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Conserving and restoring
America's native plants |
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CPC National Collection Plant Profile
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Conradina brevifolia
| Family: |
Lamiaceae (Mint Family) |
| Common Names: |
false rosemary, Short-leaved rosemary |
| Taxon Synonyms: |
Calamintha canescens, Conradina puberula |
| Author: |
Shinners |
| Growth
Habit: |
Shrub |
| CPC
Number: |
1037 |
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enlarge
| Photographer:
c. 1991 Steve Shirah |
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| Primary
custodian for this plant in the CPC National Collection of Endangered
Plants is: |
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| Dorothy M. Brazis contributed to this Plant Profile. |
Conradina brevifolia
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Short-leaved rosemary is one of five shrubby mints found in central Florida scrub habitat. This species is a short-lived, aromatic, perennial shrub that grows to 1 m in height. It has highly branched stems and leaves that are linear, 4-8 mm long, and fleshy. The larger leaves on well-developed flowering branches are 6 to 8.2 mm long and mostly shorter than the internodes. One to six beautiful lavender flowers arise from the leaf axils.
| Distribution
& Occurrence |
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State Range
Habitat
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C. brevifolia occurs on the Lake Wales Ridge in dry, white sand soils with scattered overstory of sand pine and scrub oak in clearings with other endemic shrubs and herb scrub vegetation. The shrub is protected on Lake Arbuckle State Forest and on land currently owned by The Nature Conservancy at Saddle Blanket Lakes. (USFWS 1999) |
Distribution
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Endemic to central Florida in Highlands and Polk Counties. It is found at Sunray Hickory Lake, Avon Park Lake, Silver Lake, Saddle Blanket Lakes and Carter Creek. (USFWS 1999; FNAI 2000) |
Number Left
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Found in two counties at 30 sites whose combined areas total less than 2,000 ha. (USFWS 1999) |
State/Area
Protection
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State/Area |
Rank |
Status |
Date |
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Florida |
S2 |
N |
4/12/1990 |
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| Conservation,
Ecology & Research |
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Ecological
Relationships
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The ecology of C. brevifolia has not been studied, and special or unique relationships with other species are not known (USFWS 1999). |
Threats
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The principal cause of decline is habitat loss and conversion of high pineland and scrub agricultural (principally citrus groves), recreational, commercial, residential development, and over collection for horticultural purposes. Additional threats include fire suppression, mowing, and off-road vehicles. (USFWS 1999) |
Current Research Summary
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Anne Cox of the Division of Forestry is monitoring this species at the Lake Arbuckle site.
Bea Pace is monitoring this species at Saddle Blanket Preserve (TNC). |
Current Management Summary
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If current land acquisition efforts are successful, C. brevifolia will likely be protected at only five of the 30 sites where it is currently found. (USFWS 1999)
As a part of the Center for Plant Conservation, Bok Tower Gardens has established an ex situ population of the species on their grounds. |
Research Management Needs
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• Acquire more protected sites.
• Map and survey current distribution and survey for additional populations.
• Monitor populations.
• Protect and enhance existing populations.
• Research the basic biology and ecology, and management needs.
• Restore and maintain scrub communities by restoring fire regimes.
• Augment existing populations or conduct reintroductions.
• Educate the public.
• Control exotic vegetation and animals. |
Ex Situ Needs
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• Maintain plants in Bok Tower Gardens' conservation garden.
• Maintain germplasm in long term storage. |
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| Books (Single Authors)
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| Godfrey, R.K. 1988. Trees, shrubs, and woody vines of northern Florida and adjacent Georgia and Alabama. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press. 734p. |
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| Wunderlin, R.P. 1998. Guide to the vascular plants of Florida. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida. 806p. |
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| Books (Sections)
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| Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the U.S., Canada, and Greenland. In: Kartesz, J.T.; Meacham, C.A., editors. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden. Chapel Hill, NC. |
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| Pace-Aldana, B.; Gordon, D.R.; Slapcinsky, J. 2000. Monitoring of short-leaved rosemary (Conradina brevifolia) at Saddleblanket Lakes Preserve. In: Gordon, D.R.; Slapcinsky, J.L., editors. Annual Research Report: A Compilation of Research Conducted or Supported by The Nature Conservancy in Florida. Florida Science and Stewardship Programs and The Nature Conservancy. |
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| Electronic Sources
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| (2001). Floridata - Encyclopedia of Plants and Nature. [Searchable Web site] Floridata.com LC. http://www.floridata.com/tracks/scrub/endangered/menu_end.htm. Accessed: 2002. |
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| (2002). Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants. [Web site] University of South Florida Institute for Systematic Botany. http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/isb/default.htm. Accessed: 2008. |
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| Denton, S. (2001). Photo Library of Native and Naturalized Plants of Florida. Biological Research Associates. http://www.biolresearch.com/Plants/index.php?id=C. Accessed: 2002. |
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| NatureServe. (2008). NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. [Internet].Version 7.0. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. http://www.natureserve.org/explorer. Accessed: (June 17, 2008). |
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| Journal Articles
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| Christman, S.P.; Judd, W.S. 1990. Notes on plants endemic to Florida scrub. Florida Scientist. 53, 1: 52-73. |
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| Race, T.. Etonia Rosemary (Conradina etonia). The Bok Tower Gardens Newsletter. |
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| USFWS. 1976. Proposed Endangered Status for 1700 U.S. Plants. Federal Register. 41: 24523-24572. |
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| USFWS. 1992. Proposed endangered status for three Florida plants of the genus Conradina. Federal Register. 57, 98: 21369-21374. |
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| USFWS. 1993. Endangered or threatened status for five Florida plants. Federal Register. 58, 131: 37432-37444. |
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| Reports
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| Christman, S.P. 1988. Endemism and Florida's interior sand pine scrub. Tallahassee, Florida: Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. p.247 + maps, tables & appendices. Final project report on project #GFC-84-101. |
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| Crook, R.W. 1996. Conradina: Interspecific and Intergeneric Relationships. Tallahassee, Florida: Florida Division of Forestry: Statewide Endangered and Threatened Plant Conservation Program. |
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| Kral, R. 1983. A report on some rare, threatened or endangered forest related vascular plants of the south. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Forest Service. p.718. USFS technical publication R8-TP2, . Vol. 1. |
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| MacAllister, B.A.; Harper, M.G. 1998. Management of Florida Scrub for Threatened and Endangered Species. US Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. p.95. USACERL Technical Report 99/19. |
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| USFWS. 1996. Recovery Plan for Nineteen Central Florida Scrub and High Pineland Plants (revised). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. p.134. |
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| USFWS. 1999. South Florida Multi-species Recovery Plan. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region. |
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| Weekley, Carl. 1996. Conradina brevifolia Monitoring Report #1. Tallahassee, Florida: Florida Division of Forestry: Statewide Endangered and Threatened Plant Conservation Program. |
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