National Collection of Imperiled Plants

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

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Jennifer Possley

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CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Peperomia wheeleri

Family:	Piperaceae
Common Name:	Wheeler's peperomia
Author:	Britt.
Growth Habit:	Perennial
CPC Number:	3299

Distribution
Protection
Conservation
References

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Photographer: Jennifer Possley

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Photographer: Meghan Fellows

Peperomia wheeleri is Not Sponsored

Primary custodian for this plant in the CPC National Collection of Endangered Plants is:

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Peperomia wheeleri

Peperomia wheeleri, and evergreen herb, can grow up to one meter in height and produces clusters of small, hermaphroditic flowers that form into spikes 10-15 centimeters in length (USFWS 1986a). P. wheeleri is restricted to the semi-evergreen forests on Culebra Island, a part of Puerto Rico. Deforestation and livestock grazing have been responsible for eliminating this species from most of its range (USFWS 1986a). Remaining populations are isolated to a National Wildlife Refuge and still face continued threat by the foraging behavior of escaped domestic fowl (USFWS 1986a, 1986b, 1986c).

Distribution & Occurrence

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State Range

Puerto Rico

Habitat

The island of Culebra has an irregular topography and occurs on volcanic and intrusive rocks (USFWS 1990). The vegetation of this island is classified as belonging to subtropical dry forests (USFWS 1990). P. wheeleri is known from a more mesic area classified as a semi-evergreen seasonal forest that consists of two strata, a tree canopy and herbaceous layer (USFWS 1990). P. wheeleri grows in the understory, herbaceous layer, on humus which collects on granodiorite boulders (USFWS 1990).

P. wheeleri is associated with the following canopy species: Clusea rosea, Bursera simaruba and Ficus citrifolia (USFWS 1990). It is also associated with other species growing in the herbaceous strata: several species of Tillandsia, Anthurium acaule, Whittmackia lingulata and Epidendrum cochleatum (USFWS 1990).

Distribution

P. wheeleri is only known from the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico (USFWS 1990).

Number Left

P. wheeleri is restricted to the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico. Here, it can be found on the northern slopes at the island's highest elevation (200 meters), Monte Resaca (USFWS 1990). Several hundred plants are known from this site, and a majority of these plants are within the boundaries of the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS 1990).

Protection

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Global Rank:	G1	4/17/1984	Guide to Global Ranks
Federal Status:	LE	10/24/1996	Guide to Federal Status
Recovery Plan:	Yes	11/26/1990

State/Area Protection

	State/Area	Rank	Status	Date

Conservation, Ecology & Research

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Ecological Relationships

Although the pollination biology of P. wheeleri has not been studied, it is believed that flowers can be fertilized either by wind or insects (USFWS 1990).
In general, ecological relationships are unknown.

Threats

Threats include foraging by domestic fowl, cattle and removal of the forest canopy which destroys the humus substrate necessary for P. wheeleri (USFWS 1990).

Current Research Summary

None known.

Current Management Summary

Ongoing conservation measures include monitoring the population and propagation efforts by the Puerto Rican Department of Sports and Recreation in cooperation with the Caribbean Field Office and Culebra National Wildlife Refuge and also by Fairchild Tropical Garden (USFWS 1990).

Research Management Needs

As outlined by P. wheeleri's Recovery Plan (USFWS 1990), management needs include protecting remaining plants and habitat by creating mammal exclusions to reduce or eliminate foraging and trampling by fowl and cattle. Plant protection can also be aided by monitoring populations on a long-term basis, enforcing endangered species regulations and searching for new populations. Research needs include defining habitat requirements at all life stages, determining reproductive biology and ecology (USFWS 1990). These topics include pollination and seed dispersal ecology as well as propagation, germination and seedling recruitment (USFWS 1990).

Ex Situ Needs

At Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami, Florida, P. wheeleri produced seed in 1989. Seeds began germination after 34 days, but at a rate of less than 10% (USFWS 1990). Propagation is more successful with cuttings that root easily (USFWS 1990).

References

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Books (Single Authors)

Britton, N.L.; Wilson, P. 1926. Botany of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. New York Academy of Sciences.

Liogier, H.A.; Martorell, L.F. 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis. Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 342p.

Electronic Sources

USFWS. (1990). Endangered and Threatened Species Accounts. [Web page] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Endangered Species. http://ecos.fws.gov/servlet/TESSSpeciesQuery. Accessed: 2002.

Journal Articles

USFWS. 1986. 18 Plants Proposed for Listing Protection. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 11, 5: 1-13.

USFWS. 1986. Two Puerto Rico Plants. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 11, 5: 7-8.

Valentin, E.S.; Vives Helyger, M.A. 1997. Peperomia wheeleri Britton (Piperaceae): A new record for Puerto Rico. Moscosoa. 90, 0: 62-68.

Valentin, E.S.; Vives Helyger, M.A. 1997. Peperomia wheeleri Britton (Piperaceae): Un nuevo record para la isla de Puerto Rico. Moscosoa. 9: 62-68.

Reports

USFWS. 1990. Peperomia wheeleri Recovery Plan. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region. p.19.

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This profile was updated on 3/4/2010