Edison's Ascyrum / Center For Plant Conservation
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Plant Profile

Edison's Ascyrum (Hypericum edisonianum)

Hypericum edisonianum shrubs are found in seasonal depression marshes of south, central Florida and can grow to almost 2 meters tall.

 Photo Credit: Bruce Holst
  • Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Clusiaceae
  • State: FL
  • Nature Serve ID: 140722
  • Lifeform: Shrub, Subshrub
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 11/16/2023
Description:

Where is Edison's Ascyrum (Hypericum edisonianum) located in the wild?

States & Provinces:

Edison's Ascyrum can be found in Florida

Which CPC Partners conserve Edison's Ascyrum (Hypericum edisonianum)?

  • Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

    Not Sponsored
    Conservation Actions
    Assigned 11/17/23
    • 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

    Elizabeth Gandy
    • 11/16/2023
      • Seed Collection Orthodox Seed Banking

    Arcadian St. John’s-wort (Hypericum edisonianum) is an endangered plant endemic to south, central Florida, primarily the southern terminus of the Lake Wales ridge. Plants grow as shrubs, some reaching nearly two meters tall, in seasonal depression marshes of scrubby flatwood communities. Plants flower and fruit for much of the year but seem to reach their peak during the wet summer months. The capsules are staggered in their maturation, so catching enough of them at the correct stage for seed collection can be difficult, even in areas where the plants are common. To address this, Selby Gardens’ staff placed collection bags over immature fruit and retrieved them after three weeks, having caught the seeds from dehisced capsules.

    Seed collection is further complicated by the rhizomatous habit of H. edisonianum. Delineation of maternal plants can be difficult and often arbitrary. Seed collection from different maternal plants had to be done from groupings of plants physically separated enough to reasonably be assumed to be separate plants. Spreading the seed collections out over many distinct wetlands helped to ensure separation of maternal line collections as well.

    Uncommon occurrence of five-petaled flower. Photo credit: Bruce Holst

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    Nomenclature
    Taxon Hypericum edisonianum
    Authority (Small) P. Adams & Robson
    Family Clusiaceae
    CPC Number 2299
    ITIS 503134
    USDA HYED
    Duration Perennial
    Common Names Edison's Ascyrum
    Associated Scientific Names Hypericum edisonianum
    Distribution
    State Rank
    State State Rank
    Florida S2
    Ecological Relationships

    Photos

    Hypericum edisonianum shrubs are found in seasonal depression marshes of south, central Florida and can grow to almost 2 meters tall.

    Photo Credit: Bruce Holst

    Hypericum edisonianum flowers typically have four petals, but occasionally have five.

    Photo Credit: Bruce Holst

    Mature capsule of Hypericum edisonianum as it is just starting to dehisce.

    Photo Credit: Bruce Holst

    Hypericum edisonianum has a narrow range in Florida, but where it occurs, it can dominate depression marshes.

    Photo Credit: Shawn McCourt

    Capsules of Hypericum edisonianum mature sporadically, making field collection of seed difficult. By bagging immature fruit, seed can be captured as they mature.

    Photo Credit: Bruce Holst

    Uncommon occurrence of five-petaled flower in Hypericum edisonianum.

    Photo Credit: Bruce Holst
    Pollinators
    Common Name Name in Text Association Type Source InteractionID
    Bees
    Masked bees Hylaeus confluens Floral Visitor Link
    Masked bees Hylaeus schwarzi Floral Visitor Link
    Sweat bees Augochloropsis sumptuosa Floral Visitor Link
    Sweat bees Dialictus miniatulus Floral Visitor Link
    Sweat bees Dialictus nymphalis Floral Visitor Link
    Sweat bees Dialictus placidensis Floral Visitor Link
    Leaf-cutting bees Anthidiellum perplexum Floral Visitor Link
    Leaf-cutting bees Megachile brevis pseudobrevis Floral Visitor Link
    Leaf-cutting bees Megachile mendica Floral Visitor Link
    Leaf-cutting bees Megachile petulans Floral Visitor Link
    Honey bees Apis mellifera Floral Visitor Link
    Bumble bees Bombus impatiens Floral Visitor Link
    Bumble bees Bombus pennsylvanicus Floral Visitor Link

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