Eupatorium sessilifolium

L.

Upland Boneset

G5Secure Found in 11 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.145257
Element CodePDAST3P1T0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusEupatorium
Other Common Names
upland boneset (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
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-06-13
Change Date1984-04-24
Edition Date2024-06-13
Edition AuthorsOlivero, A., rev. N. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Eupatorium sessilifolium is widespread and common throughout much of the eastern United States, only becoming rare along the northern edge of its range. It is estimated that there are over 400 occurrences rangewide. It occurs in open dry edges of mesic woods where threats include woody plant encroachment and shading of open habitats due to the absence of fire, invasive species, browse by deer, and development. However, these threats are considered negligible given the species' broad range, preference for disturbance, and large number of occurrences.
Range Extent Comments
Eupatorium sessilifolium occurs in the eastern United States from Minnesota to Maine south to Georgia and west to Kansas (FNA 2006). Range extent was estimated to be 1.9 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024). See individual entries for distribution details about the two varieties.
Occurrences Comments
By 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 over 400 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Eupatorium sessilifolium are not well documented, but include woody plant encroachment and closure of canopy gaps due to the absence of fire, invasive species, browse by deer, and development (NatureServe 2024). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, preference for disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Eupatorium sessilifolium occurs in "dry, open, edges of mesic woods" and on cliffs, ledges, and in forests and woodlands (FNA 2006, Native Plant Trust 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - MixedForest EdgeWoodland - MixedCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
South CarolinaSNRYes
MinnesotaS2Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
IowaS1Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
North CarolinaS4Yes
New JerseySNRYes
MaineS1Yes
MichiganS1Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
KansasS1Yes
IndianaSNRYes
GeorgiaS3Yes
KentuckySNRYes
New HampshireSHYes
VermontS1Yes
MarylandSNRYes
New YorkSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
DelawareS1Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
WisconsinS4Yes
MassachusettsSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
NebraskaSNRYes
VirginiaS5Yes
OhioSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
Threat Assessments

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (11)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,855
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Virginia (4)
AreaForestAcres
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
The FriarsGeorge Washington National Forest2,035
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Little Allegheny MountainMonongahela National Forest10,514
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006c. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 21. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 8: Asteraceae, part 3. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 616 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. Grubbs, K.C., Small, R.L. and E.E. Schilling. 2009. Evidence for multiple, autoploid origins of agamospermous populations in <i>Eupatorium sessilifolium</i> (Asteraceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 279: 151-161.
  4. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  5. 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.
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  7. Native Plant Trust. 2024. Go Botany website. Online. Available: https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org (accessed 2024).
  8. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).