Blodgett's Swallow-wort / Center For Plant Conservation
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Plant Profile

Blodgett's Swallow-wort (Metastelma blodgettii)

Seed pod of M. blodgettii (Photo by Lydia Cuni) Photo Credit: Seed pod
  • Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Asclepiadaceae
  • State: FL
  • Nature Serve ID: 134663
  • Lifeform: Forb/herb, Vine
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 10/25/2019
Description:

Slender vine with paired linear to lanceolate leaves and small white flowers borne in axillary cymes. The fruit is a slender pod (follicle) that contains several seeds with long white bristles attached that aid the seeds with dispersal. The plant normally climbs over other short vegetation (NatureServe, NPIN).

Where is Blodgett's Swallow-wort (Metastelma blodgettii) located in the wild?

Habitat:

M. blodgettii can be found in Pine Rocklands, a habitat that occurs on the oolitic limestone outcroppings of the Miami Rock Ridge. The most prominent feature of this habitat is the open canopy of South Florida slash pines (Pinus elliottii var. densa). The understory consists of tropical and temperate shrubs and palms and a very diverse herbaceous layer. This pyrogenic habitat is threatened by urbanization, fire suppression and invasive non-native plants (FNAI 2010, FISF Database 2019).  

Distribution:

M. blodgettii can only be found in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties in South Florida. Outside of the United States it can also be found on several islands of the Bahamas (NatureServe).

States & Provinces:

Blodgett's Swallow-wort can be found in Florida

Which CPC Partners conserve Blodgett's Swallow-wort (Metastelma blodgettii)?

  • Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

    Not Sponsored
    Conservation Actions
    Assigned 10/25/19
    • 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

    Tina Stanley
    • 05/11/2023
      • Orthodox Seed Banking

    According to a March 2023 extract of the Florida Plant Rescue Database, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden holds 16 accessions of Metastelma blodgettii totalling approximately 2717 seeds representing 99 maternal lines.

    • 10/13/2020
      • Propagation Research

    Results of germination trials show that seeds of M. blodgettii can be stored at -18C for at least one month without loosing viability.

    • 10/13/2020
      • Living Collection

    Fairchild nursery maintains four adult plants grown from seed collected at Seminole Wayside Park.

    • 10/13/2020
      • Seed Collection

    Fairchild nursery maintains four adult plants grown from seed collected at Seminole Wayside Park.

    Sabine Wintergerst
    • 11/01/2019

    Fairchild nursery maintains four adult plants grown from seed collected at Seminole Wayside Park.

    Sabine Wintergerst
    • 11/01/2019

    Results of germination trials show that seeds of M. blodgettii can be stored at -18C for at least one month without loosing viability.

    Sabine Wintergerst
    • 11/01/2019

    Threats to M.blodgettii growing in the Pine Rocklands of South Florida include habitat loss, invasive species and fire suppression.

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    Nomenclature
    Taxon Metastelma blodgettii
    Authority A. Gray
    Family Asclepiadaceae
    CPC Number 15056
    ITIS 517065
    USDA CYBL
    Duration Perennial
    Common Names Blodgett's swallow-wort
    Associated Scientific Names Cynanchum blodgettii | Metastelma blodgettii
    Distribution M. blodgettii can only be found in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties in South Florida. Outside of the United States it can also be found on several islands of the Bahamas (NatureServe).
    State Rank
    State State Rank
    Florida SNR
    Ecological Relationships

    Photos

    Seed pod of M. blodgettii (Photo by Lydia Cuni) Photo Credit: Seed pod

    Flowers of M. blodgettii (Photo by Ned Glenn) Photo Credit: Flowers

    Seeds with long white bristles (Photo by Brian Harding) Photo Credit: Seeds

    Metastelma blodgettii (Photo by Lydia Cuni) Photo Credit: Plant

    Faithful beauty larva (Composia fidelissima) feeding on M. blodgettii (Photo by Jennifer Possley). Photo Credit: Composia fidelissima

    Bartram's hairstreak butterflies (Strymon acis bartrami) on M. blodgettii (Photo by Stephen Hodges). Photo Credit: Strymon acis bartrami

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