta

Acaena exigua

Acaena exigua NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation...

Abies guatemalensis NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.A. guatemalensis is a conical tree growing 20 to 35 meters tall and 60 to 90 cm in girth. The branches grow largely horizontally. The <a title="Bark (botany)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bark_(botany)">bark</a> is a blackish-brown and is divided into plates. The branchlets are reddish-brown to deep blackish-red and pubescent. The <a class="mw-redirect" title="Buds" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buds">buds</a> are globular-ovoid, resinous, and roughly 5 mm in length. The <a class="mw-redirect" title="Leaves" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaves">leaves</a> are somewhat comb-like or nearly pectinate in arrangement. They are unequal and deep green above and waxy in texture underneath. They measure 1.5 to 5.5 cm long by 1.2 to 2 mm wide. <a title="Stoma" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoma">Stomata</a> are usually absent above, but appear in 8 to 10 lines below. They contain two marginal resin canals and the apex of the leaf is notched and emarginate. The female <a title="Conifer cone" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer_cone">cones</a> are oblong-cylindric and the apex is pointed to somewhat flattened. They are yellowish-brown in colour with a violet bloom and measure 8 to 11.5 cm long by 4 to 4.5 cm wide. The scales are oblong, or broader than long. The <a title="Bract" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bract">bracts</a> are hidden, about one half the height of the scale and are cuneate-obovoid in shape. The <a title="Seed" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed">seeds</a> are a light brown nut to 9 mm in length with a wing to 1.5 cm long"

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Abies guatemalensis

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Abronia macrocarpa NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Abronia macrocarpa is a perennial herb with a hairy, glandular stem growing up to half a meter tall. The glandular oval leaf blades are up to 5 centimeters long by 3.5 wide and are borne on relatively long <a title="Petiole (botany)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petiole_(botany)">petioles</a>. The <a title="Inflorescence" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflorescence">inflorescence</a> is a cluster of up to 75 magenta or light purple flowers each up to 3 centimeters long. The tubular, strongly fragrant flowers open at dusk and are <a title="Pollination" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollination">pollinated</a> by <a title="Moth" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moth">moths</a>. The winged fruit is up to 1.5 centimeters long. It is <a title="Biological dispersal" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_dispersal">dispersed</a> by wind.

Its natural habitat is sandy soils with little other vegetation, often in openings of post-oak woodlands

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Abronia macrocarpa

Abronia macrocarpa NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Abutilon eremitopetalum NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

Abutilon eremitopetalum ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Abutilon eremitopetalum, commonly known as the hidden-petaled abutilon or hiddenpetal Indian mallow, is a species of <a title="Flowering plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant">flowering</a> shrub in the <a title="Malva" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva">mallow</a> family, Malvaceae. It is endemic to dry forests and low shrublands on the <a title="Windward and leeward" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windward_and_leeward">windward</a> side of the island of Lānaʻi in <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>. It is classified by the IUCN Red List as critically endangered by habitat destruction.The species was first discovered in 1987. Fish are gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits. They form a sister group to the tunicates, together forming the olfactores. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=fish&amp;cvid=051056fee95547398bc5795d84ee6725&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Abutilon eremitopetalum

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Abutilon menziesii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Abutilon menziesii is <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=endangered+species&amp;cvid=78d216ecaa634aeb936f4769c391ccc9&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">endangered</a>.Abutilon menziesii, known as Koʻoloaʻula in Hawaiian, is an endangered species of flowering shrub in the mallow family, Malvaceae,  Malvaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is a sprawling shrub that can reach up to 10 feet in height. The leaves, which range from an inch in width to about five inches, vary in their shapes. They have a velvety feel to them. The small hibiscus-shaped flowers generally hang downward. Though charming up close, the flowers can be hidden by the much larger leaves and not often visible at a distance. Although the Hawaiian name ʻula refers to the more commonly seen red color, koʻoloa ʻula

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Abutilon menziesii

Abutilon menziesii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Abutilon sandwicense NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.Abutilon sandwicense, commonly known as the greenflower Indian mallow, is a species of <a title="Flowering plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant">flowering plant</a> in the <a title="Malva" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva">mallow</a> family, Malvaceae, that is endemic to the island of Oʻahu, <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>, in the <a title="United States" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">United States</a>. It inhabits dry forests on the slopes of the Waiʻanae Range at elevations of 400–600 m (1,300–2,000 ft). Associated plants include lama (Diospyros sandwicensis), ēlama (<a title="Diospyros hillebrandii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_hillebrandii">D. hillebrandii</a>), māmaki (Pipturus albidus), kalia (Elaeocarpus <a class="new" title="Elaeocarpus bifidus (page does not exist)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elaeocarpus_bifidus&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1">bifidus</a>), āulu (Sapindus oahuensis), olopua (<a title="Nestegis sandwicensis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestegis_sandwicensis">Nestegis sandwicensis</a>), and alaheʻe (Psydrax odorata). Greenflower Indian mallow is a shrub, reaching a height of 1.5–3 m (4.9–9.8 ft). It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>.

Abutilon sandwicense

Abutilon sandwicense NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Acanthomintha ilicifolia. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

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Acanthomintha ilicifolia, known by the common name San Diego thornmint, is a rare species of flowering plant in the <a title="Lamiaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamiaceae">mint family</a>. It is native to <a title="Baja California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_California">Baja California</a> and <a title="San Diego County, California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_County,_California">San Diego County, California</a>, where it is a resident of the <a title="Chaparral" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaparral">chaparral</a> and <a title="Coastal sage scrub" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_sage_scrub">coastal sage scrub</a> plant communities and <a title="Vernal pool" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_pool">vernal pools</a>.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia has been <a title="Local extinction" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_extinction">extirpated</a> from many of the sites where it was previously noted in San Diego County. It is a federally listed threatened species in the United States. This species is also listed as endangered under the <a title="California Endangered Species Act" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Endangered_Species_Act">California Endangered Species Act</a> which means that killing or possessing the plants is prohibited within <a title="California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California">California</a> unless authorized by the California Department of Fish and Game.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia

Acanthomintha ilicifolia. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north+america&amp;cvid=e31edaa0953840a0af562f33e9814b78&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">North America</a> and the world.  Acanthomintha duttonii is a species of annual plant endemic to San Mateo County, California in the family Lamiaceae. It is commonly called San Mateo thornmint and is found growing on serpentine soils near the Crystal Springs Reservoir in a six-mile long strip on the east side of Montara Mountain at elevations of approximately 150 to 300 meters. an annual herb that is native to California and and is endemic (limited) to California. also called Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.1 ( rare, threatened, or endangered in CA and elsewhere ).

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Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe...

Achyranthes mutica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and<a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/"> Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.Achyranthes mutica A. Gray – blunt chaff flower Subordinate Taxa. This plant has no children Legal Status. Threatened and Endangered Information: This plant is listed by the U.S. federal government or a state. Common names are from state and federal lists. Click on a place name to get a complete protected plant list for that location.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north+america&amp;cvid=43301dd515c748d8ad14055801b02e2c&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">North America</a> and the world.Achyranthes mutica (also called blunt chaff flower) is a species of <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> in the family <a title="Amaranthaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthaceae">Amaranthaceae</a>. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>. Its natural <a title="Habitat" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat">habitats</a> are <a title="Hawaiian tropical dry forests" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_dry_forests">dry forests</a> and subtropical or tropical dry <a title="Shrubland" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrubland">shrubland</a>. It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>.

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Achyranthes mutica

Achyranthes mutica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-investigate-the-mysterious-origin-of-flowering-plants/">plants</a> and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata Genus is derived from the Greek achyron, chaff, and anthos, flower, referring to the chaffy parts of the flower. The Latin ephithet splendens means shining

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.Achyranthes splendens (ʻEwa hinahina; also called Maui chaff flower, round chaff flower, round-leaf chaff flower, or round-leaved chaff flower) is a species of flowering plant in the <a title="Amaranth" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth">pigweed</a> family, <a title="Amaranthaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthaceae">Amaranthaceae</a>, that is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaiʻi</a>. Its natural <a title="Habitat" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat">habitats</a> are <a title="Hawaiian tropical dry forests" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_dry_forests">dry forests</a>, <a title="Hawaiian tropical low shrublands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_low_shrublands">low shrublands</a>, and <a title="Sand" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand">sandy</a> shores. It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>. Native Hawaiians have, for centuries, considered its extract to be an effective natural cure for constipation.

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe...

Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae) NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Syrmatium veatchii, <a title="Synonym (taxonomy)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synonym_(taxonomy)">synonyms</a> Lotus dendroideus and Acmispon dendroideus, is a species of <a title="Faboideae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faboideae">legume</a> native to <a title="California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California">California</a>. It is known by the common name island broom. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Channel Islands of California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands_of_California">Channel Islands of California</a>, where it grows on coastal bluffs and cliffs. It is a spreading perennial herb or erect <a title="Shrub" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub">shrub</a> approaching 2 meters in height. It is hairless to hairy and gray-green in color. The branches lined with leaves each made up of a few oval leaflike leaflets up to 1.5 centimeters long each. The <a title="Inflorescence" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflorescence">inflorescence</a> bears up to 10 yellow pealike flowers, each roughly a centimeter long and fading red as they age

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Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae)

Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae) NatureServe Explorer...

Aconitum noveboracense. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Aconitum noveboracense, also known as northern blue monkshood or northern wild monkshood, is a flowering <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> belonging to the buttercup family (<a title="Ranunculaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranunculaceae">Ranunculaceae</a>). Members of its genus (<a title="Aconitum" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum">Aconitum</a>) are also known as wolfsbane.

The <a title="United States Fish and Wildlife Service" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Fish_and_Wildlife_Service">United States Fish and Wildlife Service</a> government lists it as a <a class="mw-redirect" title="Threatened" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threatened">threatened</a> species.<a class="external autonumber" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum_noveboracense#endnote_ecos.fws.gov.129">[1]</a> It grows in rare portions of <a class="mw-redirect" title="New York State" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State">New York State</a> and in portions of the <a title="Driftless Area" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driftless_Area">Driftless Area</a>.

Northern monkshood is noted for its very distinctive, blue hood-shaped flowers. The flowers are about 1 inch in length, and a single stem may have many flowers. Stems range from about 1 to 4 feet in length. The leaves are broad with coarse, toothed lobes.
<ul>
 	<li>Only found in Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York.</li>
 	<li>Typically found on shaded to partially shaded cliffs, <a class="mw-redirect" title="Algific talus slopes" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algific_talus_slopes">algific talus slopes</a>, or on cool, streamside sites. These areas have cool soil conditions, cold air drainage, or cold groundwater flowage. On algific talus slopes, these conditions are caused by the outflow of cool air and water from ice contained in underground fissures. These fissures are connected to sinkholes and are a conduit for the air flows.</li>
</ul>
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Aconitum noveboracense

Aconitum noveboracense. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Adenophorus periens NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=fish&amp;cvid=051056fee95547398bc5795d84ee6725&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Adenophorus periens is a rare species of <a title="Fern" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern">fern</a> known by the common name pendant kihi fern. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>, where it is known from one population in <a title="Puna, Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puna,_Hawaii">Puna</a> on the island of <a title="Hawaii (island)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_(island)">Hawaii</a> and a few occurrences on <a title="Kauai" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kauai">Kauai</a> and <a title="Molokai" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molokai">Molokai</a>. The fern occurs in wet mountain forests on volcanic slopes. It grows on trees. There are perhaps 2000 individual plants remaining. This is a federally listed <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a> of the United States.

This fern is easily distinguished from others in its genus, with its long, hanging fronds that may exceed 40 centimeters in length, twice as long as other Adenophorus. The leaflets on the fronds are twisted at an angle to the <a title="Rachis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachis">rachis</a> and the leaf edges are lined with unique hairs. <a title="Genetic analysis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_analysis">Genetic analysis</a> reveals that the fern has a high <a title="Genetic diversity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_diversity">genetic diversity</a> for such a rare species.

Threats to the species include <a title="Lava" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava">lava</a> and <a title="Volcanic gas" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_gas">gas</a> from the volcanoes on which it grows, as well as the death of its host trees, <a title="Introduced species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduced_species">introduced species</a> including <a title="Weed" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weed">weeds</a> and <a title="Feral pig" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_pig">feral pigs</a>, and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Geothermal electricity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_electricity">geothermal development</a>.

Adenophorus periens

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Adiantum vivesii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/plants-cannot-keep-up-with-rising-co2-levels/">plants</a>, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Adiantum vivesii is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Puerto Rico" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico">Puerto Rico</a>, where it is known from a single population made up of perhaps 1000 individuals near <a title="Quebradillas, Puerto Rico" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebradillas,_Puerto_Rico">Quebradillas</a>, in the <a class="mw-redirect" title="San Juan – Caguas – Guaynabo metropolitan area" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_%E2%80%93_Caguas_%E2%80%93_Guaynabo_metropolitan_area">San Juan – Caguas – Guaynabo metropolitan area</a> on the northern side of the island.The fern was discovered in 1985 and described to science as a new species in 1989. Soon after, it was listed as an <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a>. It is a putative hybrid between Adiantum obliquum and A. tetraphyllum. In 2003 a specimen that most likely represents this species was collected on Petit Morne in Martinique by botanist <a class="mw-redirect" title="Maarten Christenhusz" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maarten_Christenhusz">Maarten Christenhusz</a> collection number 2678 (BM, SP, TUR, U, UC), which means that the hybrid has occurred twice independently.

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Adiantum vivesii

Adiantum vivesii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Aeschynomene virginica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Aeschynomene virginica is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Virginia jointvetch and sensitive jointvetch. It is native to a small section of the East Coast of the United States, where it has a fluctuating annual global population scattered in about 20 mostly small occurrences. Counts and estimates revealed two populations in New Jersey including several thousand individuals, one population of a few hundred plants in Maryland, several variable and unstable populations in ditches in North Carolina, and several populations including about 5000 individuals in Virginia. Habitat

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Aeschynomene virginica

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Agalinis acuta NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Agalinis acuta is an annual hemiparasitic plant native to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flash-flooding-devastates-maryland/">Maryland</a>, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Long Island, New York. Common names include sandplain gerardia and sandplain false foxglove. It is one of about 70 species that comprise genus Agalinis. It currently resides within the family Orobanchaceae, but historically was aligned with members of the Scrophulariaceae. This was one of several re-alignments that were the consequence of the disintegration of the Scrophulariaceae as the result of conclusions based on molecular phylogeny data from the chloroplast genome. While historically regarded as a separate species, molecular phylogenetic data indicates that Agalinis acuta should be consolidated as part of the species Agalinis decemloba.

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Agalinis acuta

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Agave eggersiana NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=canada&amp;cvid=b3d93bdc390d43a7878fe6e35c4015bf&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network. Agave eggersiana

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Agave eggersiana, Eggers' century plant, is an <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a> of spiky <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> which grows in the <a title="Virgin Islands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Islands">Virgin Islands</a>, in dry, exposed areas. Agave eggersiana is a perennial herb known in the wild only from the island of <a class="mw-redirect" title="St. Croix" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Croix">St. Croix</a> of the U.S. <a title="Virgin Islands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Islands">Virgin Islands</a> (USFWS 1998a).A small number of plants remain on private land and are threatened by tourist development (USFWS 1998b). Other threats include feral pigs and goats on <a title="National Park Service" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Service">National Park Service</a> land (USFWS 1998b). Research needs include distribution and abundance, general biology and ecology (USFWS 1998a). The U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-surface-slicks-create-superhighway-for-fish/">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service requests that any interested parties (concerned government agencies, the scientific community and/or industry) submit data or suggestions concerning this species (USFWS 1998b). The plant is being cultivated at the <a title="St. George Village Botanical Garden" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_Village_Botanical_Garden">St. George Village Botanical Garden</a> in St. Croix U.S.V.I.(USFWS 1998a) and at <a class="mw-redirect" title="Fairchild Botanical Gardens" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Botanical_Gardens">Fairchild Botanical Gardens</a> in south <a title="Florida" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida">Florida</a>.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Agave eggersiana

Agave eggersiana NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Alectryon macrococcus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/intense-wildfires-in-manitoba-canada/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north%20america&amp;qs=n&amp;form=QBRE&amp;sp=-1&amp;pq=&amp;sc=0-0&amp;sk=&amp;cvid=2A486C7EEB7F4DC9A48B1971A274D39A">North America</a> and the world. North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere. It can also be described as the northern subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean. Because it is on the North American Tectonic Plate, Greenland is included as part of North America geographically. North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), about 16.5% of the Earth's land area and about 4.8% of its total surface. North America is the third-largest continent by area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. In 2013, its population was estimated at nearly 579 million people in 23 independent states, or about 7.5% of the world's population.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Alectryon macrococcus

Alectryon macrococcus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Allium munzii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Allium munzii is an onion that grows from a reddish-brown <a title="Bulb" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulb">bulb</a> just over a centimeter long. It produces an erect stem up to about 35 centimeters in maximum height and a single leaf which is usually a bit longer. The <a title="Umbel" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbel">umbel</a> contains up to 35 flowers each under a centimeter long. They have <a title="Tepal" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tepal">tepals</a> that are white with a dark green midvein, turning red with age. Pollen and anthers are yellow

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Munz’s onion is a California threatened plant species, which means that killing or possessing the plant is prohibited by the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). It is also listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Allium munzii

Allium munzii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

A new study has revealed that black spruce trees, a key species of trees from the boreal forests, are starting to lose their resilience and capacity to regenerate in the face of increasingly frequent Arctic wildfires caused by climate change. If this trend continues, the Arctic forests might face significant ecological shifts, resulting in a loss of biodiversity and an acceleration in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-melting-may-release-nuclear-waste-into-the-atmosphere/">permafrost</a> melting.&nbsp;



In North America’s boreal forests, the soils on which black spruce trees grow consist of highly flammable peat moss and lichens. Although the black spruce usually relies on fires for regeneration, with its cones opening up in the heat and dropping seeds on the charred organic soil, more severe and frequent fires appear to damage the spruce’s capacity to regenerate.



By collecting data from over 1,500 sites where fires occurred, scientists found that black spruce’s capacity to regenerate dropped at 38 percent of the sites and failed completely 18 percent of the time. Such phenomena could make the black spruce lose its place as the dominant species of trees in boreal North America.



“This trend is especially alarming given its potential impact on Arctic carbon storage,” said co-author Dr. Brendan Rogers, an Associate Scientist at <a href="https://www.woodwellclimate.org/">Woodwell Climate Research Center</a>. “In many parts of the boreal region, the mossy soil layers that promote black spruce regeneration also insulate permafrost. As fires increase and these forests dry out, however, loss of black spruce forests could accelerate permafrost thaw and trigger a warming feedback loop, pushing black spruce to its tipping point and facilitating the release of massive amounts of carbon from the permafrost into the atmosphere.”



Moreover, widespread loss of black spruce trees could also have harmful effects on biodiversity. Caribou species that feed on lichen are already in decline and might suffer even more losses with the disappearance of the trees that offer them shelter and food.



“Basically, as the climate warms, rising Arctic temperatures are causing black spruce forests to dry out, and the drier the system is, the more vulnerable it is to fire,” said&nbsp;study leader Dr. Jennifer Baltzer, a professor at <a href="https://www.wlu.ca/">Wilfrid Laurier University</a>.



“As climate change continues to push these systems to an ever drier state, these tipping points are more likely to be reached, with devastating impacts on the boreal biome and the rest of the world,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Black spruce trees are endangered by Arctic wildfires

A new study has revealed that black spruce trees, a...

Despite the fact that scientists have been aware of a decline in crop diversity in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-pollinators-are-70-percent-less-abundant-in-high-intensity-croplands/">agriculture</a> over the last 100 years, many questions remain unanswered regarding the causes, magnitudes, and implications. A new study from agricultural research centers across North America, South America, and Europe is the world’s largest review of declining crop diversity.



The experts reviewed hundreds of primary data sources regarding crop diversity loss over the last 80 years. They found that changes in diversity were reported in 95 percent of cases, while 80 percent of cases produced evidence of diversity loss. This is a result of climatic, political, technological, and agricultural changes over the last 100 years.



Study lead author Colin Khoury is a research scientist at the <a href="https://www.bioversityinternational.org/alliance/">Alliance of Bioversity International</a> and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).



“The global picture that emerges from our review is that of enormous loss over a relatively short period of time of traditional agricultural diversity, which was nurtured by many cultures around the world over the last 10,000 years,” explained Khoury. “Yet the picture also provides hope, as considerable crop diversity persists, and because it shows that agriculture can be re-diversified.”



“The good news is that while we found evidence of enormous diversity loss over the past decades in each of the environments we studied, we also saw significant maintenance of that diversity in some contexts, and even marked increases in specific instances," noted study co-author Stephen Brush.



Crop diversity allows crops to remain productive when facing diseases, pests, and extreme weather. Genetic variation among crops also contributes to dietary diversity, nutrition, and food security.



&nbsp;“The magnitude of crop diversity loss we have seen in some regions of the world underscores the importance of conserving this diversity outside of these ecosystems as well as within them,” said study co-author Luigi Guarino.&nbsp;



”Collections of crop diversity such as those in agricultural genebanks and botanic gardens can mitigate local and regional losses, enable the future reestablishment of diversity on farms, and preserve the availability of crops for future use by all. We need to strengthen these repositories and duplicate unique collections in other locations to insure against the risk of loss."



Across the globe, there are currently 1,750 genebanks, maintaining crop diversity with over seven million crop samples. Additional efforts are provided by botanic gardens, community projects, and universities. However, the recent study has concluded that a lot more work will be required to fully protect crop diversity.



&nbsp;“For crop diversity to continue evolving alongside pests and diseases, in response to climate change, and to meet demands for improved crops that provide both economic products and ecological services, we need to redouble support for conservation efforts in situ, or in the field, as well as ex situ,” said study co-author Allison Miller.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14698137">New Phytologist</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Enormous loss of crop diversity found in recent decades

Despite the fact that scientists have been aware of a...

As seedlings emerge from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-will-release-more-co2-as-plants-hit-a-growth-spurt/">soil</a>, they face a significant challenge: gravity’s downward push. In order to grow, plants must win against the force of gravity and push upward with an even greater force. A research team composed of plant biologists at <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington State University in St. Louis</a> and material scientists at the <a href="https://www.njit.edu/">New Jersey Institute of Technology</a> and <a href="https://www.alasu.edu/">Alabama State University</a> have created the first artificial scaffolds which can support the growth of individual plant cells.



The scientists analyzed more than 20 types of scaffolds, each composed of different materials with different sets of physical and chemical properties. “We found a range of effectiveness, which was useful in probing which properties were important for adherence of plant cells to the scaffold,” said study lead author Ryan Calcutt, a graduate student in Washington University’s&nbsp;<a href="https://sites.wustl.edu/pmbprogram/">Plant and Microbial Biosciences Program</a>. “We could compare the properties of the scaffolds that did not work very well with those that did.”



The most effective scaffolds appeared to be those made of negatively charged, hydrophobic materials that generate an electrical charge in response to mechanical stress, thus mimicking the properties and structure of the plant’s cell wall. One particular material stood out: scaffolds made of polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymers&nbsp;fared better than the rest in supporting plant cell growth.



“This was exciting to us because it reveals that the way plant cells adhere to scaffolds is similar to the way they adhere to each other within plant tissues. Therefore, these scaffolds should be suitable for the construction of functional plant tissues in the future,” explained Calcutt.



The researchers discovered that pectin, a plant cell wall polysaccharide, was largely responsible for cell adhesion to scaffolds. “Because pectin is found in the cell walls of all land plants, these scaffolds hold promise as a widely applicable tool,” explained study co-author Ram Dixit, a professor of Biology at Washington State University.



This new tool will allow scientists to grow and observe plant cells in physiologically relevant settings, and can shed more light on the different forces or developmental cues that are needed for a plant cell to grow into a plant.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj1469">Science Advances</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Artificial scaffolds can support the growth of plant cells

As seedlings emerge from the soil, they face a significant...

The skins and pulp left behind after the early stages of red wine production have traditionally been considered a useless by-product known as pomace. The mass of skins, pulp, seeds and stems left after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orange-juice-can-reduce-inflammation-and-chronic-disease/">juice</a> has been extracted is mostly used as fodder or fertilizer.&nbsp;



However, a new study led by <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> has shown that red wine grape pomace contains valuable polyphenols that could be useful nutritional supplements and even have effects on intestinal functionality and morphology, as well as on the gut microbiome.&nbsp;



The important plant nutrients present in red grape pomace are stilbenes, natural compounds that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Both resveratrol and pterostilbene are present in the skins of red grapes, and the scientists were interested in testing the potential effects of these polyphenols on gut functionality.



“This by-product of making wine has important potential,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.cornell.edu/takolab/">Elad Tako</a>, associate professor of food science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “If we can use the pomace to either extract key compounds or use them as a dietary ingredient to fold into food, then grape pomace can be a very sustainable source of nutritional compounds with demonstrated health benefits.”



“I’ve been working with polyphenols (plant-based nutritional compounds), and I was intrigued by previous research that suggested that bioactive compounds – such as resveratrol in red wine – has cardiovascular and other health benefits. The mechanism of how these compounds work in the body was not clear, so I used my in vivo model to find the answer.”



Professor Tako and the team used a developing chicken’s egg to test the effects of the two stilbenes, resveratrol and pterostilbene. A chicken embryo takes 21 days to develop to hatching and, during this time, it is nourished by the surrounding amniotic fluid (egg white).&nbsp;



The researchers injected different mixtures of the two stilbenes into the amniotic fluid on day 17 of incubation - a method developed by Professor Tako called “intra amniotic administration.”



In this way, the group learned how the resveratrol and the pterostilbene affect the gastrointestinal tract, as well as other physiological systems and tissues, said Professor Tako.&nbsp;



The experts found that the morphology of the intestine was positively altered (villi with greater length and diameter), and that there was better absorption of micronutrients such as zinc and iron into the chickens’ blood. They concluded that the inclusion of dietary stilbenes led to an improvement in gut health in their in vivo chicken model.&nbsp;



Further research is needed to focus on the use of the red grape compounds in humans and the associated effects on gut health. The study is published in a special edition of the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients">Nutrients</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Red wine grapes have unexpected gut health benefits

The skins and pulp left behind after the early stages...

In evolution, it’s usually thought that organisms avoid competition through resource partitioning, which allows a greater diversity of organisms than otherwise possible. For instance, if two birds live in the same <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/old-oak-trees-ramp-up-photosynthesis-in-response-to-rising-co2/">tree</a> and eat the same types of insects, one bird may specialize in the top of the tree while the other specializes in the bottom of the tree. This works with plants as well as animals and other organisms.&nbsp;



In a new report from <a href="http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/index_e.html">Okayama University</a>,&nbsp; researchers suggest that resource partitioning is not always necessary for plants to coexist. A theory called the “pre-emptive selfing hypothesis” proposes that if plants can evolve self pollination, they may be able to coexist without resource partitioning. To validate their theory, the Japanese scientists used mathematical modeling and computer simulations.&nbsp;



The model simulated individual-based scenarios to look at the conditions where evolution favored selfing, or self pollination, in the face of competition with other plants.&nbsp;



"In a previous study, we found that two species of Asian dayflower, Commelina communis and C. communis f. ciliata, have flowers that look similar, share the same pollinators, and compete through pollinator-mediated reproductive interference. However, this observation had no explanation in the existing theory," said lead researcher Dr. Koki R. Katsuhara.



"Then I hit upon the pre-emptive selfing hypothesis that offered a plausible explanation for their existence and figured that this idea might apply to plant species other than Commelina."



The study shows that the evolutionary mechanism of coexistence between similar species of flowering plants is more complex than previously understood. It also shows that coexistence of two plants even within the same ecological niche is possible.&nbsp;



"This work will lead to an improved understanding of plant species coexistence, which, in turn, could help us manage plant diversity in a sustainable way, as well as rescue native species threatened by an invasive alien species," said Dr. Katsuhara.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/publications/journals/journal-of-ecology/">Journal of Ecology</a>.



---By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

When faced with competition, some plants learn to self-pollinate

In evolution, it’s usually thought that organisms avoid competition through...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/advances">Advances in Nutrition</a> looks at the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-pandemic-has-had-an-enormous-impact-on-public-health-services/">health</a> benefits of orange juice. The research, funded by the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), suggests that orange juice helps adults fight inflammation and oxidative stress.&nbsp;



“We know that 100% orange juice contains a number of nutrients, like vitamin C, as well as beneficial bioactive compounds that have the potential to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress," said Gail Rampersaud, a registered dietician with the FDOC.



"This review tells us that some studies find benefits with 100% orange juice, but we need more data and large well-designed studies to make more definitive conclusions. This analysis is especially helpful as we and others plan future research related to orange juice.”



The experts reviewed previous research into the health benefits of orange juice, which revealed that citrus juice reduces interleukin-6, a known measure of inflammation. Overall, the researchers analyzed data from 21 studies covering 307 healthy adults and 327 adults at risk of disease.&nbsp;



Ultimately, the review showed that orange juice consumption either had no effect or positive effects on inflammation or oxidative stress. These results compare favorably with an earlier review funded by the FDOC which found that hesperidin, a naturally occurring compound in oranges and orange juice, helps reduce inflammation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The researchers caution that further research is needed, as their study was focused on a small number of participants, has a low amount of evidence, and some bias involved.&nbsp;



"While much of the naturally occurring fiber and vitamin C are lost during processing, 100% fruit juices show similar vitamin and mineral content as equal quantities of whole fruit. Importantly, these juices retain much of the antioxidant nutrients and phytochemicals of the whole fruit, which can reduce both inflammation and chronic disease risk and support human health," wrote the researchers



The study was carried out by Tufts University, George Mason University and Think Healthy Group.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Orange juice can reduce inflammation and chronic disease

A new study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition...

Being able to distinguish one genetic population of plants from another is crucial for scientists working to preserve threatened populations. Until recently, lengthy and complex processes of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/junk-dna-may-set-humans-apart-from-chimpanzees/">DNA</a> laboratory analyses were needed to be able to do this.&nbsp;



A research team from Chicago’s <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a> has found a must faster method of identifying different plant populations, by using spectroradiometers - handheld devices that can record how plant leaves reflect light. As it turns out, different populations of plants reflect light differently, in ways that echo their genetic variation from each other.



“While trained biologists can usually walk into the field and identify species with their eyes, it takes expensive genetic analyses to reveal the populations - groups of individuals of the same species within a gene pool - that are so important for conservation and evolutionary research,” explained study co-lead author Dawson White, a postdoctoral researcher at the Field Museum.



“In this new study, we’ve shown that you can use light instead of DNA to define plant populations, at a similar level of detail. This new method is a lot faster and cheaper than genetic testing, which could dramatically increase our efficiency at mapping and monitoring biodiversity.”



Genetic research has shown that DNA variations among different populations of plants appear at a very fine scale. For instance, plants from one species from a mountaintop often form groups with slightly different DNA than plants from the same species located just a few miles away. When populations split, they usually don’t share pollen or seeds with each other and become genetically isolated.



Scientists generally use complex genetic analyses to distinguish such populations. However, this is an arduous task, which often takes weeks or even months. With the use of spectroradiometers - instruments that measure how much light reflects off a surface and what wavelengths the light contains – researchers can distinguish plants populations much faster.



“Leaves have evolved to interact with light, and these machines are recording differences in the light after photons have entered the leaves and been absorbed or bounced around based on different chemistry and structure,” explained White. “This instrument reads the visible and infrared light that bounces back off of the leaf, and that information can give you a tremendous amount of knowledge about the chemistry and structure of the leaf.”



According to the study, published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nph.17731">New Phytologist</a>, the new method could prove revolutionary for attempts of conserving endangered plant populations.



“Now that we understand that each one of these mountaintops is genetically unique, that means that there are implications for conservation,” said study co-author Rick Ree. “If we want to try and maintain genetic diversity through time, especially given the shrinking habitats of alpine ecosystems due to climate change, then the implication that we should be sampling from every mountaintop.”



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Using light to identify plant populations

Being able to distinguish one genetic population of plants from...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/">University of Buffalo</a> has gone underground to investigate how forests will respond to the pressures of climate change. The experts report that what happens beneath the forest - particularly when it comes to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-has-a-larger-impact-on-ocean-chemistry-than-expected/">groundwater</a> availability - is very important in determining its fate.



According to the researchers, models used in forest mortality projections do not account for the sideways flow of water through soil. This is a strong indicator of the resilience of riparian forests in a warming climate.&nbsp;



“There hasn’t been a lot of attention on groundwater and how the movement of water from one location to another below ground can impact plants’ survival prospects, making some locations drier, and others wetter,” explained study lead author Dr. Xiaonan Tai.



“Groundwater is a hidden water source for ecosystems that people have neglected over the years: It is very hard to observe and quantify, just because we can’t see it. The contribution of our new research is to begin characterizing lateral groundwater processes and quantifying how much of a role they can have in terms of influencing the future of forests.”



The researchers incorporated information about groundwater into computational models that predict the future outcomes of forests.



“Our research will fundamentally change the way the Earth systems modeling community will think about the impacts of future climate change droughts on forests,” said Professor Scott Mackay.&nbsp;



“In essence, the various vegetation models out there today assume the world is flat. Our model changes the story by allowing for water to be moved laterally below the surface, while simultaneously modeling the physiological responses of trees on the landscape.”



The study examined the potential outcomes for a riparian cottonwood forest in Alberta, Canada, with a particular focus on the last 20 years of this century.



The results of the study suggests that the amount of water saved for future use may not be as great as expected.&nbsp;



“Once you introduce subsurface lateral water flow, there is still extra saved water, but that saved water won’t all stay local,” explained Dr. Tai. “Some of it will move away, and once it’s gone, plants won’t be able to use it in future droughts.”



In addition, models that fail to consider horizontal water flow may overestimate other mortality risks, noted Professor Mackay.



“Within the soil, water can move in all directions from areas of high water content to areas of low water content. This is pronounced in mountainous landscapes because water moves from high to low elevation, and in close proximity to water bodies, such as one finds in river floodplains."



“By moving the water around horizontally, locations that would otherwise be very dry when the rain stops are made wetter, while areas that are typically wet can afford to give up some water without harming the plants," explained Professor Mackay.



The study authors concluded that if scientists and policymakers want to understand whether riparian forests will survive future warming, they must think more about hydrology and the hard-to-see processes that occur beneath the forest floor.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Secrets of forest mortality can be found underground

A new study from the University of Buffalo has gone...

A new study published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.aps.org/prfluids/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.6.100502">Physical Review - Fluids</a> has found that marshes, which are ubiquitous along the world’s shorelines, could play a significant role in mitigating the damage caused by storms and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-levels-are-rising-at-an-alarming-rate/">sea level rise</a>.&nbsp;



By combining laboratory experiments that use simulated marsh plants in a large, 24-meter-long wave tank with mathematical modeling, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT) discovered that marsh plants provide a positive feedback cycle that helps not only to stabilize but also build up delicate coastal lands, making them more resilient to extreme events caused by climate change.



“When you go to a marsh, you often will see that the plants are arranged in zones,” explained study senior author Heidi Nepf, a professor of Fluid Mechanics at MIT. “Along the edge, you tend to have plants that are more flexible, because they are using their flexibility to reduce the wave forces they feel. In the next zone, the plants are a little more rigid and have a bit more leaves.” As the zones progress, the plants will gradually become leafier, stiffer, and more effective at absorbing wave energy.



Although the protective capacities of marsh plants against inclement weather have already been well-understood, this study is the first to incorporate details of plant morphology, such as the number and spacing of flexible leaves and stiffer stems, as well as the complex interactions of currents and waves coming from various directions, to find out how much marshland with what types of plants would be needed to provide optimal levels of protection. Furthermore, it can also provide a quantitative way to estimate the value provided by marshes.



&nbsp;“It could allow you to more accurately say, ‘40 meters of marsh will reduce waves this much and therefore will reduce overtopping of your levee by this much,’” said Nepf. “Someone could use that to say, ‘I’m going to save this much money over the next 10 years if I reduce flooding by maintaining this marsh.’ It might help generate some political motivation for restoration efforts.”



Professor Nepf is already trying to include some of these findings in coastal planning processes, by working on a practitioner panel at the <a href="https://thewaterinstitute.org/">Water Institute of the Gulf</a>, which serves the storm-ridden Louisiana coastline. “We’d like to get this work into the coastal simulations that are used for large-scale restoration and coastal planning,” she concluded.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Marshes protect shorelines against inclement weather

A new study published in the journal&nbsp;Physical Review - Fluids...

While many plants are able to produce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plants-disperse-their-seeds/">seeds</a> through "auto-fertility" pollination, around 175,000 plant species completely rely on animal pollination for their future survival. A new study from <a href="https://www.sun.ac.za/">Stellenbosch University</a> is investigating how the biodiversity of Earth's natural ecosystems will be impacted by the loss of animal pollinators.



The study was initiated after a global pollination assessment outlined a gap in our understanding of how much plants rely on animals for pollination. “Our synthetic research addresses this gap, and enables us to link trends in pollinator biodiversity and abundance to consequences for plants at a global level,” explained study senior author Professor Tiffany Knight.



By comparing the production of auto-fertilized seeds to those that are dependant on pollinators, the researchers were able to gain insights into the importance of these plants, with existing data lacking a concise structure for usability.



This was achieved by consolidating this data across three databases: the Stellenbosch Breeding System Database developed by Dr. James Rodger; the GloPL database produced by the sPLAT working group; and the Konstanz Breeding System Database.



The consolidated data represents 1,528 experiments, with data collected from 1,392 plant populations and 1,174 species across every continent except Antarctica. The data ultimately reveals that around 33 percent of plants would produce no seeds without animal pollinators, with over 80 percent facing reduced fertility levels.



“Recent studies show that many pollinator species have gone down in numbers, with some even having gone extinct. Our finding that large numbers of wild plant species rely on pollinators shows that declines in pollinators could cause major disruptions in natural ecosystems,” warned Dr. Rodger.



Despite the prevalence of auto-fertility, pollinators would not need to completely disappear for these detrimental effects to occur.&nbsp;



“If there are fewer pollinators to go around or even just a change in which pollinator species are most numerous, we can expect knock-on effects on plants, with affected plant species potentially declining, further harming animal species and human populations depending on those plants. Pollinators aren’t only important for crop production, but also for biodiversity," explained study co-author Professor Mark Van Kleunen.



The research also highlights other knock-on effects. Dr. Rodger noted that problematic weeds (which do not rely on pollinators) could spread excessively as pollinators decline.&nbsp;



According to study co-author Dr. Joanne Bennet, the extinction of pollinator-dependent plants could result in a detrimental feedback loop. “If auto-fertile plants come to dominate the landscape, then even more pollinators will be negatively affected because auto-fertile plants tend to produce less nectar and pollen."



However, the research team hopes their study may help prevent the further decline of animal pollinators and the plants that depend on them.&nbsp;



“We lack high quality long-term monitoring data on pollinators in Africa for example, including South Africa, although some work has been started in this regard. We hope that our findings will stimulate more of this kind of research, so that we can detect pollinator declines and mitigate their impacts on biodiversity,” said Dr. Rodger.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

One-third of plants are completely reliant on animal pollinators

While many plants are able to produce seeds through "auto-fertility"...

Invasive shrubs in Northeastern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-create-cloud-cover-that-cools-the-climate/">forests</a> are stifling the growth of native species, according to a new report. The researchers conducted a three-year study of invasive shrub removal to investigate how the native plants responded in The Arboretum at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a>.



The non-native shrubs sprout leaves earlier in the spring, and keep them longer in the fall, which gives them a competitive advantage. The invasive plants absorb more sunlight than native shrubs and lower the temperatures on the forest floor.&nbsp;



Study lead author Erynn Maynard-Bean explained that invasive shrubs are flourishing in temperate, deciduous forest understories of eastern North America where resources - especially light - are limited.



"Light and temperature influence ecosystem processes, likely slowing the growth of native plants," said Maynard-Bean. "We saw a pattern of reduced maximum air temperature in the presence of invasive shrubs during the growing season of most years."



The researchers detected 26.8 percent less light energy infiltration beneath invasive shrubs compared to native shrubs, with differences largest in the spring.



This difference in light energy is significant, Maynard-Bean noted. "Think of it this way, it's like a 60-watt lamp in every 10 square feet of the forest is removed by the presence of invasive shrubs, on average, across the growing season."



The researchers periodically recorded temperature data hourly and daily throughout the study period. They calculated the difference in temperatures between invasive shrub plots and native shrub plots.&nbsp;



According to Maynard-Bean, temperatures fluctuated in the experiment. The variation resulted from different surfaces the sunlight hits on the forest floor, she explained, and how much moisture is present.



"Sunlight warms the surface, and then that heat transfers to the air. But it turns out to be extremely variable, because it depends on how wet the surfaces are - water will absorb a lot of that energy, not changing the temperature. It's also dependent on the type of material on the forest floor. It's mostly leaf litter, but also sticks, logs and rocks change the rate of transfer of light energy into temperature."



Maynard-Bean said that the results of the study may explain a phenomenon that scientists have witnessed associated with invasive forest plants.



"First, we know that invasive shrubs negatively impact bees, butterflies and amphibians in forest understories," said Maynard-Bean. "Those are exothermic species, meaning their activity and development is highly influenced by light and temperature in the understory. So, this could help explain why we don't find as many butterflies, bees and amphibians in invaded understories as we do in uninvaded understories."



The findings may also explain why Eastern forests have grown increasingly fire resistant, to the detriment of fire-tolerant plant species such as oak, said Maynard-Bean, adding that lower light conditions have potential implications for forest litter quality and decomposition rates.



"The darker, cooler conditions caused by the invasion of nonnative shrubs have the potential to exacerbate the mesophication - the transition of a fire-adapted community to a fire-intolerant one - of Eastern deciduous U.S. forests."



"Decades of forest fire suppression have allowed mesophytic, or shade-tolerant, species to shift the understory toward more cool, damp and shaded conditions resistant to burning."



The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.



The study is published in the <a href="http://naturalareas.org/about_the_natural_areas_journa.php">Natural Areas Journal</a>.



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Invasive shrubs are transforming Northeastern forests

Invasive shrubs in Northeastern forests are stifling the growth of...

Endangered plants