There are 16 plants that are endangered in the state of Georgia. If any of these are found in any county in Georgia, please report it to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. This article will pick up with the second half of the list, and have the other eight endangered plants listed and described.
Cooley’s Meadowrue
Cooley’s Meadowrue, or Thalictrum cooleyi, is found in only one county in the state of Georgia. That county is Worth County. With the agricultural development in the state and fire suppression, the plant is now endangered.
Florida Torreya
Florida Torreya, or Torreya taxifolia, is found in one county only. That county is Decatur. The tree is now endangered despite an intense history, as its genus is over 160 million years old. The reason for its endangered state is wasting disease in the state first seen back in the 50s.
Persistent Trillium
Persistent Trillium, or Trillium persistens, is found in three counties in the state of Georgia. Those counties are Rabun, Stevens, and Habersham. With the illegal collecting of the plant, the limited range of its existence, and clear cutting in the state, it is now endangered.
Relict Trillium
Relict Trillium, or Trillium reliquum, is only in Piedmont’s hardwood forests. Due to that extremely low distribution, especially coupled with logging and mining in the area, makes it endangered. Japanese honeysuckle and kudzu have taken over and killed out most of the Relict Trillium areas.
Tennessee Yellow-eyed Grass
Tennessee Yellow-eyed Grass, or Xyris tennesseensis, is only in four Georgia counties. Those counties are Whitfield, Floyd, Gordon, and Bartow. With quarrying, timber and logging operations, and land erosion, this is on the endangered list.
Black-spored Quillwort
Black-spored Quillwort, or Isoetes melanospora, is only in six counties in the state of Georgia. It is mainly a shallow water, or marginal water, plant. With littering and cattle stampedes, along with quarrying, it is now endangered.
Mat-forming Quillwort
Mat-forming Quillwort, or Isoetes tegetiformans, is only in four counties state wide. It is in Columbia, Green, Hancock, and Putnam counties. The plant has been endangered due to traffic from the vehicles, littering, and the state’s quarrying.
Pond Spicebush
Pond Spicebush, or Lindera melissifolia, is only in four counties. Those counties are Screven, Wheeler, Chatham, and Baker. This plant is endangered because of cattle grazing on its habitats and with timber harvesting.
All of these eight plants are the ones that make up the second half of the sixteen on the Georgia’s endangered plant list. This will tell where they are and why they are endangered. Good luck in the search or in the protecting of the species.
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