Hypoxis juncea

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Hypoxis juncea
Hypoxis juncea gil.jpg
Photo taken by Gil Nelson
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Hypoxis
Species: H. juncea
Binomial name
Hypoxis juncea
Sm.
HYPO JUNC dist.jpg
Natural range of Hypoxis juncea from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: fringed yellow star-grass, fringed stargrass

Taxonomic notes

Synonyms: none[1]

Varieties: none[1]

Description

A description of Hypoxis juncea is provided in The Flora of North America. Hypoxis juncea is a perennial herbaceous species.

Distribution

This species is distributed from southeastern North Carolina south to southern Florida and west to southern Alabama[1] with disjunct populations in western Cuba.[2]

Ecology

Habitat

It is a longleaf pine flatwoods/ sandhill species.[3] Generally, Hypoxis juncea is found in wet pine savanna communities.[1] However, it can also occur in disturbed areas, including grassy roadsides. It prefers open, moist conditions in sandy or loamy soils.[4] It can also be found in flatwoods and bogs occasionally.[5] Within the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service lists this species as a facultative wetland species that most often occurs in wetland habitats, but can also occasionally be found in non-wetland habitats.[6]

Associated species include Pinus palutris, Pinus elliottii, and Quercus laevis.[4]

Phenology

H. juncea generally flowers from April through May and can be later especially in response to fire disturbance.[1] It has been observed flowering from February through June and in September with peak inflorescence in March.[7][4] Fruiting was observed in March through June.[4] It has been observed to flower within a few weeks of burning in native pine savannas.[8]

Seed bank and germination

Seeds of H. juncea were found in the seed bank after a fire disturbance in a flatwoods habitat in Hardee County, Florida.[9]

Fire ecology

This species has been found in habitats that are maintained by frequent fire.[4] H. juncea appeared to have benefited from high fire frequencies in a study in 2003.[3] Observed H. juncea resprouting at least 10 days after a fire that occurred in June of 1993.[10]

Pollination

Hypoxis juncea has been observed at the Archbold Biological Station to host sweat bees from the Halictidae family such as Augochlorella gratiosa, and Lasioglossum nymphalis.[11] Deyrup observed Dialictus nymnphalis, on H. juncea.[12]

Herbivory and toxicology

H. juncea is one of the most important plants for quail, which occurred (resprouted) in the ranking only the first 1 or 2 months after fire."[13] Overall, though, it is considered to be of poor forage value.[14]

Conservation, cultivation, and restoration

Due to Hypoxis juncea being considered critically imperiled in North Carolina, it is listed as G4 on the global scale.[5]

Cultural use

Photo Gallery

References and notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Weakley, A.S. 2020. Flora of the Southeastern United States. Edition of 20 October 2020. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
  2. Sorrie, B. A. and A. S. Weakley 2001. Coastal Plain valcular plant endemics: Phytogeographic patterns. Castanea 66: 50-82.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Glitzenstein, J. S., D. R. Streng, et al. (2003). "Fire frequency effects on longleaf pine (Pinus palustris, P.Miller) vegetation in South Carolina and northeast Florida, USA." Natural Areas Journal 23: 22-37.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Karen MacClendon, R. Komarek, and Annie Schmidt. States and Counties: Florida: Calhoun, Jefferson, Liberty, and Wakulla. Georgia: Thomas.
  5. 5.0 5.1 [[1]] NatureServe Explorer. Accessed: May 30, 2019
  6. USDA, NRCS. (2016). The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 30 May 2019). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
  7. Nelson, G. PanFlora: Plant data for the eastern United States with emphasis on the Southeastern Coastal Plains, Florida, and the Florida Panhandle. www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ Accessed: 12 DEC 2016
  8. Robertson, K.M. 2015. Personal observation on Wade Tract old-growth longleaf pine preserve and Pebble Hill Plantation Fire Plots, both near Thomasville, Georgia.
  9. Kalmbacher, R., et al. (2005). "Seeds obtained by vacuuming the soil surface after fire compared with soil seedbank in a flatwoods plant community." Native Plants Journal 6: 233-241.
  10. Pavon, M. L. (1995). Diversity and response of ground cover arthropod communities to different seasonal burns in longleaf pine forests. Tallahassee, Florida A&M University.
  11. Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
  12. Deyrup, M. J. E., and Beth Norden (2002). "The diversity and floral hosts of bees at the Archbold Biological Station, Florida (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)." Insecta mundi 16(1-3).
  13. Hughes, R. H. (1975). The native vegetation in south Florida related to month of burning. Asheville, NC, USDA Forest Service.
  14. Hilman, J. B. (1964). "Plants of the Caloosa Experimental Range " U.S. Forest Service Research Paper SE-12