L.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.158903
Element CodePDSCR0F020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderPlantaginales
FamilyPlantaginaceae
GenusChelone
Other Common NamesGalane glabre (FR) white turtlehead (EN)
Concept ReferenceKartesz, 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 CommentsAccording to the treatment in Weakley (2022), "The named varieties (or subspecies) are intergrading and the characters used to distinguish them do not correlate well." The treatment in FNA (2019, vol. 17) does not recognize them as distinct.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-08-01
Change Date1984-02-29
Edition Date2024-08-01
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsChelone glabra is a wide-ranging perennial herb in a variety of wetland habitats occurring in eastern North America from Newfoundland west to Manitoba, Canada south to Georgia west to Arkansas in the United States. Threats include development, logging, rights-of-way maintenance, recreation, livestock grazing, invasive species, and likely other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent CommentsChelone glabra occurs in eastern North America from Newfoundland west to Manitoba, Canada south to Georgia west to Arkansas in the United States (FNA 2019). Range extent was estimated to be over 4.4 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are thousands of occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024). However, this taxon is commonly cultivated, and iNaturalist observations (>15,000) were not evaluated for evidence of cultivation (iNaturalist 2024).
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, logging, rights-of-way maintenance, recreation, livestock grazing, invasive species, and likely other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.