Search / Plant Profile / Conradina brevifolia

Plant Profile

Shortleaf Rosemary (Conradina brevifolia)

Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Lamiaceae
State: FL
Nature Serve ID: 128874
Lifeform: Shrub
Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/25/1988

Description:

Short-leaved rosemary is one of five shrubby mints found in central Florida scrub habitat. This species is a short-lived, aromatic, perennial shrub that grows to 1 m in height. It has highly branched stems and leaves that are linear, 4-8 mm long, and fleshy. The larger leaves on well-developed flowering branches are 6 to 8.2 mm long and mostly shorter than the internodes. One to six beautiful lavender flowers arise from the leaf axils.

Where is Shortleaf Rosemary (Conradina brevifolia) located in the wild?

Habitat:

C. brevifolia occurs on the Lake Wales Ridge in dry, white sand soils with scattered overstory of sand pine and scrub oak in clearings with other endemic shrubs and herb scrub vegetation. The shrub is protected on Lake Arbuckle State Forest and on land currently owned by The Nature Conservancy at Saddle Blanket Lakes. (USFWS 1999)

Distribution:

Endemic to central Florida in Highlands and Polk Counties. It is found at Sunray Hickory Lake, Avon Park Lake, Silver Lake, Saddle Blanket Lakes and Carter Creek. (USFWS 1999; FNAI 2000)

States & Provinces:

Shortleaf Rosemary can be found in Florida

Which CPC Partners conserve Shortleaf Rosemary (Conradina brevifolia)?

Bok Tower Gardens

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

09/03/2020

Maintain germplasm in long term storage.

09/03/2020

Maintain germplasm in long term storage.

09/03/2020

Maintain plants in Bok Tower Gardens' conservation garden. As a part of the Center for Plant Conservation, Bok Tower Gardens has established an ex situ population of the species on their grounds.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

The species has an extremely narrow range, with about 30 occurrences on the Lake Wales Ridge of central Florida. The species' habitat is being lost to agricultural conversion and development.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

The principal cause of decline is habitat loss and conversion of high pineland and scrub agricultural (principally citrus groves), recreational, commercial, residential development, and over collection for horticultural purposes. Additional threats includ

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Found in two counties at 30 sites whose combined areas total less than 2,000 ha. (USFWS 1999)

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Anne Cox of the Division of Forestry is monitoring this species at the Lake Arbuckle site. Bea Pace is monitoring this species at Saddle Blanket Preserve (TNC).

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

If current land acquisition efforts are successful, C. brevifolia will likely be protected at only five of the 30 sites where it is currently found. (USFWS 1999) As a part of the Center for Plant Conservation, Bok Tower Gardens has established an ex situ population of the species on their grounds.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Acquire more protected sites. Map and survey current distribution and survey for additional populations. Monitor populations. Protect and enhance existing populations. Research the basic biology and ecology, and management needs. Restore and maintain scrub communities by restoring fire regimes. Augment existing populations or conduct reintroductions. Educate the public. Control exotic vegetation and animals.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Maintain plants in Bok Tower Gardens' conservation garden. Maintain germplasm in long term storage.