Blephilia ciliata

Blephilia ciliata is a wide-ranging perennial herb in a variety of habitats occurring in eastern and central North America from Ontario, Canada south to the United States from Vermont west to Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kansas south to Georgia and Oklahoma. There are over 700 occurrences that are threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, livestock grazing, lack of fire leading to succession, and likely other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.

Blephilia ciliata occurs in eastern and central North America from Ontario, Canada south to the United States from Vermont west to Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kansas south to Georgia and Oklahoma (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024). Range extent was estimated to be over 2 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 700 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).

Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, livestock grazing, lack of fire leading to succession, and likely other threats in some places (NatureServe 2025). 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.