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Macbridea alba

Chapman

White Birds-in-a-nest

G2Imperiled Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
HighThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.136197
Element CodePDLAM0Y010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderLamiales
FamilyLamiaceae
GenusMacbridea
Other Common Names
white birds-in-a-nest (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
One of two species in genus.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-01-23
Change Date1996-03-12
Edition Date2024-01-23
Edition AuthorsD. L. White (1988), rev. C. Nordman (2012), rev. A. Jenkins (2024)
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Endemic to small area of Florida Panhandle. Thirty-six occurrences (including 13 failed to find occurrences) are extant as of 2024, 25 of those protected on conservation land. Most of the occurrences are within the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida, but some are on nearby state conservation lands. Threatened by fire exclusion and/or insufficient fire which leads to shrub encroachment in the flatwoods habitat. Decreases in the quality and extent of appropriate habitat within this species' very limited range, and recent surveys within its range, suggest that the species is declining. The plants cannot withstand modern intensive forestry practices such as clear-cutting, chopping and tilling of the substrate, dense plantings of pine, and the subsequent exclusion of fire.
Range Extent Comments
Using occurrences in the FNAI database as of January 2024, GeoCat (2024) calculated range extent to be 2,281.357 square kilometers. Endemic to Liberty, Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties, Florida (Chafin 2000). Alabama reports are erroneous.
Occurrences Comments
Using occurrences in the FNAI database as of January 2024: 36 extant occurrences (including 13 failed to find occurrences; 3additional extirpated or possibly extirpated occurrences; 1 additional historical occurrence).
Threat Impact Comments
Threatened by habitat degradation due to lack of prescribed fire and by forestry practices (intensive site preparation followed by high pine stocking densities).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Macbridea alba may be characterized by a white corolla with faint purplish markings in the throat (Godfrey and Wooten, 1981).

Habitat

Grassy vegetation on poorly drained, infertile sandy peat soils of the Florida Gulf coastal lowlands near the mouth of the Apalachicola River. Also in seepage bogs and savannas and, sparingly, on drier sites with longleaf pine and runner oaks. (Based on Ward 1979.)

Reproduction

The family is primarily bee pollinated (Proctor & Yeo 1973, p. 219).
Terrestrial Habitats
Savanna
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDBog/fen
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
FloridaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.2 - Wood & pulp plantationsLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherRestricted (11-30%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineModerate (short-term)
11.2 - DroughtsRestricted (11-30%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineModerate (short-term)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL, SPRING-FLOWERING, SUMMER-FLOWERING
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
Florida (3)
AreaForestAcres
Gum BayApalachicola National Forest11,645
Long BayApalachicola National Forest5,726
SavannahApalachicola National Forest1,927
References (11)
  1. Chafin, L. G. 2000. Field guide to the rare plants of Florida. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. [https://www.fnai.org/]
  2. Godfrey, R.K., and J.W. Wooten. 1981. Aquatic and wetland plants of southeastern United States: Dicotyledons. Univ. Georgia Press, Athens. 933 pp.
  3. Godt, M.J.W., J. Walker, and J.L. Hamrick. 2004. Allozyme diversity in Macbridea alba (Lamiaceae), an endemic Florida mint. Journal of Heredity 95: 244249. Online. Available: http://jhered.oxfordjournals.org/content/95/3/244.full.pdf+html
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Kral, R. 1983c. A report on some rare, threatened, or endangered forest-related vascular plants of the South. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service Technical Publication R8-TP2, Athens, GA. 1305 pp.
  6. Radford, A.E., H.E. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas. Univ. North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 1183 pp.
  7. Small, J.K. 1933. Manual of the southeastern flora. Two volumes. Hafner Publishing Company, New York.
  8. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1990. Proposed threatened status for three Florida plants. Federal Register 55(243): 51936-51940.
  9. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1992. Threatened status for three Florida plants. Federal Register 57(90): 19813-19819.
  10. Ward, D.B., ed. 1979. Rare and endangered biota of Florida. Vol. 5: Plants. Univ. Presses of Florida, Gainesville.
  11. Wunderlin, R.P. 1982. Guide to the vascular plants of central Florida. Univ. Presses Florida, Gainesville. 472 pp.