Manfreda virginica
| Manfreda virginica | |
|---|---|
| |
| Photo taken by Gil Nelson | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants |
| Class: | Liliopsida – Monocotyledons |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Agavaceae |
| Genus: | Manfreda |
| Species: | M. virginica |
| Binomial name | |
| Manfreda virginica (L.) Salisb. ex Rose | |
| |
| Natural range of Manfreda virginica from USDA NRCS Plants Database. | |
Common names: False aloe; Rattlesnake-master[1]
Contents
Taxonomic notes
Synonyms: Agave virginica Linnaeus; Manfreda tigrina (Engelmann) Small; Polianthes virginica (Linnaeus) Shinners.[1]
Varieties: none.[1]
Description
A description of Manfreda virginica is provided in The Flora of North America.
Distribution
M. virginica ranges from eastern South Carolina, central North Carolina, southwest Virginia, western West Virginia, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri, south to central peninsular Florida and Texas.[1]
Ecology
Habitat
This species grows in well-drained or poorly-drained slopes of longleaf pine forests, savannas, mesic pine-hardwood forest remnants, granite flatrocks, diabase glades, limestone and dolomite barrens and glades, xeric woodlands over mafic or calcareous rocks, sandhill woodlands, and dry roadbanks.[2][1] It prefers sandy loam habitats and upland Coastal Plain soils that have little slope and low fertility. [3] Additionally, it thrives in semi-shaded areas to open areas. Associated species include longleaf pine, wiregrass, and hardwoods.[2]
Phenology
M. virginica flowers from late May through August and fruits from August through October.[1]
Fire ecology
This species is found in annually burned areas.[2]
Pollination
M. virginica is pollinated both diurnally and nocturnally, with observations suggesting that bumblebees are the predominant floral visitors.[4] Bombus pennsylvanicus and Hemaris diffinis are critical diurnal pollinators; however, diurnally pollinated plants were observed to produce significantly lower seed set than nocturnally and open-pollinated plants.[4] Hence nocturnal visitors contribute more to M. virginica reproduction despite frequent diurnal visits.[4]
Conservation, cultivation, and restoration
Cultural use
Photo Gallery
Manfreda virginica Photo by Michelle Smith
at Garcon Point Water Management Area, Pensacola, FL.
References and notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Weakley, A.S. 2015. Flora of the southern and mid-atlantic states. Working Draft of 21 May 2015. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Robert K. Godfrey, R. Komarek, Loran C. Anderson, and Annie Schmidt. States and Counties: Florida: Leon and Washington. Georgia: Grady and Thomas.
- ↑ Miller, J. H., R. S. Boyd, et al. (1999). "Floristic diversity, stand structure, and composition 11 years after herbicide site preparation." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 29: 1073-1083.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Groman, J. D. and O. Pellmyr (1999). "The pollination biology of Manfreda virginica (Agavaceae): relative contribution of diurnal and nocturnal visitors." Oikos 87: 373-381.
