Search / Plant Profile / Corema conradii

Plant Profile

Broom Crowberry (Corema conradii)

A view of this evergreen shrub in fruit. Photo Credit: Jean Baxter

Global Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Empetraceae
State: CAN, MA, ME, NB, NJ, NS, NY, PE, QC
Nature Serve ID: 156445
Lifeform: Shrub, Subshrub
Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/10/1987

Description:

Named after its discoverer, S. White Conrad (1779-1831), Corema conradii is one of the rarest plants in Massachusetts. It is a low, densely branched evergreen dioecious shrub with heath-like leaves and purplish flowers (Brown 1913, Norton 1913, Campbell and Hyland 1975). It belongs to a small genus distributed on both sides of the Atlantic and represented by only two species: one in Spain and Portugal, the other, C. conradii, on the Atlantic Coast of eastern North America (McEwen 1894, DiGregorio and Wallner 1989).

Where is Broom Crowberry (Corema conradii) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Corema is a plant of coastal plains. It grows on sandy soil, open sand, or siliceous rocky plateaus, ledges, and summits (Fernald 1921, Dunwiddie 1990, Dunwiddie et al. 1997). On open hilltops, it is found in pitch pine (Pinus rigida) stands, forming a springy carpet in pine barrens (Sorrie 1987). All of these habitats have relatively open light conditions, a requirement for the plant. This may be due to disturbance, often in the form of infrequent fire (Sorrie 1987).

Distribution:

This species has a disjunct distribution (meaning a few, widely separated populations) occurring on sandy or rocky coasts from Nova Scotia to Massachusetts, in the New Jersey pine barrens, and in the

States & Provinces:

Broom Crowberry can be found in Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, New Brunswick, New Jersey, New York, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec

Which CPC Partners conserve Broom Crowberry (Corema conradii)?

Native Plant Trust

Conservation Actions

10/05/2020

Individuals at the Botanic Garden of Smith College have studied germination of this species with only limited success. (2002) Propagation by seed: all treatments have shown low germination rates. Although seeds are abundant in nature, the natural mechanism that brings about germination is not yet known. Smoke treatment may bring about a higher germination rate. Propagation from hardwood cuttings: Oct-Jan in 50/50 sand-perlite under poly cover, with 2,500-500 ppm K-IBA treatment yields 80%+ rooting.

10/05/2020

The reproductive investment of male and female plants has been studied by Rocheleau and Houle (2001)

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Irina Kadis

01/01/2010

Lack of frequent fire causing habitat succession Herbivory, especially deer browsing Shoreline or cliff erosion Human trampling Development in the form of quarrying, sand mining, housing or road construction

Irina Kadis

01/01/2010

Remaining sites and populations are largely unknown. The greatest abundance of C. conradii is known from New Jersey's Pinelands (Good et al. 1979). In 1983, populations were surveyed on the Provincetown Peninsula; occurrences were observed in relict dune ridges, pine barrens and along road embankments (LeBlond 1983).

Irina Kadis

01/01/2010

The reproductive investment of male and female plants has been studied by Rocheleau and Houle (2001). Individuals at the Botanic Garden of Smith College have studied germination of this species with only limited success. (2002) Propagation by seed: all treatments have shown low germination rates. Although seeds are abundant in nature, the natural mechanism that brings about germination is not yet known. Smoke treatment may bring about a higher germination rate. Propagation from hardwood cuttings: Oct-Jan in 50/50 sand-perlite under poly cover, with 2,500-500 ppm K-IBA treatment yields 80%+ rooting.

Irina Kadis

01/01/2010

C. conradii is partially protected within state parks. For example, populations in the pine plains community in New Jersey and relict dune ridge areas in Provincetown are protected (Russel 1994, LeBlond 1983).

Irina Kadis

01/01/2010

C. conradii needs to be consistently monitored and fire ecology in relation to all life history stages needs to be investigated (Mallik and Gimingham 1985, Fimbel and Kuser 1993).