Marshallia mohrii Beadle & F.E. Boynton

Mohr's Barbara's Buttons; Coosa Barbara's Buttons

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Mohr's Barbara's Buttons is an herbaceous perennial in the Aster family (Asteraceae). It occurs in northern half of Alabama. Mohr's Barbara's Buttons occurs on limestone outcrops and glades, in rocky woods, in clearings in dry pine/oak woods, and in prairies. It is a perennial with a tap root. Leaves form a basal rosette, and cauline (stem) leaves are few in number and reduced in size. Leaves are elliptic to spathulate in outline, entire, slightly pubescent, and have three prominent veins. Flowers are produced in heads. Heads are 2-10 in number and are produced on long peduncles. Each head is composed of numerous five-lobed disc flowers. Buds and newly opened flowers are pink. Older flowers are white. The fruit is an achene. Mohr's Barbara's Buttons is listed as a Threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species Act. It is a S3 species in Alabama (typically 21 to 100 occurrences in the state), and globally is listed as a G3 species (imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors). Mohr's Barbara's Buttons was first collected by Charles Mohr in Cullman County, Alabama in 1882. It is a polyploid species that possibly arose as the result of hybridization between Largeflowered Barbara's Buttons (Marshallia grandiflora Beadle & Boynton) and Broadleaf Barbara's Buttons (Marshallia trinervia (Walter) Trelease ex Branner & Coville). Mohr's Barbara's Buttons is occasionally available from wildflower nurseries. Before purchasing these threatened plants make sure that the nursery has legally acquired and propagated them. Mohr's Barbara's Buttons requires a well-draining soil and full sun. Soil pH should be neutral to basic.--A. Diamond

Listed as <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=Q1YT">Federally Threatened</a> as of 7 Sep 1988.

Native Threatened-US S3 (State Rank) G3 (Global Rank)

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