National Collection of Imperiled Plants

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Photographer:

Jennifer Possley

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CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea

Family:	Euphorbiaceae
Common Names:	Deltoid spurge, rockland spurge, wedge sandmat
Author:	(Engelman ex Chapman) Small
Growth Habit:	Subshrub, Forb/herb
CPC Number:	894

Distribution
Protection
Conservation
References

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Photographer: Jennifer Possley
jpossley[at]fairchildgarden.org

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Photographer: Cynthia Lane

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea is Not Sponsored

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

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Jennifer Possley contributed to this Plant Profile.

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea is a federally endangered, prostrate, perennial herb with wiry stems and tiny wedge-shaped leaves. It is found only in the extremely rare pine rockland ecosystem of Miami-Dade County, and occurs in mats over exposed limestone (DERM 1993, 1996). These inconspicuous plants have a disproportionately large woody taproot (Burch 1966), indicating their tendency to be long-lived and their ability to recover from fire.

Distribution & Occurrence

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State Range

Florida

Habitat

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea can be found in pine rocklands (Renus 1979, DERM 1993, USFWS 1999). Pine rocklands once extended continuously along the south Florida limestone ridge for approximately 105 kilometers. The limestone ridge is 3-5 meters in height and consists of porous limestone known as Miami oolite. Limestone weathering creates pockets on the surface allowing plants to take root (USFWS 1985).

Distribution

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea is endemic to Miami-Dade County, Florida, where it is only found in pine rocklands from South Miami to Homestead (DERM 1993).

Number Left

There are an estimated 10,000 individuals (DERM 1993) at 18 sites; 12 of which are publicly owned.

Protection

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Global Rank:	G2T1	2/29/2000	Guide to Global Ranks
Federal Status:	LE	10/24/1996	Guide to Federal Status
Recovery Plan:	Yes	10/1/1999

State/Area Protection

	State/Area	Rank	Status	Date
	Florida	S1	LE	1/1/2000

Conservation, Ecology & Research

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Ecological Relationships

� Requires high light levels and little to no organic litter accumulation, as well as periodic fires (DERM 1996)
� Flowers April-November, peaking in July (DERM 1993)
� Pollinators may include bees, flies, ants, and wasps (Ehrenfeld 1979)

Threats

Historically, habitat destruction was a primary threat that reduced this species range by 98% (USFWS 1999). Continued urbanization, non-native plant invasion and fire suppression continue to threaten this species.

Current Research Summary

Pollination ecology studied by Ehrenfeld (1976, 1979).

Current Management Summary

Miami-Dade County's Department of Environmental Resource Management and Natural Areas Management manage the sites where this species occurs. Their management plans include prescribed fire, though these are often too infrequent, due to lack of public support and recent droughts. Hand-removal of hardwood species is often employed as a surrogate to fires.

Research Management Needs

Research into seed ecology, propagation and reintroduction methods is needed. Management should include a natural fire regime. Brush, litter, and invasive non-natives should be kept clear of existing plants (USFWS 1999, Fisher 2000).

Monitoring Efforts

Fairchild maintains GIS maps and population size estimates for this species on all Miami-Dade County preserves.

Ex Situ Needs

Fairchild Tropical Garden does not have an ex situ collection of this species, and currently does not have funding to create one. If plants are collected in the future, sowing wild-collected seeds is recommended, because the large taproots of these plants greatly reduce the feasibility of transplanting.

References

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Books (Single Authors)

Coile, N.C. 2000. Notes on Florida's Regulated Plant Index (Rule 5B-40), Botany Contribution 38. Gainesville, Florida: Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.

FNAI. 2000. Field Guide to the Rare Plants and Animals of Florida online. Florida Natural Areas Inventory.

Small, J.K. 1903. Flora of the Southeastern United States. New York: Published by the Author on a press of The New Era Printing Company, Lancaster, PA.

Electronic Sources

USGS. (2002). Status of Listed Species and Recovery Plan Development. [Web site] USGS: Norther Prairie Wildlife Research Center. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/others/recoprog/plant.htm. Accessed: 2002.

Journal Articles

Burch, D. 1966. Two new species of Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae), new combinations, and a key to the Caribbean members of the genus. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 53: 90-99.

Ehrenfeld, J. 1976. Reproductive biology of three species of Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae). American Journal of Botany. 63, 4: 406-413.

Ehrenfeld, J. 1979. Pollination of three species of Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce, with special reference to bees. American Midland Naturalist. 101, 1: 87-98.

Herndon, A. 1993. A revision of the Chamaesyce deltoidea (Euphorbiaceae) complex of southern Florida. Rhodora. 95, 881: 38-51.

Lane, M.A.; Wang, Z.; Haufler, C.H.; Thompson, P.A.; Chang, Y.; Bregin, C.L.; Campbell, M.T.; Gard, C.L.; Schott, G.; Spielberg, G.; Stoner, K.E.; Taylor, M.B.; Yarom, I. 1993. Rhododendron albiflorum Hook. (Ericaceae): One taxon or two?. Rhodora. 95, 881: 11-20.

Lippincott, C. 1990. Rare Plant Conservation. Fairchild Tropical Garden Bulletin. 6-15.

O'Brien, J.J. 1998. The distribution and habitat preferences of rare Galactia species (Fabaceae) and Chamaesyce deltoidea subspecies (Euphorbiaceae) native to southern Florida pine rockland. Natural Areas Journal. 18, 3: 208-222.

Remus, J. 1979. Status of two endangered Florida species of Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae). Florida Scientist. 42, 3: 130-137.

USFWS. 1984. Five Florida Plants. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 9, 12: 7, 10.

USFWS. 1984. Proposed Endangered Status for Five Florida Pine Rockland Plants. Federal Register. 49, 217: 44507-44512.

USFWS. 1985. Endangered and threatened Status for Five Florida PIne Rockland Plants. Federal Register. 50, 138: 29345-29349.

USFWS. 1985. Final Listings: Five Rockland Plants. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 10, 8: 1, 5-6.

USFWS. 1986. Regional Briefs--Region 4. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 11, 5: 14.

Reports

DERM. 1993. Annual report-Endangered pine rockland plant species recovery project. Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management.

DERM. 1996. Endangered plants of Dade County's pine rocklands. Habitat characterization for Amorpha crenulata, Euphorbia deltoidea and Polygala smallii. Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management. p.18. Technical Report 96-2.

Fisher, J. 2000. Demography of Pine Rockland Endangered Plant Taxa in Miami-Dade County. Tallahassee, Florida: Florida Division of Forestry: Statewide Endangered and Threatened Plant Conservation Program.

Gordon, D. 1992. Element stewardship abstract for pine rockland community. Arlington, Virginia: The Nature Conservancy. Unpublished.

Kernan, C. 1999. Demography of Some South Florida Ecosystem Endangered Plants. Tallahassee, Florida: Florida Division of Forestry: Statewide Endangered and Threatened Plant Conservation Program.

USFWS. 1988. Recovery plan for five pine rockland plant species. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

USFWS. 1999. South Florida Multi-species Recovery Plan. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region.

Theses

Burch, D. 1965. A taxonomic revision of the genus Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae) in the Caribbean. [Ph.D. Thesis]: University of Florida.

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This profile was updated on 9/28/2010