P. Mill.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.152746
Element CodePGPIN040R0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNEndangered
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumConiferophyta
ClassPinopsida
OrderPinales
FamilyPinaceae
GenusPinus
Other Common Nameslongleaf pine (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 Date2020-04-09
Change Date2001-02-26
Edition Date2024-05-14
Edition AuthorsKnapp, Treher, and Wichmann (2020), rev. C. Nordman and A. Eberly (2024).
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsLongleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) is an evergreen, gymnosperm tree that is endemic to the southeastern United States where it occurs on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from Florida as far north as southeastern Virginia and on the Gulf Coastal Plain from Florida to Texas. It also occurs in the Piedmont and southern Ridge and Valley Province. While the Longleaf Pine ecosystem has declined to just a small percentage of its former footprint, the species persists with an estimated 1.07 billion trees rangewide, as of 2020. There are many habitat restoration and conservation efforts focused on this species and the Longleaf Pine ecosystem across the species range. The primary threats to this species are fire suppression, development, certain forestry practices and conversion of land for agriculture. Invasive exotic species are also a threat.
Range Extent CommentsLongleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) occurs in the southeastern United States on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from southeastern Virginia south to the Florida Peninsula, and west on the Gulf Coastal Plain to east Texas. Its range extends into the Piedmont in North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and the low mountains of the Ridge and Valley Province in Alabama and Georgia (Carey 1992), the range extent is about 1.2 million square kilometers based on herbarium collections, photo based observation records, and other data (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024). The species is introduced and managed in Maryland and also occurs in, but is possibly cultivated and not native to Arkansas and Delaware (Serviss and Peck 2013, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium and photo-based observation records documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 2,640 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024). It is considered common throughout much of the Southeastern Coastal Plain of the United States (Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Threat Impact CommentsThe primary causes of decline are ongoing conversion of habitat for development, forestry practices (which have often replaced Longleaf Pine with other species), lack of fire, and (mostly past) conversion of land to agriculture, but the threats are difficult to quantify rangewide. Invasive exotic species are threats, including the destruction of seedlings by feral hogs, and invasive plants such as Cogon Grass (Imperata cylindrica), Rose Natal Grass (Melinis repens ssp. repens), Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum), and on wetter sites Chinese Tallow-tree (Triadica sebifera). While there are numerous low level threats, there are many conservation, restoration, monitoring, and ecosystem management efforts underway for this species and its ecosystem rangewide, mitigating some of those threats. The long-term persistence of intact, natural stands of Longleaf Pine will depend on continued ecosystem management including prescribed fire, which will need to be implemented within the constraints of increased wildland urban interface issues, higher costs, liability concerns and human health related smoke management restrictions.