Sagittaria fasciculata
E.O. Beal
Bunched Arrowhead
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very highThreat Impact
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.138698
Element CodePMALI04090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderAlismatales
FamilyAlismataceae
GenusSagittaria
Other Common Names
bunched arrowhead (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.
Taxonomic Comments
The concept of Sagittaria fasciculata in Kartesz (1994) is narrower than that in Kartesz (1999). Kartesz (1994) recognized S. graminea var. macrocarpa. However, Kartesz (1999) includes S. graminea var. macrocarpa as S. fasciculata; Weakley (2012) and Flora North America vol. 22 also recognize that material called var. macrocarpa was mostly misapplied and is appropriately attributed to S. fasciculata
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2015-03-18
Change Date2006-12-11
Edition Date2014-03-06
Edition AuthorsRoth, E.; rev. K. Maybury, 1996, rev. Maybury (2006), rev. L. Oliver (2014)
Threat ImpactVery high
Range Extent250-1000 square km (about 100-400 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Endemic to a small area of the Carolinas and restricted to very specific aquatic habitat conditions, including continuous seepage. There are several on-going threats including land conversion, negative hydrological changes and exotic species.
Range Extent Comments
Sagittaria fasciculata is endemic to North Carolina and South Carolina in the southeastern United States. It is extant in Henderson Co., North Carolina and Greenville Co., South Carolina and historical in Henderson and Buncombe Cos., North Carolina.
Occurrences Comments
The USFWS Recovery Plan and 5 Year Review (2014) recognize 11 populations, where a population is defined as colonies of plants connected by drainage and in close proximity to one another (< 2 km). 37 colonies are recognized in these 11 populations as of 2014. Element Occurrences (EOs) fall within these 11 populations; and between North Carolina and South Carolina Natural Heritage Programs there are 44 EOs including extirpated occurrences.
Threat Impact Comments
This species is threatened by land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices. Most of its habitat has been drained (Weakley 2012) and land conversion appears to be a predominant threat. At existing sites alteration of waterflow, both increase and decrease of waterflow, is a threat (USFWS 2014). Exotic plant species are also present in colonies where this species occurs and are a threat. Other threats include grazing and trampling by cattle, and scouring from flash flooding (USFWS 2014). This species to tolerate or benefit from some disturbances including those of anthropogenic origin. For example, it can withstand timbering and vehicle traffic, but not grazing or drainage of habitat.
Ecology & Habitat
Diagnostic Characteristics
This non-sagittate-leaved Sagittaria is distinguished from the others of its complex in the Southeast by a combination of flattened phyllodia, blades of emergent leaves relatively broad but at the same time female pedicels not recurved, the anther definitely longer than the filament, and the bracts strongly fused.
Habitat
Very gently sloping areas with some standing water refreshed by slow continuous seepage of cool clear water. Appropriate habitat for this species is typically found in a narrow band at the bluff-floodplain ecotone. The seeps originate at the base of the bluffs and Sagittaria fasciculata is generally found near, but not at, the origin of the seep (water flow at the seep origin is usually too swift or too heavy to allow for colonization). Appropriate habitats often continue along the edge of the bluff downslope from the seep, but generally do not extend far into the floodplain proper because there the seepage tends to spread out and the water stagnates.
Ecology
Sagittaria fasciculata typically is found in very gently sloping areas with slow, continuous seepage of cool, clear water. The continuous seepage appears to be the most important factor in the ecology of the species. Canopy closure may differ greatly in different populations but the slow continuous seepage is one factor that is always present.
Reproduction
According to Cooper et al., 1977 (B77COO01HQUS), this species may be limited to vegetative means of reproduction as no seedlings have been found. However, Newberry, 1987 (U87NEW01HQUS) reported seed set in the populations she studied, though the presence of seedlings was not noted.
Palustrine Habitats
Bog/fen
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | S1 | Yes |
| South Carolina | S2 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - Residential & commercial development | Restricted (11-30%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High - moderate |
| 2 - Agriculture & aquaculture | Pervasive - large | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High - moderate |
| 2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching | Pervasive - large | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High - moderate |
| 5 - Biological resource use | Pervasive - large | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | Low - insignificant/negligible |
| 5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting | Pervasive - large | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | Low - insignificant/negligible |
| 7 - Natural system modifications | Pervasive - large | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High - moderate |
| 7.2 - Dams & water management/use | Pervasive - large | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High - moderate |
| 9 - Pollution | Pervasive - large | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluents | Pervasive - large | Unknown | High (continuing) |
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
North Carolina (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Laurel Mountain | Pisgah National Forest | 5,683 |
References (11)
- Cooper, J.E., S.S. Robinson, and J.B. Funderburg (eds.). 1977. Endangered and threatened plants and animals of North Carolina. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. 444 pp.
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2000. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 22. Magnoliophyta: Alismatidae, Arecidae, Commelinidae (in part), and Zingiberidae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiii + 352 pp.
- 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.
- Mohlenbrock, R.H. 1983. Where have all the wildflowers gone? A region-by-region guide to threatened or endangered U.S. wildflowers. Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., New York. 239 pp.
- Newberry, G., and M.Q. Hague. 1987. Progress report on monitoring of Sagittaria sites, Greenville County, South Carolina. Funded by South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Dept., and South Carolina Nature Conservancy. Columbia, SC.
- Radford, A.E., H.E. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas. Univ. North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 1183 pp.
- Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.
- Sutter, R.D. 1983. Recovery plan for the bunched arrowhead (Sagittaria fasciculata) A nationally endangered species in North and South Carolina. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 4, Atlanta, GA. 29 pp.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2014. 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation of Bunched arrowhead (<i>Sagitarria fasciculata). </i>U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region, Asheville Ecological Services Field Office, Asheville, N.C. Accessed on 3/6/14 at: http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc4362.pdf
- Weakley, A. S. 2012. Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States. Working Draft of 28 September 2012. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Online. Available: http://herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm (Accessed 2012).
- Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2022. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 24, 2022. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2022 pp.