![]() ![]() Scientists have examined its genetic uniqueness, When it was rediscovered in 1968 scientists worked to get it protected.įederal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants.įor the past 30 years it's been studied and researched. Just three counties in Middle Tennessee support Echinacea tennesseensis. ![]() Tennessee Purple Coneflower is endemic to cedar glades and all naturally occurring populations are located within 14 miles of one another. That can stand up straight and tall during the hottest,ĭriest summers we've experienced in years. Send its roots deep below the surface seeking water That can tolerate being underwater part of the year That can survive the extremes of a cedar glade Tennessee Purple Coneflower has a special place in my heart. One is not more beautiful then the other, but, (Yes, most of the transplants survived in case you are wondering.Instead of recurving like Echinacea purpurea. Near the crown it was as thick as a plump carrot! From there, the chthonic organ divided with depth, but the roots were still stout. The soil had mostly sloughed off one taproot, so I rinsed it to get a better look. I expected to see more rhizomatous roots like those on Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower) that I've transplanted much of my life. Unearthing knowledge about roots (in a literal and figurative sense!) is always exciting, like discovering buried treasure. The xeric-adapted nature of established plants is quite apparent in the root systems. Earlier this spring I had to move some Echinacea tennesseensis, and I was very surprised to discover massive, deep taproots on plants that were only one year old. All these characteristics would have limited its dispersal from middle Tennessee. (2002) state that its narrow endemism is due to several factors-seed-based reproduction large seeds that aren't animal or wind dispersed self sterility intolerance of shading a lack of seed persistence in the soil, and few individuals making it to adulthood in the wild. When the climate cooled and became more moist, forests began to reclaim the land, and this stress-tolerant species began to decline in numbers. Drier conditions opened the woodlands of middle Tennessee and allowed the colonization of prairie species like our Echinacea. The current hypothesis is that the species arose during the hypsithermal interval, a period of climatic warming and drying that occurred around 5000-8000 years ago. Why is such a floriferous species isolated to just a few counties in Tennessee? Sure, humans destroyed a few sites, but it seems that it never had the wide distribution that some of the other Echinacea genera enjoy. This attention led to areas where Echinacea tennesseensis occurred being protected, and with enough populations safe, the species was delisted in 2011, certainly a success story for horticulture and humankind's intervention. Efforts from her and others helped the plant become listed on the endangered species list, one of the first flora ever. Elise Quarterman to thank for advocating for this species's livelihood. Later in the 60's it was rediscovered however, survival wasn't guaranteed as the land some populations inhabited was cleared to make way for trailer parks and housing developments. It was discovered in 1878 by Augustin Gattinger, and less than a century later in 1961 its absence in field surveys led some researchers to claim it extinct. Tennessee coneflower is only found in a few counties in Tennessee, and if heroic stewards hadn't stepped in to save it, our world would be less colorful. Of course, it's a bit of a miracle that we still have this delightful perennial with us.
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