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Phaseolus polystachios

(L.) B.S.P.

Wild Kidney Bean

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.160428
Element CodePDFAB330D0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderFabales
FamilyFabaceae
GenusPhaseolus
Synonyms
Phaseolus polystachyus(L.) BSP.
Other Common Names
Thicket Bean (EN) thicket bean (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 Date2024-05-28
Change Date2005-01-26
Edition Date2024-05-28
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2024).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Wild Kidney Bean (Phaseolus polystachios) occurs in the eastern United States, and it has been reported from southern Ontario, Canada. It is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences, including on the Mark Twain, Ocala, Ouachita, Ozark, Shawnee, Tombigbee, and Wayne National Forests, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and on various State Parks. Threats include the loss of habitat due to residential development, and competition with invasive exotic plants.
Range Extent Comments
Wild Kidney Bean (Phaseolus polystachios) occurs in the eastern United States, and it has been reported from southern Ontario, Canada. Range extent was estimated to be 2.0 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1983 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
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 between 81 and 300 occurrences of Wild Kidney Bean (Phaseolus polystachios) rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024). It is considered uncommon throughout most of its range in the southeastern United States (Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Wild Kidney Bean (Phaseolus polystachios) include the loss of habitat due to residential development, and competition with invasive exotic plants.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Wild Kidney Bean (Phaseolus polystachios) occurs in thickets and woodlands, especially over limestone, at 4 to 701 meters elevation. P. polystachios var. sinuatus occurs in longleaf pine sandhills (SEINet 2024, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/Woodland
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNNR
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioSUYes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
MississippiSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
IowaSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
OklahomaS1Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
DelawareSHYes
TexasS1Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
South CarolinaS3Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
MarylandS3Yes
North CarolinaS3Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS1Yes
OhioS3Yes
FloridaSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
KentuckyS4Yes
New JerseySNRYes
New YorkS1Yes
MichiganSXYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (1)
Florida (1)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
References (6)
  1. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  2. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  3. 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.
  4. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  5. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  6. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.