Pinguicula ionantha
Encyclopedia
Pinguicula ionantha is a rare species of flowering plant in the bladderwort family
known by the common names Godfrey's butterwort and violet butterwort. It is endemic to the US state of Florida
, where it only occurs in the central Florida Panhandle
. It is threatened by the loss of its habitat, and it is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
This plant is a perennial herb forming a rosette of bright green fleshy leaves with rolled edges. These leaves, each up to 8 centimeters long, are coated with sticky glandular hairs on their upper surfaces. Species in genus Pinguicula are carnivorous plant
s that use such hairs to trap insects, which they digest for nutrients. The flower is borne on an erect scape
up to 15 centimeters tall which forms in February through April. The flower is pale violet with a darker violet throat which may have darker purple veining. The corolla is up to 2 centimeters wide with a greenish spur on the back end about half a centimeter long. At the center of the flower is a conical palate covered in yellow or red hairs. The lobes of the corolla have white hairs.
The plant is known from six counties between Tallahassee
and Panama City, Florida
. There are 83 historical occurrences, and plants were located at 43% of the sites in recently surveyed. Though drought
may have reduced recent plant numbers, the species is believed to be declining overall.
The butterwort grows in bog
s located in pine savanna
habitat. Lower-elevation bog habitat is dominated by pond cypress
(Taxodium ascendens) and adjacent higher-elevation pine flatwoods
habitat is dominated by longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) trees. The plant can be found in deep bogs, shallower seep
s, wet depressions and puddles, and it may survive underwater for several days at a time after rainfall. Other plants in the habitat include wiregrass
(Aristida stricta), panic grass (Panicum spretum), flattened pipewort (Eriocaulon compressum), Chapman's beakrush (Rhynchospora chapmanii). Habitat of this kind is fire-dependent. Wildfire
maintains it in a relatively open state, preventing ecological succession
from occurring. Without fire the area would become forested as large and woody vegetation grows, shading out the herb layer. Shrub
s move in, particularly swamp titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) in this area. When a fire does occur, this rare plant and other native species become more abundant. Fire suppression remains a major threat to the habitat.
Other threats include habitat destruction and modification. Silviculture
is common in this section of the Florida Panhandle as natural habitat is cleared of brush and planted in trees for timber. Some tree plantations support the paper pulp industry. The land is also cleared for urban development. Some plants have been observed growing near roads, and road maintenance affects them, and in some cases has led to extirpation
. One population was affected by Hurricane Frances
in 2004 when the storm surge
introduced saltwater to the habitat. In the past, this plant was subject to overcollection by plant enthusiasts. The plant is now in propagation and the International Carnivorous Plant Society has a permit to sell seeds.
Lentibulariaceae
Lentibulariaceae is a family of carnivorous plants containing three genera, Genlisea, the corkscrew plants, Pinguicula, the butterworts, and Utricularia, the bladderworts....
known by the common names Godfrey's butterwort and violet butterwort. It is endemic to the US state of 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...
, where it only occurs in the central Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
. It is threatened by the loss of its habitat, and it is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
This plant is a perennial herb forming a rosette of bright green fleshy leaves with rolled edges. These leaves, each up to 8 centimeters long, are coated with sticky glandular hairs on their upper surfaces. Species in genus Pinguicula are carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants appear adapted to grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic...
s that use such hairs to trap insects, which they digest for nutrients. The flower is borne on an erect scape
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
up to 15 centimeters tall which forms in February through April. The flower is pale violet with a darker violet throat which may have darker purple veining. The corolla is up to 2 centimeters wide with a greenish spur on the back end about half a centimeter long. At the center of the flower is a conical palate covered in yellow or red hairs. The lobes of the corolla have white hairs.
The plant is known from six counties between Tallahassee
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
and Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
. There are 83 historical occurrences, and plants were located at 43% of the sites in recently surveyed. Though 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 have reduced recent plant numbers, the species is believed to be declining overall.
The butterwort grows in bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s located in pine savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
habitat. Lower-elevation bog habitat is dominated by pond cypress
Taxodium ascendens
Taxodium ascendens, also known as Pond Cypress, is a deciduous conifer of the genus Taxodium, native to North America. Many botanists treat it as a variety of Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum Taxodium ascendens, also known as Pond Cypress, is a deciduous conifer of the genus Taxodium, native to...
(Taxodium ascendens) and adjacent higher-elevation pine flatwoods
Flatwoods
Flatwoods, Pineywoods, Longleaf Pine-Wiregrass Ecosystem refers to an ecological community in the Southeastern coastal plain of North America...
habitat is dominated by longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) trees. The plant can be found in deep bogs, shallower seep
Seep
A petroleum seep is a place where natural liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons escape to the earth's atmosphere and surface, normally under low pressure or flow. Seeps generally occur above either terrestrial or offshore petroleum accumulation structures...
s, wet depressions and puddles, and it may survive underwater for several days at a time after rainfall. Other plants in the habitat include wiregrass
Aristida stricta
Aristida stricta is a warm-season grass, native to North America, that dominates understory vegetation in sandhills and flatwoods coastal plain ecosystems of the Southeastern United States...
(Aristida stricta), panic grass (Panicum spretum), flattened pipewort (Eriocaulon compressum), Chapman's beakrush (Rhynchospora chapmanii). Habitat of this kind is fire-dependent. 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...
maintains it in a relatively open state, preventing ecological succession
Ecological succession
Ecological succession, is the phenomenon or process by which a community progressively transforms itself until a stable community is formed. It is a fundamental concept in ecology, and refers to more or less predictable and orderly changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community...
from occurring. Without fire the area would become forested as large and woody vegetation grows, shading out the herb layer. Shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s move in, particularly swamp titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) in this area. When a fire does occur, this rare plant and other native species become more abundant. Fire suppression remains a major threat to the habitat.
Other threats include habitat destruction and modification. Silviculture
Silviculture
Silviculture is the practice of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet diverse needs and values. The name comes from the Latin silvi- + culture...
is common in this section of the Florida Panhandle as natural habitat is cleared of brush and planted in trees for timber. Some tree plantations support the paper pulp industry. The land is also cleared for urban development. Some plants have been observed growing near roads, and road maintenance affects them, and in some cases has led to extirpation
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
. One population was affected by Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The system crossing the open Atlantic during mid to late August, moving to the north of the Lesser Antilles while strengthening. Its outer bands affected Puerto...
in 2004 when the storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
introduced saltwater to the habitat. In the past, this plant was subject to overcollection by plant enthusiasts. The plant is now in propagation and the International Carnivorous Plant Society has a permit to sell seeds.