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Amsonia ludoviciana

Vail

Louisiana Bluestar

G3Vulnerable Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Louisiana Bluestar (Amsonia ludoviciana). Photo by Laura Clark, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Laura Clark, CC BY 4.0
Louisiana Bluestar (Amsonia ludoviciana). Photo by Laura Clark, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Laura Clark, CC BY 4.0
Louisiana Bluestar (Amsonia ludoviciana). Photo by Laura Clark, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Laura Clark, CC BY 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.149828
Element CodePDAPO030C0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderGentianales
FamilyApocynaceae
GenusAmsonia
Other Common Names
Louisiana bluestar (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.
Conservation Status
Review Date1999-04-13
Change Date1991-01-08
Edition Date1999-04-13
Edition AuthorsGries, D.
Rank Reasons
Amsonia ludoviciana is known from at least forty populations in Louisiana and 30 in Georgia. In Mississippi, this plant is known only historically. The Louisiana blue star occupies diverse habitats in Louisiana and Georgia, occurring there in pine flatwoods, riparian forests, higher-position bottomland forests, and near granite outcrops.
Range Extent Comments
Known from Louisiana, Georgia, and historically from Mississippi. Report of any natural populations in South Carolina is considered questionable and needs verification.
Occurrences Comments
Known from forty populations in Louisiana (Fish and Wildlife Service 1989) and from about 30 in Georgia (Patrick, 1999). No extant occurrences are known for Mississippi.
Threat Impact Comments
In Georgia, the granite flatrock communities where Amsonia ludoviciana is found are seriously threatened by pulpwood timbering, subdivision expansion, off-road vehicular use, and granite quarrying for the crushed stone industry (Patrick, 1999).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

In Louisiana, found in pine flatwoods, small-stream riparian forests, and higher-position, bottomland forests. In Georgia, the plants seem to be limited to the type of granite found in the central Georgia Piedmont that is classified as "Lithonia gneiss". The plants frequently occur in altered habitats, such as roadside and powerline rights-of-way and artificial drainageways (Fish and Wildlife Service 1989; Patrick 1999).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - Conifer
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
LouisianaS3Yes
MississippiSXYes
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Louisiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Saline Bayou W & S River CorridorKisatchie National Forest5,355
References (5)
  1. 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.
  2. Lemke, D. E. 1987. Recent collections and a redescription of <i>Amsonia ludoviciana</i> Vail (Apocynaceae). Sida 12(2):343- 346.
  3. Patrick, T. 1999. Notes on the status of eleven vascular plants found in Georgia. Georgia Natural Heritage Program. Mailed to Deborah Gries at The Nature Conservancy in Arlington, Virginia; dated 28 June 1999.
  4. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1989. Listing proposals: sentry milk-vetch (<i>Astragalus cremnophylax</i> var. <i>cremnophylax</i>). Endangered Species Technical Bull. 16(11-12): 5.
  5. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1989. Regional News. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin 14(1-2): 5.