Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.139731
Element CodePDLAU07010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderLaurales
FamilyLauraceae
GenusLindera
Other Common NamesBenjamin-bush (EN) Benjoin (FR) northern spicebush (EN) Spicebush (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.
Taxonomic CommentsFNA (vol. 3, 1997) lumps subspecific taxa.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-09-11
Change Date1984-01-25
Edition Date2024-09-11
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsLindera benzoin is a tree or shrub found in low woods, wetland margins, streambanks, uplands, and places with exposed limestone in eastern North America from Ontario, Canada south to Texas, east to Florida, and north to Maine in the United States. There are an estimated 5,000 occurrences of this species, which are threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, alteration to hydrology, succession, and other threats in some places. With a large range extent, high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Lindera benzoin is considered secure.
Range Extent CommentsLindera benzoin occurs in eastern North America from Ontario, Canada south to Texas, east to Florida, and north to Maine in the United States (FNA 1997). Range extent was estimated to be over 2.5 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be over 5,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact CommentsThreats to Lindera benzoin are not well documented but include development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, alteration to hydrology, succession, and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024), though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species.