Eriogonum longifolium var. harperi

Taxobox


image_width = 250px
name = "Eriogonum longifolium" var. "harperi"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Caryophyllales
familia = Polygonaceae
genus = "Eriogonum"
species = "Eriogonum longifolium"
variety = "E. longifolium" var. "harperi"
trinomial = "Eriogonum longifolium" var. "harperi"

Harper's umbrella plant "Eriogonum longifolium" Nutt. var. "harperi", also known as Harper's buckwheat is a dicot of the family "Polygonaceae", found on eleven small sites in areas of nutrient-poor shale soils in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee. It lives inconspicuously in an immature vegetative stage for four or more years before developing a flowering stalk, then flowers and dies. It is listed as an endangered species by the state of Tennessee. [cite web| title = PLANTS Profile for Eriogonum longifolium var. harperi (Harper's buckwheat) | USDA PLANTS| url= http://www.plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ERLOH| accessdate = 2006-12-19 ] It's survival in Kentucky is disputed. [cite web| title = Alabama Natural Heritage Program^SM Annual Report Fiscal Year 2004| pages = page 15| publisher = Alabama Natural Heritage Program^SM| date = 2004| url = http://www.alnhp.org/annrep04.pdf| format = PDF| doi =| accessdate = 2006-12-19 ] However, according to a leading expert, Professor James L. Reveal of the University of Maryland, its Kentucky population has been reportedly extirpated. [cite web| last = Reveal| first = James L| authorlink =| coauthors =| title = "ERIOGONUM Michaux subg. ERIOGONUM"| work = Taxonomic Eriogonoideae (Polygonaceae) of North America north of Mexico| publisher = University of Maryland| date =| url = http://www.life.umd.edu/emeritus/reveal/pbio/eriog/seriogonum.html| format = html| doi =| accessdate = 2007-12-29]

Plant communities

One of the larger "E. longifolium" var. "harperi" populations is found on TVA property in northern Alabama and is estimated to be over 700 plants. There the umbrella plants cohabit with prickly pear ("Opuntia" spp.) and false aloe ("Manfreda virginica") in an upland calcareous cliff plant community. Their foothold is attributed to human removal of competitors to allow a better view of the Tennessee river from one of the buildings on the property. [cite web| title = Endangered Species Plant| pages = | author = Susan Weber| publisher = Redstone Arsenal Public Affairs Office| date = 2002-10-02| url = https://ams36.redstone.army.mil:4443/portal/page?_pageid=614,1975733&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&p_doc_id=F2617/1002102112504.html&menuparid=pridz1870500| format = | doi =| accessdate = 2007-12-11 ]

Another northern Alabama population is found on a cedar glade site which is owned by the Alabama Nature Conservancy. This plant community is home to many other rare and endangered plants including Alabama glade cress ("Leavenworthia alabamica"), Alabama larkspur ("Delphinium alabamicum"), glade quillwort ("Isoëtes butleri") , lyrate bladderpod ("Lesquerella lyrata"), [Citation| last = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service| title = Threatened & Endangered Species System: Alabama| accessdate = 07-27-2008| url = http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public//pub/stateListing.jsp?state=AL&status=listed] Nashville breadroot ("Pediomelum subacaulis"), prairie Indian plantain ("Arnoglossum plantagineum"), Tennessee milk vetch ("Astragalus tennesseensis"), and yellow sunnybell [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SCCR ("Schoenolirion croceum")] . [cite web| last = MacGown| first = Joe| authorlink = http://www.msstate.edu/org/mississippientmuseum/museumpersonnel./JoeMacGown.html| coauthors =| title = "2004 William H. Cross Expedition"| work =| publisher = Mississippi State University| date = May 2004| url = http://www.msstate.edu org/mississippientmuseum/Crosstrips/Crosstrip.2004.htm| format = html| doi =| accessdate = 2007-12-29 ]

ee also

* Buckwheat
* Cedar glade
* Ecology
* Endangered species
* "Eriogonum" - North American wild buckwheat
* "Eriogonum longifolium" - longleaf eriogonum or long-leaf wild buckwheat
* "Eriogonum longifolium" var. "gnaphalifolium" - scrub buckwheat
* "Eriogonum longifolium" var. "lindheimeri"
* Plant community
* Soils retrogression and degradation

References

External resources

* [http://www.alnhp.org/track_2003.pdf Alabama inventory list 2003 (PDF)-see page 47]
* [http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/alabama/preserves/art916.html Alabama Prairie Grove Glades protected site]
* [http://www.state.tn.us/environment/na/pdf/plant_list.pdf Tennessee endangered plant list from state.tn.us (PDF)-see page 15]
* [http://tenn.bio.utk.edu/vascular/database/vascular-database.asp?CategoryID=Dicots&FamilyID=Polygonaceae&GenusID=Eriogonum&SpeciesID=harperi University of Tennessee Herbarium link with photos]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/threat?stateSelect=47&statelist=states USDA List of Tennessee state protected plants]