Iliamna corei
Encyclopedia
Iliamna corei is a rare species of flowering plant in the mallow family
known by the common name Peters Mountain mallow. It is endemic to Virginia
in the United States, where it is known only from Peters Mountain
in Giles County
. A single occurrence remains. This is a federally listed endangered species
. It is considered "one of the rarest native plants in the United States."
This species has sometimes been included within the description of Iliamna remota, but genetic analysis
suggests it be maintained as a species in its own right.
This plant is a perennial herb producing an erect stem up to 1.5 meters tall and bearing pink flowers. The leaves are divided into wide, pointed lobes and the herbage is hairy.
There is one small population of this plant located on Peters Mountain in western Virginia. In 1990, this population contained only three or four individuals. The plants grow on nooks in a sandstone
outcrop that have accumulated a small amount of soil. The population is so small that remaining individuals are inbred
. Conservation efforts are focused on increasing the plant's numbers to improve genetic diversity
.
This plant is dependent on wildfire
. Its seeds require scarification
in order to germinate
. This is naturally accomplished during fires, when the heat breaks the tough outer layer of the seed. When plants are propagated
by hand, the seeds must be scarified by nicking the outer surface with a blade or soaking them in acid or boiling water. A conservation plan for the species will include establishing a normal fire regime
for the habitat.
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
known by the common name Peters Mountain mallow. It is endemic to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in the United States, where it is known only from Peters Mountain
Peters Mountain
Peters Mountain is a mountain in the Allegheny ridge, which makes it the longest mountain in the Appalachian Mountain Chain. It is located on the border between Alleghany County, VA, Monroe County, WV, Giles Co.,VA, and Craig Co.,VA. Its elevation ranges from on the mountaintop to a low of...
in Giles County
Giles County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,657 people, 6,994 households, and 4,888 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 7,732 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
. A single occurrence remains. This is a federally listed endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. It is considered "one of the rarest native plants in the United States."
This species has sometimes been included within the description of Iliamna remota, but genetic analysis
Genetic analysis
Genetic analysis can be used generally to describe methods both used in and resulting from the sciences of genetics and molecular biology, or to applications resulting from this research....
suggests it be maintained as a species in its own right.
This plant is a perennial herb producing an erect stem up to 1.5 meters tall and bearing pink flowers. The leaves are divided into wide, pointed lobes and the herbage is hairy.
There is one small population of this plant located on Peters Mountain in western Virginia. In 1990, this population contained only three or four individuals. The plants grow on nooks in a sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
outcrop that have accumulated a small amount of soil. The population is so small that remaining individuals are inbred
Inbreeding
Inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
. Conservation efforts are focused on increasing the plant's numbers to improve genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity, the level of biodiversity, refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary....
.
This plant is dependent on wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
. Its seeds require scarification
Scarification
Scarifying involves scratching, etching, burning, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification.In the process of body scarification, scars are formed by cutting or branding the skin...
in order to germinate
Germination
Germination is the process in which a plant or fungus emerges from a seed or spore, respectively, and begins growth. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm. However the growth of a sporeling from a spore, for example the...
. This is naturally accomplished during fires, when the heat breaks the tough outer layer of the seed. When plants are propagated
Plant propagation
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants.-Sexual propagation :...
by hand, the seeds must be scarified by nicking the outer surface with a blade or soaking them in acid or boiling water. A conservation plan for the species will include establishing a normal fire regime
Fire regime
A fire regime is the pattern, frequency and intensity of the bushfires and wildfires that prevails in an area. It is an integral part of fire ecology, and renewal for certain types of ecosystems. If fires are too frequent, plants may be killed before they have matured, or before they have set...
for the habitat.