(Vent.) Engelm. & Gray
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.140480
Element CodePDPGN0K090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderPolygonales
FamilyPolygonaceae
GenusPolygonella
Other Common NamesOctober flower (EN) Woody Jointweed (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 Date2025-10-17
Change Date2025-10-17
Edition Date2025-10-17
Edition AuthorsCrouch, V. (1991), rev. Soteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsPolygonella polygama is a wide-ranging perennial subshrub found in longleaf pine sandhills, Florida scrub, and other dry sandy habitats. It is endemic to the southeastern United States, where it occurs in the Coastal Plain from southeastern Virginia south to southern peninsular Florida and west to the Florida panhandle and Alabama, disjunct in northwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas. There are over 400 estimated occurrences, which face threats from development, conversion to pine plantation, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, fire suppression, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent CommentsPolygonella polygama is endemic to the southeastern United States, where it occurs in the Coastal Plain from southeastern Virginia south to southern peninsular Florida and west to the Florida panhandle and Alabama, disjunct in northwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas (FNA 2005, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2023). Range extent was estimated to be approximately 1.4 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, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025). See each of the varieties for more information.
Occurrences CommentsBy 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 400 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, conversion to pine plantation, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, fire suppression, invasive species, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2025). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats.