Warea amplexifolia
Encyclopedia
Warea amplexifolia is a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common names wideleaf pinelandcress, wideleaf warea, and clasping warea. It is endemic to Florida
in the United States, where it is limited to a few counties in the central part of the peninsula. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species
of the United States.
This annual herb grows up to 70 or 80 centimeters in height. The leaves vary in shape, but they are always clasping: their bases encircle the stem, forming a ring around it. They sometimes have two lobes pointing in the opposite direction of the tip of the leaf blade. The leaves are up to 4 centimeters long. The inflorescence
is a raceme
of white, pink, or purplish flowers. The petals are somewhat spoon-shaped, with a fan-shaped blade narrowing into a very thin claw, the stalk that attaches to the flower. At the center are six long stamen
s which, at up to 1.5 centimeters in length, project far out of the flower. The fruit is a thin, narrow silique
up to 7.5 centimeters long. Blooming occurs in August through October.
This plant occurs with many other endangered species on the Lake Wales Ridge
of Central Florida
in Lake
, Polk
, and Osceola Counties
. It is a resident of the sandhill
habitat, where it grows in open areas in dry woodlands. It does not tolerate shade and only occurs in these openings, which are generally kept open and clear of brush by wildfire
s. The most stable population of the species occurs at Lake Griffin State Park
. An area of the park is artificially maintained, the brush cleared and native grasses, such as Aristida beyrichiana, planted.
Threats to the species include fire suppression, a practice which prevents the normal fire regime
on which the plant depends. A number of exotic plant species
have moved in, including Natal grass (Rhynchelytrum repens). The worst threat to the species is habitat destruction, as land is consumed for development and the establishment of citrus groves. Remaining habitat is not managed properly. Fires are prevented, resulting in the buildup of leaf litter and the encroachment of large and woody vegetation that shades out the herb layer. Drought
may be a threat, because the plant appears to be most abundant when there is abundant rainfall.
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
known by the common names wideleaf pinelandcress, wideleaf warea, and clasping warea. It is endemic to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in the United States, where it is limited to a few counties in the central part of the peninsula. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. It 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...
of the United States.
This annual herb grows up to 70 or 80 centimeters in height. The leaves vary in shape, but they are always clasping: their bases encircle the stem, forming a ring around it. They sometimes have two lobes pointing in the opposite direction of the tip of the leaf blade. The leaves are up to 4 centimeters long. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
of white, pink, or purplish flowers. The petals are somewhat spoon-shaped, with a fan-shaped blade narrowing into a very thin claw, the stalk that attaches to the flower. At the center are six long stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s which, at up to 1.5 centimeters in length, project far out of the flower. The fruit is a thin, narrow silique
Silique
A silique or siliqua is a fruit of 2 fused carpels with the length being more than three times the width. The outer walls of the ovary usually separate when ripe, leaving a persistent partition...
up to 7.5 centimeters long. Blooming occurs in August through October.
This plant occurs with many other endangered species on the Lake Wales Ridge
Lake Wales Ridge
The Lake Wales Ridge is a low ridge running for about 150 miles south to north in Central Florida. The greater part of the ridge is in Highlands County and Polk County, but it extends north into Osceola, Orange and Lake Counties. It is named for the city of Lake Wales, roughly at the mid point of...
of Central Florida
Central Florida
Central Florida is a regional designation for the area surrounding Orlando in east central Florida, United States. The area represents the third largest population concentration in Florida, after the South Florida and Tampa Bay regions, respectively....
in Lake
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
, Polk
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
, and Osceola Counties
Osceola County, Florida
Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 172,493. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 244,045, making it the 17th fastest-growing county in the United States. Its county seat is Kissimmee.- History :Osceola County was...
. It is a resident of the sandhill
Sandhill
A sandhill is a type of ecological community or xeric wildfire-maintained ecosystem. It is not the same as a sand dune. It features very short fire return intervals, one to five years. Without fire, sandhills undergo ecological succession and become more oak dominated.Entisols are the typical...
habitat, where it grows in open areas in dry woodlands. It does not tolerate shade and only occurs in these openings, which are generally kept open and clear of brush by 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...
s. The most stable population of the species occurs at Lake Griffin State Park
Lake Griffin State Park
Lake Griffin State Park is a Florida State Park located two miles north of Leesburg, in Fruitland Park and south of Ocala on U.S. Highway 441. It is home to one of the state's largest live oak trees...
. An area of the park is artificially maintained, the brush cleared and native grasses, such as Aristida beyrichiana, planted.
Threats to the species include fire suppression, a practice which prevents the 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...
on which the plant depends. A number of exotic plant species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
have moved in, including Natal grass (Rhynchelytrum repens). The worst threat to the species is habitat destruction, as land is consumed for development and the establishment of citrus groves. Remaining habitat is not managed properly. Fires are prevented, resulting in the buildup of leaf litter and the encroachment of large and woody vegetation that shades out the herb layer. Drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
may be a threat, because the plant appears to be most abundant when there is abundant rainfall.