L.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.137301
Element CodePDARA02060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderApiales
FamilyAraliaceae
GenusAralia
Other Common NamesDevil's Walkingstick (EN) devil's walkingstick (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.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-09-18
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition Date2023-09-18
Edition AuthorsJaster, T. (TNC-LASP, 1995), rev. C. Nordman (2023).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsHercules Club is common in the southeastern United States, it is estimated that there are over 2500 occurrences rangewide, threat impacts are likely low, and it occurs on various conservation lands within its natural range.
Range Extent CommentsHercules Club (Aralia spinosa) occurs in the southeastern United States, from southern Illinois, southern Indiana, southeastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, extreme southwestern New York, Maryland, and Delaware, south to central Florida and west to eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, and southern Missouri. Records of it from Michigan, Ontario, the New York City Metropolitan Area, and new England are misidentifications of the vegetatively similar exotic, naturalizing plant Aralia elata. Range extent of Hercules Club was estimated to be 1.9 million square kilometers, using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1992 and 2023 (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, Moore et al. 2009, NatureServe 2023).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1992 and 2023, it is estimated that there are over 2500 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023).
Threat Impact CommentsThreat impacts to Hercules Club are likely low overall, more notable threats include loss of habitat to development, and competition from invasive exotic plants.