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Home/Species/ Downy False Foxglove

Aureolaria virginica

(L.) Pennell

Downy False Foxglove

G5Secure Found in 5 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.141630
Element CodePDSCR05070
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderScrophulariales
FamilyOrobanchaceae
GenusAureolaria
Synonyms
Gerardia virginica(L.) B.S.P.
Other Common Names
downy yellow false foxglove (EN) Downy Yellow False Foxglove (EN) Gérardie de Virginie (FR)
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 Date2024-06-12
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition Date2024-06-12
Edition AuthorsN. 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
Aureolaria virginica is a wide-ranging perennial herb that is hemiparasitic on oaks in oak and pine woodlands occurring in eastern North America from Ontario, Canada and New Hampshire, United States south to Florida and Texas. Threats include development, rights-of-way maintenance activities, recreational activities, deer browse, habitat alteration due to fire suppression, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Aureolaria virginica occurs in eastern North America from Ontario, Canada east to New Hampshire, United States south to Florida and Texas (FNA 2019). Range extent was estimated to be over 1.9 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 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 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance activities, recreational activities, deer browse, invasive species, habitat alteration due to fire suppression, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Aureolaria virginica grows in "oak and pine woods and slopes" (FNA 2019).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - MixedWoodland - Mixed
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN1
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS1Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
West VirginiaS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
New JerseyS5Yes
MarylandSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
South CarolinaS5Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
VermontS1Yes
Rhode IslandS2Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
DelawareS4Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
MassachusettsS4Yes
MississippiSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
New HampshireS1Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
OhioSNRYes
FloridaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
IndianaS4Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
New YorkS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (5)
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest640
Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
References (7)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2019. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 17: Magnoliophyta: Tetrachondraceae to Orobanchaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 737 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  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. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  7. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.