(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
OTHER COMMON NAMES - GOLDENROD and WHITE-HAIRED
ELEMENT CODE -
CATEGORY - Angiosperm
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - MAGNOLIOPHYTA,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - MAGNOLIOPSIDA,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - ASTERALES,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - ASTERACEAE,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - SOLIDAGO,
SPECIES AND SSP - ALBOPILOSA,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - SOLIDAGO ALBOPILOSA
AUTHORITY -
TAXONOMY REFERENCES -
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
White-haired Goldenrod
Solidago albopilosa E.L. Braun
KINGDOM: Plant GROUP: Angiosperm
DIVISION: Magnoliophyta CLASS: Magnoliopsida
ORDER: Asterales FAMILY: Asteraceae
Solidago albopilosa was described as a new species by E. Lucy
Brown in 1942 (01). The material upon which this description was
based was collected in Menifee County, Kentucky, in 1941. There are
no pertinent synonyms for this species. The holotype is deposited in
the Gray Herbarium. Isotypes are deposited in Gray Herbarium,
Missouri Botanical Garden, New York Botanical Garden, U.S. National
Herbarium, and University of Cincinnati (02).
Medley provides the following description of the species:
"Solidago albopilosa is a rather lax to occasionally decumbent
herbaceous plant approximately 3-10 dm. tall. The inflorescence
is formed along the stem in the leaf axils and also at the tip of the
stem. It is occasionally branched. The clusters are few flowered.
The stem and stem-like portion of the inflorescence are minutely
white downy. The bright yellow flowers are about 5 mm long with 4-6
ray flowers with corollas about 3 mm long adn usually with 15 or more
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
disc flowers. The fruit is an oblong, pale brown akene with ascending
silvery hairs and a white pappus about 3 mm long. The stems of
this plant are solitary or several and 3-10 dm tall from an ascending
rhizome. They are erect or more often laxly ascending or occasionally
decumbent. They are round and low-ribbed in cross section and
copiously covered with dense white hairs. The leaves are alternate
and petiolate with the largest ones at the base of the plant and
reduced in size upward. The larger leaves are 6-10 cm long with one
third to nearly one half of that as petiole. They have narrow pointed
tips with rounded or somewhat heart-shaped bases. The edges are
toothed and both surfaces are covered with white soft downy hairs.
They are dark green in color and have prominent veins."
"Solidago albopilosa is easily distinguished from S.
flexicaulis, which it resembles and from which it was almost certainly
derived, by its vestiture which is densely white lanate to pilose
on the entirety of the plant, where as S. flexicaulis is glabrous
to glabrate on the entirety of the plant. S. albopilosa is smaller
in habit than S. flexicaulis and has smaller leaves. The flower
heads however are larger than in S. flexicaulis. The leaf bases
of S. flexicaulis are attenuate while those of S. albopilosa are
truncate to cordate or heart-shaped. The best methods for separating
the two species are the soft downy appearance of S. albopolisa
in apposition to the smooth slick appearance of S. flexicaulis
and the habitat, i.e., sandstone rock houses behind the dripline
for S. albopilosa and forest floor for S. flexicaulis. The two
can be found near each other but no habitat overlap occurs. Occasional
intermediate individuals (probably hybrids) occur, usually
associated withy S. albopilosa."
Additonal descriptions for the species can be found in 03,02,
and 04. A line drawing of Solidago albopilosa is presented in Medley
(02).
Taxonomy - 2 (DRAFT) - Status
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Kentucky; Federal Endangered
Kentucky; Unofficially Listed
E: Federal Endangered
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
U.S. STATUSES AND LAWS:
The white-haired goldenrod (Solidago albopilosa) has been
designated an Endangered species pursuant to the Endangered Species
Act of 1973 (50 CFR 17.12; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884; 16 U.S.C.
1531-1540), as amended. The species has this status wherever found
including the State of Kentucky.
Removal and reduction to possession of any Federally listed plant
from an area under Federal jurisdiction is unlawful (50 CFR 17.61 and
17.71).
RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL AGENCIES:
USFWS -Responsible for the management/recovery, listing, and
law enforcement/protection of this species.
USFS -Responsible for the law enforcement/protection of this
species with applicable State and Federal laws on
public lands under their control. Also responsible
for management/recovery on Forest Service lands. The
Forest Service is responsible for integrating
management, protection, and conservation of Federally
listed species into the Forest Planning process
(36 CFR 219.19 and 219.20).
All Federal agencies have responsibility to ensure that any
action authorized, funded, or carried out by that agency is not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of Critical Habitat (50 CFR 402),
and to utilize their authorities to carry out programs for the
conservation of the species.
STATE STATUSES AND LAWS:
STATE: Kentucky
UNOFFICIAL LIST: Endangered, threatened, and rare plants and
animals of Kentucky.
INTERNATIONAL STATUSES, TREATIES, AND AGREEMENTS:
None
ECONOMIC STATUSES:
None
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
75/07/01:40 FR 27824/27924 - Status review of endangered plants
76/06/16:41 FR 24523/24572 - Proposed rule
79/12/10:44 FR 70796/ - Withdrawl of proposal to list
80/12/15:45 FR 82480/82569 - Review for listing
85/09/27:50 FR 34526/39527 - Review for listing
87/04/24:52 FR 13797/13800 - Proposed rule
88/04/07: FR - Final rule; listed as endangered
Status - 2 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - TERRESTRIAL
TERRESTRIAL
LAND USE -
Deciduous Forest Land
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
Solidago albopilosa is endemic to outcroppings of Pottsville
sandstone in the Red River Gorge area of Menifee, Powell, and
Wolfe Counties, Kentucky. Usually it is found in rockhouses (natural,
shallow, cave-like formations) and beneath overhanging ledges.
The plants grow behind the dripline on loose sand, on the floor,
in crevices, and on ledges along the walls of rockhouses.
Associated rockhouse species include round-leaved catchfly
(Silene rotundifolia) and alumroot (Heuchera parviflora). Associated
overstory species of the mixed mesophytic forest are oaks
(Quercus spp.), maples (Acer spp.), and mountain-laurels (Kalmia spp.)
(04). Bailey (09) includes this area in the mixed mesophytic forest
section of the Eastern Deciduous Forest Province. Medley (02)
provides the following list of species directly associated with
S. albopilosa: "Heuchera parviflora, Rhododendron maximum,
Aster divaricatus, Silene rotundifolia, Smilax sp.,
Asimina triloba, Polystichum acrostichoides, Bignonia
capreolata, Ilex opaca, Viburnum acerifolium, Euonymus
americanus, Toxicodendron radicans and seedlings and young
growth of nearby tree species."
Solidago albopilosa is only found within Kentucky's Red River
Gorge. Most of this area is within Daniel Boone National Forest and
has been designated a National Geological Area (36 CFR 294.1). The
Forest Service is planning to acquire the most significant of the
several small, private inholdings within the Gorge in the future.
One population segment of Solidago albopilosa occurs within one of
these private inholdings. The geological features (rockhouses) with
which the species is associated are common within the Red River Gorge;
however, only a small percentage of these rockhouses currently
supports the species (03,07).
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
AUTOTROPH
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Terrestrial Features: Cliffs/ledges
G
G
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
LIFE HISTORY
HABIT:
Herb (01,04,02)
LIFE CYCLE:
Perennial (04,02)
TYPE OF REPRODUCTION:
Sexual (05,02). In addition to normal sexual reproduction,
Solidago albopilosa reproduces by stolons and rhizomes (02).
REPRODUCTIVE PHENOLOGY:
Anthesis dates are in Sept. and Oct. Fruiting dates are in
Oct. and Nov. (01,02,03). Germination, leafing, budding, and
seed/fruit dispersal dates are unknown (03,01,02).
SEX OR SPORE STATUS:
Dioecious (10)
POLLINATION, SPORE AND SEED DISSEMINATION:
Pollen disseminating agents are unknown, but presumed to be by
insects. Dissemination of seeds is inferred to be by wind
from structure and nature of the seed.
SEED BIOLOGY:
No information is currently available.
POPULATION BIOLOGY:
No information is currently available on the population
biology of Solidago albopolosa. Causes of mortality are
primarily from human trampling during recreational use of its
habitat (02). Recovery potential for the species is high
provided that human use of its habitat can be controlled.
ECOLOGICAL/EDAPHIC FACTORS:
The soil in which Solidago albopilosa grows is nearly pure
sand derived from the adjacent overlaying sandstone cliffs of
the Pottsville Formation (04). The rockhouses in which the
species grows are moist and usually shaded by the surrounding
mixed hardwood forest (02).
TROPHIC STATUS:
Phototrophic (09,10)
CHARACTERISTIC DOMINANCE:
Component (02,05)
COMMUNITY ECOLOGY:
Solidago albopilosa grows in the sand of rockhouses or on
ledges or cracks in the sandstone cliffs in which the rockhouses form.
Other species associated with S. albopilosa, but not
necessarily dependent upon the same habitat, include: Heuchera
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
parviflora, Rhododendron maximum, Aster divaricatus, Silene
rotundiflora, Smilax sp., Asimina tribola, Polystichum
acrostichoides, Euonymus americanus and Toxicodendron radicans
(02). If protected from human disturbance in the form of
trampling of rockhouse floors or removal of adjacent woody
vegetation, this rockhouse habitat is stable. Protection from
disturbance is essential to the species' long-term survival and
recovery.
SPECIES INTERRELATIONSHIPS:
None
OTHER LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTORS:
None
Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Restricting/regulating human disturbance of populations
Beneficial Land Acquisition
Beneficial Restricting Timber Harvest
Beneficial Maintaining Sperm/Seed Banks
Adverse Harassment/Vandalism/Indiscriminate Killing
Existing Harassment/Vandalism/Indiscriminate Killing
Adverse Rock Climbing
Existing Rock Climbing
Adverse Hiking/Camping
Existing Hiking/Camping
Adverse Climate Alteration
Existing Climate Alteration
Adverse Recreational development
Existing Recreational development
Adverse Applying herbicides
Existing Applying herbicides
Adverse Forest Alteration
Existing Forest Alteration
Adverse Harvesting
Existing Harvesting
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
The past and current reasons for the threatened status of
Solidago albopilosa are the same. This species is known only from a
small number of rockhouses in the Red River Gorge of Menifee, Powell,
and Wolfe Counties, Kentucky. The species has been extirpated from
some of these sites and is being adversely impacted by human
activities at most other sites (02). A census taken by Medley (02)
resulted in a population estimate of 10,500 individuals. Field work
since that time by Forest Service personnel (05) has revealed the
presence of several additional population segments. These additional
segments are located in the more remote and inaccessible portions of
the Gorge. Medley (02) states that all but two of the sites he
visited showed some disturbance by recreational use of the gorge.
He further reports that J. Varner, a local botanist who has observed
the species over several years, believes that Solidago albopilosa has
been extirpated from numerous rockhouse sites. Recreational
activities which directly impact rockhouses and Solidago albopilosa
include hiking, picnicking, rappelling, camping, and climbing.
The presence of Indian artifacts within the area, and the damage
caused by collectors pursuing them, subjects even the most remote
rockhouses to human disturbance (06,07). Due to its vulerable
position on the floors and walls, Solidago albopilosa is especially
susceptible to visitor damage. Recreational use of the Red River
Gorge is currently at about 240,000 recreational visitor days per
practices designed to reduce recreational use of the rockhouses
are needed to ensure the continued existence of the plant.
Due to its unique topographic structure, the Red River
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
Gorge experiences different climatic conditions than those found
on the Cumberland plateau and landscapes to the east and west (08).
Solidago albopilosa is adapted to the unique combination of
climatic, geologic, and topographic conditions present within the
Gorge. Even seemingly minor changes in the surrounding forest
could impact this shade-tolerant plant directly through drying
and erosion and indirectly by increasing competition with less
shade-tolerant species (04). While no such changes currently
threaten the plant, management planning designed to take into
account the requirements of the species is needed to ensure its
continued existence.
Future threats are anticipated to be the same as current
threats.
UNAPPROVED PLAN:
Identify potential habitat and conduct systematic search for
additional populations.
Prioritize known populations for protection and obtain the
highest and most appropriate level of protection for each population.
Conduct studies of the life history and ecological requirements
of the species, including pollination, germination, phenology, and
seed disperal.
Identify all threats to the species and develop management
practices needed to maintain health, vigor, and survivability of the
species.
Develop a management plan to implement needed management
practices or protective actions.
Maintain viable seeds in a seed bank and make seeds available to
organizations and institutions for research and propagation.
The only current ongoing recovery activity is the maintenance of
an inventory of known sites for the species by the U.S. Forest
Service.
Management Practices - 2 (DRAFT) - References
Species GOLDENROD, WHITE-HAIRED
Species Id ESIS704053
Date 13 MAR 96
References
***** REFERENCES FOR ALL NARRATIVES EXCEPT N-OCCURRENCE *****
01 Braun, E.L. 1942. A new species and a new variety of Solidago from
Kentucky. Rhodora 44:1-4.
02 Medley, M.E. 1980. Endangered and threatened plant status surveys.
Unpublished report to the Southeastern Region of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service under Contract No. 14-16-0004-79-105, 24 pp.
03 Andreasen, M.L., and W.H. Eshbaugh. 1973. Solidago albopilosa
Braun, a little known goldenrod from Kentucky. Castanea
38(2):117-132.
04 Kral, R. 1983. A report on some rare, threatened, or endangered
forest-related vascular plants of the South. Vol. II. Technical
Publication R8-TP2, USDA, Forest Service, Atlanta, Georgia.
Pp. 1252-1255.
05 Knowles, Brian. 1986. Personal communication. U.S. Forest Service,
Daniel Boone National Forest.
06 Evans, Marc. 1984. Personal communication. Kentucky Nature
Preserves Commission.
07 Figg, Don. 1986. Personal communication. U.S. Forest Service,
Daniel Boone National Forest.
08 Martin, W.H. 1976. The Red River Gorge controversy in Kentucky: a
case study in preserving a natural area. Association of
Southeastern Biologists Bulletin 23(3):163-167.
09 Bailey, R.G. 1980. Descriptions of the ecoregions of the United
States. U.S.D.A. Misc. Pub. No. 1391. 77 pp.
10 Cronquist, A. 1980. Vascular flora of the southeastern United
States. Vol. 1, Asteraceae. Univ. of N. Carolina Press, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina. 261 pp.
***** REFERENCES FOR N-OCCURRENCE NARRATIVE ONLY *****
01 Kral, R. 1983. A report on some rare, threatened, or
endangered forest-related vascular plants of the south
Vol. II. Tech. Pub. R8-TP2, U.S.D.A., Forest Service, Atlanta
Georgia, pp. 1252-1255.
02 Medley, M.E. 1980. Endangered and threatened plant status
surveys. Unpublished report to the southeastern region of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under contract No. 14-16-0004-
79-105. 24 pp.
References - 1