Spigelia gentianoides
Encyclopedia
Spigelia gentianoides is a rare species of flowering plant in the Loganiaceae
known by the common names gentian pinkroot and purpleflower pinkroot. It is native to Alabama
and Florida
in the United States, where a few small populations remain. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat, and is a federally listed endangered species
of the United States.
This perennial herb produces a slender, erect, red-tinged stem up to about 30 centimeters tall from a rhizome
. The oppositely arranged leaves are up to 5 centimeters long by 2 wide. The inflorescence
is a raceme
of flowers atop the stem. Each flower has a tubular pink corolla up to 3 centimeters long with five triangular lobes. Blooming generally occurs in May through July, but plants can be seen in flower between April and October.
S. gentianoides grows in wooded areas dominated by trees such as loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), water oak (Quercus nigra), laurel oak (Quercus hemisphaerica), southern red oak (Quercus falcata), and black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica). It also occurs in dolomite
glades in Alabama.
There are two varieties of S. gentianoides. The Alabama variety, var. alabamensis, is limited to Bibb County
. It grows at the Bibb County Glades, which has the highest level of biodiversity
of any area in the state of Alabama. The var. gentianoides occurs in southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle
. There are five populations remaining, the largest two occurring in Jackson County
. The third largest is located in the Geneva State Forest
in Alabama. The two varieties differ mainly in the shape of the flower, with var. alabamensis flowers opening up and var. gentianoides flowers remaining more tubular at peak flower maturity.
Threats to this plant include logging
, fire suppression, and overcollection. Silviculture
is a threat, as land is cleared for pine plantations. At the Alabama glades the plant is threatened by quarry
ing.
Controlled burn
s have been found to increase the abundance of the plant, but if fires are too frequent the plant can be harmed.
Loganiaceae
Loganiaceae are a family of flowering plants classified in order Gentianales. The family includes 13 genera, distributed around the world's tropics.Earlier treatments of the family have included up to 29 genera...
known by the common names gentian pinkroot and purpleflower pinkroot. It is native to Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and 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 a few small populations remain. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat, and 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 perennial herb produces a slender, erect, red-tinged stem up to about 30 centimeters tall from a rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
. The oppositely arranged leaves are up to 5 centimeters long by 2 wide. 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 flowers atop the stem. Each flower has a tubular pink corolla up to 3 centimeters long with five triangular lobes. Blooming generally occurs in May through July, but plants can be seen in flower between April and October.
S. gentianoides grows in wooded areas dominated by trees such as loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), water oak (Quercus nigra), laurel oak (Quercus hemisphaerica), southern red oak (Quercus falcata), and black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica). It also occurs in dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
glades in Alabama.
There are two varieties of S. gentianoides. The Alabama variety, var. alabamensis, is limited to Bibb County
Bibb County, Alabama
Bibb County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of William W. Bibb, the first Governor of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 22,915. The county seat is Centreville...
. It grows at the Bibb County Glades, which has the highest level of biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
of any area in the state of Alabama. The var. gentianoides occurs in southern Alabama and the 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...
. There are five populations remaining, the largest two occurring in Jackson County
Jackson County, Florida
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The population as of the 2000 census was 46,755. As of 2005, the population was estimated to be 48,985 . Its county seat is Marianna, Florida.- History :...
. The third largest is located in the Geneva State Forest
Geneva State Forest
Geneva State Forest is an Alabama state forest in Geneva County, Alabama in the United States. The forest is and sits at an elevation of . According to the Alabama Forestry Commission the primary objective of the state forest is to provide timber for the lumber industry and the secondary...
in Alabama. The two varieties differ mainly in the shape of the flower, with var. alabamensis flowers opening up and var. gentianoides flowers remaining more tubular at peak flower maturity.
Threats to this plant include logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
, fire suppression, and overcollection. 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 a threat, as land is cleared for pine plantations. At the Alabama glades the plant is threatened by quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
ing.
Controlled burn
Controlled burn
Controlled or prescribed burning, also known as hazard reduction burning or Swailing is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for...
s have been found to increase the abundance of the plant, but if fires are too frequent the plant can be harmed.