Spigelia gentianoides Chapm. ex A. DC.

Gentian Pinkroot; Purple Flower Pinkroot

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Gentian Pinkroot is a native herbaceous perennial in the Logania family (Loganiaceae). It is endemic to the Florida Panhandle and adjacent south Alabama. In Alabama the species is known from a single population in Geneva County. Gentian Pinkroot is found in fire-dependent longleaf pine-wiregrass and pine-oak-hickory forests. It has a single, erect, sharply angled stem growing from 3-11 inches in height. The leaves are opposite, sessile, and ovate to broadly lanceolate in outline with entire margins. Flowers are produced in terminal cymes. The corolla is tubular with five triangular lobes. The flowers are pale to dark pink, with darker pink being confined to the margins of the lobes. The lobes of the corolla usually open only slightly. The fruit is a capsule. Gentian Pinkroot was listed as an Endangered Species (any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range) by the US Fish and Wildlife Service on November 26, 1990. In Alabama, it is listed as an S1 species (typically 5 or fewer occurrences, very few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable in the state). Globally it is listed as a G1 species (critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences), or very few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or especially vulnerable to extinction because of some factor of its biology).--A. Diamond

Listed as <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=Q21W">Federally Endangered</a> as of 26 Nov 1990.</a> It should be noted that this listing excludes the dolomitic glade endemic Spigelia gentianoides var. alabamensis K.R. Gould which was named and described in 1996 after Spigelia gentianoides was Federally Listed in 1990. Furthermore, Spigelia gentianoides var. alabamensis is now universally accepted as distinct from S. gentianoides as Spigelia alabamensis (K.R. Gould) K.G. Matthews & Weakley.

Native Endangered-US S1 (State Rank) G1T1 (Global Rank)

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