Schwalbea americana L.

Chaffseed

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Chaffseed is a native herbaceous perennial in the Broomrape family (Orobanchaceae). It occurs in very widely scattered locations in the southern half of the state. Chaffseed occurs in open, wet to dry fire maintained pine savannahs and flatwoods. It is a hemiparasite (a plant that obtains nutrients from a host species by interconnected roots but also contains chlorophyll) on various herbaceous and woody species. Chaffseed is an erect herb with 1-2 foot tall unbranched stems or stems branched only at the base. It is a perennial from a tap root. The stems are green in color and minutely pubescent. The leaves are sessile, alternate, lanceolate to elliptic in outline, with entire margins. The leaves are largest at the base of the plant and are gradually reduced in size upwards. The leaves are pubescent on both surfaces. The flowers are produced in a terminal spike-like raceme. Flowers are produced singly in the axils of reduced bract-like leaves. Individual flowers are tubular in shape, pubescent, and a pinkish-yellow color. The fruit is a long narrow capsule subtended by the persistent calyx. Chaffseed is listed as a S1 species in Alabama (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), and globally as a G2-G3 species (G2 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors. G3 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors). It was listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on September 29th, 1992.--A. Diamond

Listed as <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=Q2I4">Federally Endangered</a> as of 29 Sep 1992.</a>

Native Endangered-US FAC (NWPL) S1 (State Rank) G2G3 (Global Rank)

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